Local peace group sends birthday greetings to Tony Blair

Philip Gilligan posting the card to Tony Blair from the Esplanade, Rochdale

Tony Blair will be receiving at least one card from Rochdale when he celebrates his 54th birthday on Sunday 6 May. Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group displayed their card in Yorkshire Street last Saturday morning (28 April 2007) and found plenty of people keen to sign it.

The card features a picture of the prime minister dreaming about the mushroom cloud which would result from the firing of a missile from the Trident nuclear system, alongside the question, “What do you send the birthday boy who wants to spend £billions on nuclear weapons?” Inside, the peace group answer their own question with the answer, “A reminder that he has outstayed his welcome”. The card also has a photograph of the group’s famous ‘Blair-in-a-Bin’ effigy, which Amy and Philip Gilligan pushed from Rochdale to Manchester last September, on the eve of the Labour Party conference.

“People were very keen that we send the card to 10 Downing Street”, said Philip Gilligan. “They agree that it is time to ‘Trash Trident’ and ‘Bin Bliar’. They don’t want their taxes squandered on nuclear weapons of mass destruction and they want rid of all those who are trying to upgrade them. My own 54th birthday is only eleven days after Blair’s.” he added. “The birthday present I really want from Blair and Brown’s government is the announcement that they are decommissioning the Trident nuclear weapons system and spending the billions saved on improving our health, education and social services. However, I expect the very best I can hope for is to hear the announcement of Blair’s long-awaited resignation and the knowledge that I shall be spending another year campaigning against New Labour’s nuclear madness.”