GM Stop G4S has now received a reply from Manchester City Council regarding the grounds on which they refused to accept the StopG4 petition onto the Manchester City Council’s Petitions Scheme  .  Apparently, its “inappropriate” as the Council’s hands are tied by EU Procurement legislation. Not only have the City Council capitulated to corporate interests, but  big brother is not prepared for people to publicly discuss or campaign about the issue – that’s democracy Manchester City Council style!!

A copy of the letter from the City Solicitor Liz Treacy can be read here.  The GM Stop G4S campaign petition can be down loaded here.

Early in September Greater Manchester Stop G4S Campaign (GM Stop G4S) had an excellent intervention disrupting the City Council Executive meeting on 3rd Sept. The day was supposed to be the launch of the Council’s Live Stream, Mancunion Matters described it as “ better than Jeremy Kyle”. The embarrassment was such that it seems to have been removed from their web  site.

Later  in the month, GM Stop G4S had a successful protest and lobby of the Labour Conference and also picketed a number of  Labour Council  shindigs. At the start on the Sunday of the conference, there was a great turn-out of PSC activist from around the North West . Delegates were corralled by PSC activists from Sheffield  singing Sue Blackwell’s excellent Stop G4S Anthem .  Some delegates claiming to be shocked to discover who was providing conference security – the clue was on the jacket – G4S written in large letters.