Bicnod for Mumsnet - LIVE AT THE G8!!! Come and keep me company...

[Bicnod]

I'm here in Belfast for you lovely lot as one of the IF@G8 bloggers - original thread here

It all kicks off tomorrow so setting this up now like a good boy scout to be prepared.

Did I mention I'm getting a press pass?!

Still eeking.

Up in 5 hours so must go sleeeeeeep.

[BIWI]

Safe journey!

[Salbertina]

Very well done indeed, Bicnod! You've done yourself proud, you've done MN proud...and you nabbed the wonderful Mr Snow! I shall stop now

[shoofly]

safe journey home and well done.

[scarecrow22]

I have been lurking and followed whole thread. Thank you so much Bicnod - and the other informed posters. Your Huff Post article gave me goosebumps it was so good. Have been finally dragged out of my newborn bubble and engaged with big world again - and in the best way. Safe home, and I also really look forward to hearing your round up. I'd also be interested in links to other blogs or articles you think have covered.it particularly well.
thanks

[Tee2072]

Really well done Bicnod! Safe trip home.

[MmeLindor]

Well done, Bicnod. Been following here and on Twitter, and it looks like an action packed couple of days. You must be exhausted.

[MiniTheMinx]

Helloooo, late to the thread, well done Bicnod, have a safe journey home.

can't believe you have bagged a chat with Jon Snow

Just thought I would link this if anyone is interested.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205437/Lough-Erne-Accountability-Report.pdf

and this www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205730/G8-_Accountability-Report-Comments-ECA.pdf

Would like to say more about this
"The losses to the DRC from this particular deal are estimated to be $1.3 billion - twice the DRC health and education budget"

especially at a time when western states are totting up huge debts and cutting social programmes. All is not as it seems when politicians speak. When investment comes from private sources, it is always with the express intention of making greater surpluses. One of the ways in which some of these countries are kept poor is actually because of this investment. To say that tax avoidance creates poverty in Uganda but ignore the fact that the impoverishment of both the UK state and its people stems from the same neo-liberal economic model, proves our leaders are either thick or they deliberately obscure the truth and they think we are thick!

When aid comes from western countries it is always with the express purpose of shoring up the capitalist system, for it will fail without A)creating new markets to sup up all that lovely surplus made through cheap labour and tax avoidance, B)ensuring that every last thing is privatised to make profit and ensure all public money whether tax or aid is shovelled back into the coffers of the corporations. Ask yourself why everything here is slowly being cut or privatised???

If you read both of those reports, esp the section on economics and the second report, para Recovery of stolen assets, its as clear today as it was in 1917 that imperialist corporations with the assistance of the western states and the banks, are carving up the world for profit.

You deserve a for all your hard work.

[Bicnod]

One shuttle bus, one taxi, one plane, one coach, another taxi and I'm finally hooooooome

@Mini - thank you for your posts, they've definitely given me food for thought (see what I did there?) - will read articles tomorrow when brain is less fluffy.

@liger - if he'd picked me I would have said (I know, because I wrote it down ):

I'm here for Mumsnet, and on behalf of mothers everywhere, to say it is unacceptable that over 3 million of our children die from malnutrition each year. You know in your heart that you could do more to stop this from happening. So my question to you is - what MORE can you do to support women in developing countries to feed their children, and WHEN will you do it?

Thanks for all the well dones - it really truly was an honour to represent you lot.

@scarecrow - your post has me chuffed to bits

Soooo. Final thoughts are that the G8 did not deliver everything that the IF Campaign hoped it would, but it was definitely a step forward.

Tax dodging in particular won't be swept under the carpet anymore - the public are onto it and it's only a matter of time before public pressure forces more gvt action.

The official IF response to the G8 declaration is here

I really need to go to bed now but just before I do:

Highs: meeting the other amazing IF@G8 bloggers; getting an article in the Huff ; meeting Jon Snow and him agreeing to a MN webchat; lego police vans; Guinness (yum); the Cameron press conference (even thought he didn't pick me); and spending two whole days MNing guilt free

Lows: freezing shower; scalding shower; coffee at Killyhevlin hotel. That's it - the rest was BRILLIANT.

Thank you so much for sending me - I loved every second. Now I need to go and sniff my children's heads and go to sleep.

:)

[BIWI]

Brilliant. Well done!