CONFIDENCE IN TONY BLAIR...NOW”

By Humphrey Carter
BRITISH fashion designer Katherine Hamnett, who caught the world's eye on Tuesday when she and Jodie Kidd modelled her “Stop War, Blair Out” t-shirts at London Fashion Week, called on expatriates in the Balearics to help get rid of Tony Blair and stop the war: “We've got just two weeks so get moving...” Hamnett, who divides her time between her Fornalutx home in Majorca and London, broke the mould at this year's London Fashion Week, sending her models down the catwalk in two anti-war and anti-Blair t-shirt designs. Talking to the Bulletin from her London studio Hamnett, a member of CND and former Labour/Green voter, said quite categorically that Blair has to go. “We have to push for a vote of no-confidence, Blair's got to resign, he's misrepresenting the people of Britain. “Only today a BBC poll shows that 91 per cent of the people are against war in Iraq,” she said.
Hamnett marched through London on Saturday, but apart from the “feel good factor,” she says that marches have little effect: “governments don't take any notice, this present one even less. “We need direct action and to use the mechanism of democracy, that is why we are calling on the electorate at home and even abroad, such as in Majorca, to write to or e-mail their MPs. Harrass them, pressure them to call for a vote of no confidence in Blair, hit your MP where it hurts, warn him or her that you'll not back him at the next election,” Hamnett said. “Blair has betrayed his mandate, he came into power promising education, education, education -- all we've got is bombs, bombs, bombs. He's selling out again, just like he did to the large companies and multi-nationals over foot and mouth and GM crops. “He's not listening to the people, although he was elected by the people for the people,” Hamnett said, adding “we're all terrified of the consequences, an attack will just fuel terrorism and innocent people of all ages will die on both sides. “Why is he doing it? Blair and Bush could start a Third World War. Is he being bribed? We don't know, but we do know that Blair has to go and you can all influence what happens. “As soon as we start to remove our support and votes for MPs, they'll sit up and take notice. Many are only in politics for their egos and money, it's in fast and out fast for business and money,” Hamnett said, calling on expatriates in the Balearics to find out who their MP is and join the “post-march” political campaign to oust Blair. “We have to use the mechanism of democracy to show that democracy still works in Britain and stop Blair turning the country into a police state. “Once we've stopped the war and got rid of Blair we can look at organisations like the United Nations and start trying to resolve Britain's problems.” Hamnett, who can not wait to return to Majorca, explained that she had been planning to make an anti-war and anti-Blair statement and decided to use her t-shirts at London Fashion Week to acknowledge public concern over the possible war - it certainly worked: the international media have been queuing up outside her studio since Tuesday. Hamnett, who in 1984 wore a t-shirt opposing the purchase of US missiles when she attended a reception at No 10 hosted by the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, said yesterday that Blair has started to use Thatcher “I'm not turning” rhetoric on Iraq. “Act fast, we've got two weeks to stop the war,” she repeated. www.parliament.uk to find your MPs e-mail address, www.stopwar.co.uk for t-shirts priced £10.