| VFrom Dr Rob Pocock
Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Sutton Coldfield Constituency Sutton Constituency Campaign Centre, 46 Rectory Park Ave, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7BN tel / messages 07767 32 6704 email RobPocock@SuttonMP.org ________________________________________________________________________ MP agrees Sutton venue for Palestine debateRichard Burden, Labour MP for Northfield and lead member of Labour's recent peace mission to Palestine and Lebanon, will be guest speaker at a Sutton Coldfield public meeting hosted by the Town's Labour campaigner Dr Rob Pocock next week. Mr Burden's visit is highly topical in the light of the renewed prospects for Middle East peace following the US elections and the likely replacement of Yasser Arafat as leader of the Palestinian authority. Widely respected as chair of the national 'Labour and Palestine' Parliamentary Committee, Richard Burden led a visit to the troubled region last month and will speak on what he feels are growing signs of optimism that a break-through might be at last be in sight in the longstanding Arab-Israeli dispute over the occupied territories. Welcoming the meeting, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Dr Rob Pocock said, "Sutton Coldfield has a longstanding tradition of concern for international justice and there are many local church groups and civil rights organisations based in the Constituency who feel strongly about the issue. I'm delighted that Richard Burden has chosen to speak here and it's a testimony to the Town's long reputation as a centre of concern for international peace and justice. The continuing injustice felt by the Palestinian people is the biggest single cause of the disastrous instability across the Middle East and the Arab world more widely. Whatever some people may think of Tony Blair's position on Iraq, he has given a clear commitment to a just solution in Palestine, and this public meeting is a chance to add weight to this call. I am eagerly looking forward to hearing Richard's recent personal insight into the problem, and all local residents who share this interest will be most welcome to attend the meeting" The public meeting entitled "Achieving Middle East Peace and Justice" will be held at the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church Hall, Lichfield St (opposite and100 yards up from Sutton Coldfield College) at 7.30pm on Friday 19th November 2004. ENDS Dr Pocock is the Labour Party's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Sutton Coldfield Constituency. |