Chris Jones

Almost 200 years after the Peterloo massacre St Peter's Field in Manchester is moving centre stage in British politics again.

Since the infamous events of 1819 the area has seen many changes. In the mid 19th century the Field was built over with two urban symbols of Victorian capitalism - a massive railway terminus and goods interchange, and the Free Trade Hall - a centre of bourgeois free trade campaigning.

Today these sites are - fittingly post modern - a convention and exhibition centre and a hotel. Maybe it is equally fitting that the Labour Party in crisis has chosen this site for its 2006 Annual conference.

Manchester has suffered several visits by David Cameron in the past few months. The arrival of the Labour Party conference probably confirms the suspicions of some local observers that cities and their problems are going centre stage in British politics.

Blair will point to the massive rebuilding of central Manchester on the back of Olympic bids and the 1996 IRA bomb, and the dramatic changes in other Northern cities such as Leeds and Newcastle. Cameron highlights the failure of the rebuilding to benefit people in the poorer
areas of Manchester.

One major contrast between the visits of the two leaders is that, while Cameron excited no interest and protests, the visit of the Labour Party will not be passively ignored.

Already plans are underway for the next national anti-war demonstration to take place on the Saturday before the conference on September 23.

Anti-war campaigners in Sheffield are planning a fourday feeder march through Derbyshire (a reverse route to the Blanketeers who planned to walk from Manchester through Derbyshire to London in 1817).

The Stop the War demonstration coincides with the start of the European week of Action against war and imperialism called by the European Social Forum.

This provides an excellent opportunity to tie the British anti-war movement more closely to its European allies by inviting speakers and contingents from across Europe to join the demonstration against Bush's number one ally.

Many Manchester organisations and activists are planning protests and events with the central theme of social justice during the week of the conference. It is hoped that throughout the week the voice of those who want to see an end to neo-liberalism will make their opinions clear to the conference.

The march to Peterloo involved weeks of preparation to bring people in their thousands together to demand changes that would bring the social justice they desired.

It is hoped that the working class of Manchester will take this opportunity to make their voice heard by going to the events planned and the conference entrances with their banners and placards.

A summer of preparation is on the cards. Leaflets explaining how government policies are failing every sector of society are being produced for wide distribution. They will call for an end to passivity and for working class people to express their frustration with their feet.

Some comrades are wary of the comparison with Peterloo because of the massacre carried out by the state's forces. The more positive message is one of organisation and mobilisation to unite the working class against those who at best pay lip service to the problems workers face. Join us in Manchester.

Key dates for the week:

SATURDAY 23 SEPTEMBER National Stop the War demo

SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER Welcome for conference delegates with mobilisations and event information

SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER Labour Against the War rally with Tony Benn and Rose Gentle, Friends Meeting House, Mount St.

WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER Socal Justice mobilisations

More info from www.mancsagainsttanks.org