The Front
News, gossip and opinion
' - v u ...'.“.I...
Nuclear die-hards to
block roads
Two weeks of protests planned for Faslane. Words: Ruth Hedges
Y‘il-'l;l(li(3£,l.' protesters are planinng a ‘drem‘ at the
Fasiahe naval base to coincstle n'r-tl‘. Hiroslmina Day
or" (5 August. The actioit ‘.'.’l’l take the ‘or'n 0‘ people 'yll‘g ClC‘Hll. pecking access to the depot. 'synmoricaily representing tne tie; tin of innocent peope: the symbols .nnocent i.~<:ti'hs of at“, attack on lrau'.
The protesters. who are committed to '.-".(3 (tisarihaiiten‘. of the UK lr'ident ".icieav' '.'.'eapons system II‘ a ‘nonixioeitt. ODOI‘ Zil‘ii fully accmMah e manner". are "CHIP-g to cause as much disruption as possible. acting against Britain's "uc'ear policy il‘ general and age ins: ll‘i} threats niarle aganst Irao ll‘. particular.
ll‘. the last year. riter'iat (>"ai tensoi‘ has been building at an alarming rate. Post-1 ‘ Septemoe" la‘l—ou: has tipped political stakes are fuelled a dialogue ot' aggression based Oh the anguage of war waytogc Dubbyaa CO'lfllClS :nvolvrng Iraq. Israel. USA. Britain. Pakistan and India are uncomfona‘ce and ‘r ghten ng realities that will not go away. And :t is within this context that internatiOnai band of protesters at Faslane are acting.
'In the last year. the situation has become rnore apparent.‘ says Davrd Mackenzie from the campaigning group Trident Ploughshares. ‘Brtaih has always claimed Trident to be a deterrent and now it's used as an active threat. In a way it is at least a more open and honest approach. Out the increase of war-mongering of the West is alarmmg.‘
Mackenzie says that defence minister Geoff Hoon has indicated a new direction in defence policy. 'He has said that the UK is prepared to use its nuclear weapOns. This is an Overt admISSion that we as a nation are prepared to commit the most gflGVOuS war crime imaginable.'
This month. Trident PIOughshares. which has a permanent protest group at Faslane lthe Submarine base carrying Trident miseries. is staging a two week disarmament camp at Coulport near to the 'l'noertt u'xar‘nead storage depot on Locn Long. It has ,oinetl forces ‘.'.’llll Voices :r‘ the Wilderness which was set up <lur.ng the first (,3qu War as a ll()ll-‘.’l()i(3lll respoitse to the aggresstoi‘ against Iraq and i“ the fourth annua camp
"It gives the chance to have two .‘reeks of .ntense direct action] Mackenzie says. “last year people came from 12
4 THE LIST - r:
counties and we're looking for international action agam.‘ The camp is scheduled from zit-19 August and wrll be based .i‘ Peaton Glen Wood.
For more information go to www.tridentploughshares.org or email media@tridentploughshares.org.
Five of the best
1 Lost in La Mancha
Film The whole sorry story behind Terry Gilliam’s continued failure to make a movie of Don Quixote. Much better than it sounds. See feature, page 6. Filmhouse, Edinburgh.
2 Phoenix Nights
TV Peter Kay brings us more of his gallant northern humour with a second series of tragi-comic mayhem. See review, page 47. Channel 4.
3 Beck’s Futures
Art Toby Paterson’s art comes from his views of the city from upon a skateboard and his keen knowledge of the past. See feature, page 8. CCA, Glasgow.
4 Louise Welsh
Books Glasgow’s latest bright young thing with a tale of death and dodgy photos in The Cutting Room. See review. page 42. Canongate
5 Sophia
Music More moments of acoustic melancholy from Robin Proper Sheppard. ex-God Machine leader. See preview, page 23. Barfly, Glasgow.
she has got great skin for a woman
THE QUOTES ‘ ‘ ‘One thing I ofheragefl Ozzy Osbourne’s caring
noticed was that thoughts on our wrinkle-free queen.
‘I don’t worry about getting fat, but if I lost my hair, I’d blow my head off.’
Liam Gallagher's vanity level shoots through the roof.
‘My career is going better now than when I was younger. Now I get the part; back then I’d get the women.’
Michael Came never gets the best of both worlds.
‘Versace gave us an outfit each. She thought we were Blur.’
Simon from Blue pulls the wool over Donate/la '3 eyes.
‘The animals were very professional.’
Mel B on her latest high profile presenting job at the All Star Animal Awards
‘I have nothing against nudity as long as it’s not me.’ The fully clothed Matt Damon
‘I’m an attention freak. I want all the women in the world, and if I don’t get them, I fall to the ground and start kicking my feet.’ Who would ever have had Eminent down as an attention grabber?
‘The extent of my research for Men in Black II was watching the first movie again.’
Will Smith takes a laid back approach to warming up for his latest blockbuster.
The laidback Will