Minutes
Minutes of the Sponsors and Planning meetings of the Convention on Modern Liberty
Please note these minutes record internal discussions and often note suggestions that may not have been followed up while ideas and names were exchanged in a conversational way. There were ten planning meetings and four sponsors meetings.
page
18 September Sponsors 2
15 October Planning 7
29 October Planning 15
13 November Planning 18
19 November Planning 21
2 December Sponsors 23
11 December Planning 25
18 December Planning 29
13 January Planning 32
21 Jan Sponsors 38
4 February Planning 44
18 February Planning 49
25 February Planning 52
5 March Sponsors 56
Minutes: Convention on Modern Liberty Sponsors Meeting
The Guardian, September 18, 2008
Present:
Anthony Barnett – oD/ OurKingdom
Shami Chakrabarti – Liberty
Sabina Frediani – Liberty
Georgina Henry, Guardian
Stephen Pittam – JRCT
Henry Porter, Guardian
Elisabeth Ribbans, Guardian
Mark Ross – JRRT
Ros Taylor, Guardian
Stuart Weir – Democratic Audit
Observers:
Guy Aitchison – oD/Our Kingdom
Claire Preston – Democratic Audit and oD
Apologies
Laura Sandys – openDemocracy
1. Introductions and apologies
2. Approval of agenda
3. Update
AB: Ran through update as per paper provided: the proposed team, the website spec, the budget overiew. On state of play on funding: £23,000 has been raised from non-Rowntree sources, conditional on full-funding.confirmed and applications are out to cover the £12-22,000 still needed.
4. Overview of aims and statement of aims
SW: Gave an overview of aims. Said idea originally came about with David Davies resigning over 42 days. Aim is to raise public awareness and consciousness about the state of civil liberties in Britain including the Human Rights Act (HRA). Asking the question of how well protected they are now and in the future. The understanding is that HRA plus is the only possible legislative basis. The growth of the database state is of great concern along with traditional threats to liberty. Focus on 42 days is slightly misleading because the Counter Terrorism Bill is full of threats. Need to reassert the need to protect liberties (definition of which would include human rights). Aim is to rally the interested and spread the word and to make the Convention as broad as possible, including actors from across the political spectrum. Should be all embracing.
HP: Underlined that the pace of attack on privacy is increasing distinctly. This amounts to a crisis
MR: Said that from a Reform Trust point of view, the issue was heightened by the David Davis by-election. Felt need to take that debate and make it national. This is an opportunity to bring together a lot of organisations the Reform Trust and Charitable Trust fund.
SP: Asserted his belief that unity in this meeting is achievable. This is what the CT wants. We must be clear about the political context, we don’t undermine achievements already made. Important to support Tories who unite with this agenda.
GH: Guardian’s role is as media partner. They want to make sure debate is open. Must engage with critics of this agenda as well. The debate should not only take place in a meeting in London, the Guardian’s role is to help widen it.
ER Agreed and added that a lot of the issues chime with the leader line.
HP: Asked what will emerge from the day – the outcomes?
AB: Said not trying to create another organisation. The aim is to show the links and raise the whole level of discussion across the country. We want to show politicians that they can engage with the public on this issue. Want a shift in political culture. The videos and webcast are vital in spreading the debate.
5. Liberty’s possible support
SC: Said that if everything said so far is effectively reflected, in terms of the speakers and the agenda this is very exciting. Within the two main political parties there are libertarian and authoritarian groups – hawks and doves. The xenophobic streak is one of the biggest challenges to the HRA. Talk of Bill of Rights does not necessarily endorse HRA plus. Need to be smart about the tone of language for the Convention. The parameters must be how to protect our rights and freedoms, rather than asking whether we are for or against human rights. There is a big and diverse tent of those who support this view. But the parameters must be reflected in the language of the title, subtitle and description of the vision as well as in the selection of speakers for the plenary session. Discussion should be couched in terms of rights, freedoms and democracy, not liberties and human rights – the latter suggests HR are divisible from liberties and plays into the hands of detractors. One context is the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights (DHR). This should be highlighted.
ER: Asked whether the ambition was to reach passive supporters between the hawks and the doves or to find common ground between those in the tent
SC: Her view is that finding common ground is paramount. Sceptics can be brought into Convention but must be billed as such.
SW: Agreed with all SC said but said there is also a need to reflect the dark side too. Suggested that the plenaries should shape the dialogue and that the fringe sessions should be the place for vigorous debate. Said the title should be short and succinct and the strap used to nuance the message.
SF circulated a reworking of the statement of aims to fit the parameters SC had outlined.
SW: Said the reworking too long and diffuse but he agreed with the principles behind it.
HP: Clarified that the UN DHR is a context for the event and the 42 days issue the reason for it
There was general agreement and it was decided that SW, SC, HP and AB would together rework the statement of aims.
On the title Modern Liberty OK. The ‘call’ amended to:
“Calling together all concerned with the crisis of our fundamental rights and freedoms in the era of counter-terrorism and the database state”
SF: asking about how best implement any agreement.
AB: Proposed that the four principles (SW, SC, HP, AB) should agree – i.e. each have veto rights on:
a) those invited to the plenary sessions
b) organisations invited to host fringe sessions. These could be guided but the bodies organising them would have some leeway
GH: Said they should not have a completely free hand and there was general agreement with this point
GH confirmed that the Guardian was happy with the idea of the Four agreeing this
6. Keynote spots and plenary speakers
AB: Suggested that each plenary should be preceeded by a 5 to 10 minute maximum length keynote address. Suggested SC should open and invite Philip Pullman to do second. This was agreed. Discussion of the third. HP? A well-known cultural figure to raise the profile of the event? Various suggestions were made including Ralph Finnes, Colin Firth, Mark Thomas, Jeremy Clarkson , Zadie Smith
Panels should be respriced to a maximum of 4/5 speakers.
GH: Agreed to chair opening Plenrary. Raised the issue of which government ministers to invite. Agreed were Diane Abbot, Dominic Grieve, Tony McNulty, Nick Clegg, Boris Johnson
SC: Said that in cases where she knew well people who were being invited the process should be: 1. that they are sent an official invitation by the organising team 2. SC will follow that up with a phone call. She can be alerted that they have been invited either by copying her in to the invitation or sending her an email. (SC named David Davis, Diane Abbot, Dominic Grieve)
ER: Suggested a local authority figure should be invited to one of the plenaries
Discussion of second plenary on ‘Does the Publc Care?’ Agreed that Nick Sparrow should be asked. GH: Said she would phone.
Agreed that Sunny Hundall asked to chair Third Plenary. Agreed David Lammy asked to be part of this one.
7. Possible Session Partners (doc to be tabled)
AB: Drew participants attention to the Google page set up by GA, which shows a list of organisations and individuals who are either proposed partners or speakers. Access of this page will be open to all present who can thereby keep track of what is happening, input into the process, or raise objections.
SW: Said that a fringe session should be organised to address the xenophobia issues SC mentioned earlier.
Discussion followed of who should run this or be involved and suggestions included Adnan Siddique of Caged Prisoners , the Runnymead Trust, John Sweeney.
Other suggestions for who should run fringes included: Private Eye, The Liberal, Iain Dale (Total Politics). AB reported that John Jackson of Mischon de Raya hoping to hold session on who rules on national interest, government or judges, inviting Lords Bingham and Goldsmith and Cherie Booth.
8. Budget
Discussion moved to the budget and cost of tickets
SC: Said it was very important – reputationally and ethically – that if people are charged to be clear that all the money goes on the event
AB: Said ‘yes’ ticket revenues projected at best to cover a third of the costs. Main unknown costs of AV and video and webcasting.
SF: asked if the projected income assumed full sales.
AB: said yes, ticket revenues based on full sales. If didn’t sell out would emigrate.
SP: stressed the need to keep everyone fully informed about the budget.
It was agreed that the four should have full access to the Budget and say over any surplus
GH: Asked whether people would be charged to run fringe sessions
AB: Replied that those running fringe sessions would be expected to cover the costs of speakers and advertise and market the event. If wealthy like Mishcon perhaps. Problem with these things is also costs of administration, i.e. if you say people can bring own sandwiches even if the Logan Hall would allow this you then have to police the distribution of food.
9. Announcement and sponsorship
In reply to a question from ER, AB said the ideal launch date for the event was October 1st. Web site had to be up and running. Plan needed for Guardian coverage etc.
Should it be called by Guardian, Rowntrees, openDemocracy and Liberty?
ER and GH: Said they were happy that the role for the Guardian was clear but they would run it past Mark Sands as to how it is presented as G is the media partner
SP and MR: Said they would check and report back how Rowntrees participation should be reflected
Modern Liberty Meeting (15/10): Minutes and Action Points
Present:
Anthony Barnett
Phil Booth
Henry Porter
Stuart Weir
Guy Aitchison
Claire Coatman
Apologies:
Claire Preston
AB ran through agenda. The following schedule was agreed:
1. Today: Agree core partners to be approached – including tricky ones like Inst of Ideas (and get Liberty buy-in)
2. Friday 31 Oct: Get agreement (or not) of most partners plus Plenary speakers. (Partner organisations will be given username and password for the website when they are approached – username=modern psword=liberty).
3. 1 Nov: Start long-term media approaches. Basic design of A4 poster for email circulation
4. Mon 10 Nov: Remove password protection with most panel speakers agreed
5. 19 December: programme finalised (always allowing for flexibility)
6. 10 January Guardian launch and tickets on sale
HP raised issue of student marketing. He is speaking at Lincoln University who have agreed to send ten students in return. This is a possible model of collaboration.
AB suggested a group discount for students buying say 10 tickets. We should have A4 posters to go on department websites. SW recommended the Human Rights Centre in Essex.
It was agreed that the student marketing strategy should start now.
AB began discussion of panel sessions. Organisations need to be offered an exact time when we approach them to sponsor a session. Putting up the names of speakers on website as they confirm will hopefully encourage competition between organisations.
MORNING SESSIONS
Session 1 (database state)
PB happy with the session as it is and happy to work with CPS and Jill Kirby.
HP: offered to write to David Varney for this session. Pointed out that many people respond better to receiving an actual letter. Boris’s deputy strongly opposed to ID cards – Julianna Malthouse intends to cut up hers and post it to Jacqui Smith.
Session 2 (what liberties are we losing under the c-t laws?) to be dropped and the Democratic Audit session be moved from afternoon to replace it.
HP: The Guardian is researching what liberties we are losing based on HP’s list. We can use this as a basis for our own.
Session 3 (Judges)
SW suggested that the session on the judges should not conflict with the session on Parliament.
It was agreed that the Judges session would be moved to the afternoon.
Session 4 (War on Terror)
AB has received no reply from Spectator and it was agreed the Economist should be approached instead. SW suggested the London Review of Books. HP suggested Jeremy Greenstock for this panel.
Session 5 (Business and Privacy)
AB: ORG have agreed to sponsor this session. Should approach Economist for the chair. Bill Emmott may be able to come.
PB suggested that the privacy officers from Microsoft, Google etc would be good to have on these sessions. All agreed.
Session 6 (The Right and Rights)
AB: Peter Facey of Unlock Democracy suggested the party-focused sessions (i.e. this session and the Left and Liberty) may be off-putting for the smaller parties.
There was general agreement that this wasn’t a serious concern. SW pointed out that the smaller parties could still turn up and engage. It was agreed these sessions should be kept.
HP pointed out that there is no sign that the new Tories will be any better than Labour.
PB confirmed this, although he added that there are some good policies emerging from the Tories on the database state. The problem is that this argument can be made without reference to human rights. He warned that the libertarian narrative coming out of the Tories is narrow and short-termist.
AB: Iain Dale has agreed to chair but will not organise the session and the date is in Peter Oborne’s diary. Will approach Laura Sandys to organise and possibly Policy Exchange.
Session 7 (Press Freedom)
HP: Police are behaving oppressively towards protestors. F.I.T are an especially nasty outfit. NUJ are currently running a campaign on the harassment of journalists covering protests. This session can be related to the recent Nick Cohen story.
HP has the contact at NUJ (Stephen Pierce). HP and AB will go and see NUJ.
PB: Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of NUJ, is a No2ID contact. Data Comms Bill is fundamental to press freedom.
The title needs to be decided.
It was agreed that HP will ask the Observer to joint- run this session with NUJ.
Session 8 (Criminalisation of Dissent and Environment)
AB: Activists summit taking place on the same day, partly organised by Friends of the Earth. Have emailed them to suggest co-operation.
GA and SW suggested it was too limiting to focus just on the environment. Must encompass other forms of protest.
SW gave the example of the Bristol case where jury acquitted protestors of criminal damage against military property.
PB: Activist organisations worth considering are FitWatch and Globalized Resistance PB has the contacts.
Plane Stupid was also suggested, and also Peter Tatchell. SW suggested it would be good to have a lawyer who represents these protestors.
GA and PB are to co-ordinate on this session and draft the title.
Session 9 (national question)
ippr and the Campaign for an English Parliament have both agreed to run this session.
Session 10 (xenophobia)
The question of whether to have a Muslim session was discussed. AB and PB felt that you don’t want to ghettoise them and they should instead be included on the other panels.
SW agreed with this but pointed out that the burden of these laws falls disproportionately on Muslims. Democratic Audit has looked at this and Trufyal Choudhury has done good work on attitudes of Muslims. Issue could be one of Islamophobia.
GA suggested Islamophobia was a good way to frame the debate.
PB: No2ID approaches this through looking at xenophobia. Database state is at heart xenophobic.
It was agreed that “Xenophobia” should be the title of the session with Islamophobia mentioned in the blurb.
SW: Need to have a more overtly political group than the Young Foundation who are a bit “social workery”. E.g. Runnymede, London Civic Forum (where PB has contacts).
SW will take the lead on the xenophobia session in co-ordination with GA and AB.
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
Session 1 (Parliament) – (nb: this session moved to no 2 in the morning)
SW: Gus Hosein is off the list.
AB: Andrew Tyrie has agreed.
Session 2 (International session)
AB: We have to choose between the two titles i.e. Britain’s example to the world OR The World Picture
HP spoke in favour of the first title. Britain, from the time of Voltaire, was a beacon of liberty and freedoms, but now dangerously authoritarian.
PB gave example of the Privacy League Tables on the Privacy International website. Britain fares very badly.
AB agreed that this needs to be said but suggested it wasn’t really an issue to debate as such.
HP to ask Christopher Meyer who is keen on this issue.
GA pointed out that this isn’t the panel session originally pitched to Index on Censorship. Need to speak to them about this session.
It was agreed that the second question should be the one we focus on with HP perhaps giving a talk on the first issue.
Session 3 (local government)
SW: Shouldn’t just be London-based organisations. Keith Ewing has done work on surveillance and will know people for this session.
PB: Could get Mark Thomas for this session or possibly even a plenary.
GA to look at local government session.
Session 4 (constitution and civil liberties)
AB, GA and CC have met with Unlock Democracy who will be sponsoring this session.
Session 5 (Left and Liberty)
This session to go ahead and will be sponsored by Compass. Neal Lawson is keen.
Next step is to meet with Compass. The Fabians can be asked to co-sponsor, possibly along with Renewal and Soundings.
Session 6 (taking liberties – British Library)
This session is related to the current exhibition in the BL on the history of liberty.
Quentin Skinner has agreed to speak and may speak on a plenary as well.
Session 7 (HR: universal or citizenship?)
GA suggested that there was some overlap with Unlock Democracy session if both are going to look at a British Bill of Rights. This session should perhaps be more philosophical. It should focus on treatment of immigrants and asylum speakers rather than specifically on a BBofR.
It was agreed that Prospect should not be asked to sponsor the session, although David Goodhart can be asked to participate.
JUSTICE and the BIHR to run this session.
Session 8 (Liberty and Love)
It was agreed that this session should go ahead with oD and Resurgence if the idea can be developed.
HP thought it was fine, albeit slightly weird. GA agreed.
Session 9 (media)
Question arose of whether Daily Mail should be asked to sponsor – would it upset the Guardian. Agreed not.
PB and HP pointed out that the Mail have been strong on the database state. Although it was agreed it would be beneficial to have Mail writers present at Convention.
AB will discuss the matter of the Mail’s involvement in the Convention with Peter Oborne before anything else and PB could talk to James Slack (also a Mail journalist).
It was agreed that Private Eye should be approached with Iain Hislop to chair and sponsor the session.
HP knows him and will approach.
AB will ask Francis Wheen.
Gudio Fawkes was suggested as a speaker at this session
Session 10 (Faith and Freedoms)
AB: many people opposed to what’s going on are from faith communities. Important to involve these groups which also have large memberships.
PB: This may be true, but many from faith groups in antipathetic to our cause e.g. many Sikhs welcome ID cards which will allow them to prove they’re not Muslim. Need a broad representation of faiths. Muslim Council of Britain, Quakers etc.
John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, was suggested.
AB to speak to Simon Barrow of Ekklesia.
This panel is not yet agreed. More thought on this needed.
Session 11 (EU database state)
HP: An important session on EU laws and data-sharing across Europe.
PB: There may be little point in having this session without Tony Bunyan of Statewatch, though he could be linked from satellite in Manchester. Alternatively the session could be collapsed into the International session and database state session.
This session not yet agreed. Action suspended.
Dinks Plenary on the day
PEN are keen to sponsor an evening drinks session.
AB and HP to talk to Hay-on-Wye about possible sponsorship too and about their hosting an ML session at the festival later in the year.
This will be looked at in more detail at a later stage along with the plenaries.
BIG-HITTERS
HP briefed on the big-hitters party he is organising:
-It will be late November (25th, 26th or 27th) 6:30-8:30pm, ideally in the British Museum central Hall.
-Booze, no canopies. HP seeking wine sponsorship.
-Helena Kennedy will host with HP. Their names will appear on invite along with Vanity Fair, Shami, AB and others.
-A list of big-hitters is being drawn up: David Puttam, Phil Hudsom, Simon Jenkins, Max Hastings, Melvyn Bragg, Jeremy Irons etc. Also some right-wingers needed.
-We may ask them for some more money.
-Someone (PB or AB) will give a few words on the database state.
CC to set up a database for email invites. HP’s secretary to phone up.
HP raised the question of what we want the convention to produce – a petition, a signed statement, a change in the political culture?
PB: Wary of the idea of petitions. Should use the Convention to get organisations to recruit people to the cause. Difficult to create a “movement” but a short catchy phrase would help towards getting mass involvement, like the anti- poll tax movement (“Can’t pay, won’t pay”).
AB: The website will list all the different ways people can get involved. The main objective is to shift public opinion and change the political culture.
No agreement on this: the question is something to keep in mind as we proceed.
ART, FILM AND MUSIC
HP is still in touch with Banksy. All enthusiastic about his possible involvement.
HP and PB have had contact with Neil from the Pet Shop Boys who is strongly anti-database state. PB suggested he could go on the criminalisation of dissent panel. PB will speak to him about this.
CC suggested using Love Music Hate Racism as a resource of names.
It was agreed that there should be another meeting next week (time and date yet to be decided).
End of Meeting.
ACTION POINTS
AB:
• approach the Economist to co-sponsor ‘war on terror vs human security’
• approach Laura Sandys to organise ‘the right and human rights’
• approach policy exchange to sponsor ‘the right and human rights’?
• See NUJ with HP (HP’s contact is Stephen Pierce) re ‘press freedom’
• talk to Index re change in ‘the world picture’ with GA
• Discuss his involvement with Peter Oborne
• ask Francis Wheen to speak for ‘the media – part of the political class?’
• speak to Simon Barrow of Ekklesia re ‘faith and freedoms’
• talk to Hay-on-Wye about possible sponsorship and hosting an ML session at the festival later in the year with HP
• co-ordinate with SW and GA re xenophobia sessions
HP:
• write to David Varney to ask him to be on ‘database state’ panel
• ask Observer to joint run ‘press freedom’ with NUJ
• see NUJ with AB (HP’s contact is Stephen Pierce) re ‘press freedom’
• ask Christopher Meyer re ‘the world picture’
• approach Ian Hislop to chair ‘the media – part of the political class?’
• talk to Hay-on-Wye about possible sponsorship and hosting an ML session at the festival later in the year with AB
• continued organisation of Big Hitters event
PB:
• invite panel to Database session – am panel 1. (NB deadlines as above).
• co-ordinate with GA re ‘is dissent becoming a crime?’ including finalising a title
• contact FitWatch and Globalized Resistance re ‘is dissent becoming a crime?’
• Talk to James Slack re the Daily Mail’s possible involvement
• speak to Neil from Pet Shop Boys re speaking on the criminalisation of dissent panel
• suggest more links to active orgs and music/film
SW:
• take the lead on xenophobia session, in co-ordination with AB and GA
• responsible with Andrew Blick for getting names for ‘why can’t parliament protect our liberties’ (NB deadlines)
GA:
• co-ordinate with PB re ‘is dissent becoming a crime?’ including finalising a title
• look at local gov issues – think of title, panel, sponsorship organisations
• talk to Index re change in ‘the world picture’ with AB
• co-ordinate with SW and AB re xenophobia sessions
CC:
• set up database for e-mail invites to big hitters party
• find names from Love Music Hate Racism events
General:
• decide title for ‘press freedom’ session
• meet with Compass, The Fabians possibly along with Renewal and Soundings re sponsorship for ‘the left and liberty’
• develop thinking on faith and freedoms session, particularly re panel
• think re EU database state session: how to include Tony Bunyan? Should it be collapsed into other sessions?
• ongoing: what will come out of the convention e.g. petition, signed statement Hay on Wye session plus plus
Summary and action points following CML meeting, 29/10/08
(present: Guy Aitchison, Anthony Barnett, Phil Booth, Clare Coatman, Claire Preston)
Actions before the website launch (10 Nov)
Jon Bright is taking over the maintenance of the site.
We have started to add individual pages for each parallel session containing blurb, speakers and, eventually, background reading.
The email update service will be “regular” instead of weekly and we will ask for first three letters of subscribers’ postcodes only.
The email service will be provided through Feedblitz.
There should be clear info on the site on how individuals and organisations can get involved.
There should be a clear “Ticket” link on the frontpage.
We will commission widgets with the CML branding to put on other websites.
GA and CC are in charge of marketing through social networking sites.
Tony Curzon Price of oD has recommended crowdvine and cyber Harvard law edu.
We are soliciting as much feedback on the website as possible before the launch.
Local group meetings
Phil plans to hold 6 regional meetings around the country and has been in touch with local No2ID groups on this. These will ideally be held in University venues for 100+ people. They will screen live the plenaries and host their own panels.
Guy is putting Phil in touch with the Amnesty and Unlock Democracy contacts who will work with him on this.
Anthony is investigating how the live streaming capability can be provided and funded.
The website will contain information on how people can organise meeting groups autonomously.
Convention Day
There will be a series of “talking heads” videos featuring Anthony, Henry. Phil etc.
We will approach the Guardian and the video upload sites FrictionTV and Yoosk with our proposal for how the Modern Liberty videos will work with a view to choosing who we will contract to make these videos.
Taxpayers’ Alliance to be approached about local government session – and possibly Privacy International.
CC is managing the ticket database which will use Eventbrite.
->We decided that there should be fortnightly meetings from now up until the Convention which Claire Preston will schedule in advance.
Action Points
PB
-approach Becky Hogge about Wordpress maintenance support
-test website with NO2ID colleagues
-put the team in touch with NO2ID colleagues who built the NO2ID “cause” on Facebook
-send an email to Taxpayers’ alliance about local government session
-review draft video production email by AB
-arrange meeting with Unlock Democracy and Amnesty contacts in charge of local meetings once GA has provided
GA
-put a “Ticket” link on the website front page
-statement on website to alert interested individuals and organisations on how to get involved
-take charge of online social networking drive along with CC
-alert network of blogs and organisations in advance of the Nov 10 launch
-contact Unlock Democracy and Amnesty over who will be co-ordinating the local meetings and put in touch with PB
CC
-take charge of online social networking drive along with GA
-look at Privacy International and Taxpayers’ Alliance for local government session
AB
-draft an email to send to Yoosk, FrinctionTV and Guardian about what we require in terms of video production and show to PB
-commission and sign off several widgets before 10 Nov
-commission and sign off A5 leaflet design before 10 Nov (leaflet design must have space for other organisations’ co-branding)
-approach Brian Eno about RealWorld Studios and Peter Gabriel and the use of a three camera setup for live streaming of the plenaries to regional group meetings
CP
-Arrange fortnightly meetings up until the Convention
General
-Not a weekly email service but a “regular” email service
-The first 3 letters of sign ups’ postcodes only on email sign up
CML Meeting 13 November, Summary and Action Points
Present: Anthony Barnett AB; Claire Preston CP; Guy Aitchison GA; Clare Coatman CC; Phil Booth PB; Henry HP, Tony Curzon Price TCP; Stephen Taylor
Apols: Stuart Weir
Before website launch
The Call on the Homepage was changed in order to make clearer links between the Convention and the economic crisis, and the way in which liberty is central to a solution to the current challenges as well as being under attack from them.
It now reads:
A call to all concerned with attacks on our fundamental rights and freedoms under pressure from counter-terrorism, financial breakdown and the database state
On the Home page, the third question was changed from “How can the public be engaged?” to “Why should everyone care?” to reflect the fact this is not an event where the political class talk about the public but an open and accessible debate. The link to the set of actions from the Home page was changed to “Get Involved”.
The website’s password protection will be lifted 19 November.
There will be a meeting at 2:30pm at Goswell Road to discuss how we move forward and publicise the CML.
Tickets will go on sale so as not to arouse people’s interests and then not gain their buying. The ticket price proposed is £35 and £20 concession.
NB: AB has postponed ticket sales for the 19th see note below
-> CP and AB to draw up a projection of ticket sales and income.
-> GA to co-ordinate blog coverage for website launch
-> CP to draw up simplified Gant chart of key dates in the run up to the Convention.
-> PB has offered a plug in the No2ID which will be sent out around 25 November (the day the first ID cards are rolled out).
-> AB to look for designers for the Convention logo, widgets etc. The London College of Communication was suggested as a possible resource for design work.
-> AB and HP to take a decision on the involvement of the Institute of Ideas.
Convention aims
AB encouraged a discussion of what people would say to the media if asked about their larger aims for the Convention and afterwards. There was an interesting discussion.
-> PB will circulate a proposal – we are not looking for an ‘agreed statement’. Informal discussions should continue.
Publicity and Big-Hitters
The big-hitters party will take place at the Foreign Press Association, probably 15 January. It will be hosted by HP, Helena Kennedy and Vanity Fair. Around 250 people will be invited. Moet are sponsoring the booze.
The Guardian publicity and editorial will begin in the week running up to the big-hitters party.
-> HP is interested in any suggestions for the invitation list, the aim being to spread news of the Convention amongst those who are influential.
-> HP is talking to a number of companies about having a 6 week PR drive in the run up to the Convention. This hasn’t yet been fully budgeted for so a sympathetic PR company may be needed. HP and PB to have an offline conversation about PR.
HP will bring together an ad hoc committee with experience in commerce and marketing to give their thoughts on how the Convention looks and how it should be marketed.
AB and TCP went to see Emma Duncan at the Economist. Name of the Economist will appear alongside Guardian if Economist support goes ahead
Local Meetings
PB is in contact with Alexandra Runswick of Unlock Democracy and Joanne Lynne of Amnesty about regional meetings.
NB: PB is organising 6 regional meetings on the Saturday that will – this is the plan – get on-line live feeds from the Convention. There may also be local and informal meetings in the week afterwards where people may watch videos of panels etc. They may also be pre-meetings before 28 February for people to feed in their questions.
-> AB will talk with John Gardiner of the Countryside Alliance and put him in touch with PB.
-> PB is interested in any contacts for networks and speakers for the 6 regional meetings which are being planned around the country for the day of the Convention.
(TG is in contact with Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty over a Northern Ireland meeting.)
-> PB to circulate his list of requirements for the regional meetings and email GA with his requirements for email aliases.
There needs to be some way to feed the material coming out of the meetings into the Convention itself. A system should be put in place to gather the most popular questions which can then be fed into the Convention (bearing in mind there will be a live audience and regional meetings around the country wanting to ask questions too).
The questioners could be tracked on a Google map on the website.
The idea of sending discussion packs to people holding their own meetings was suggested.
-> AB, GA and CC to explore these possibilities in co-ordination with PB and others.
Forums and Web discussion
It was felt local meetings should be co-ordinated through email, facebook and posting on the website rather than through forums hosted on the website.
It was felt that the message is also very important in making the social networking effective.
TCP and PB suggested that Modern Liberty should aim to stimulate debate around the web, rather than attempt to centralise discussion. It was agreed that there needs to be some stimulus of articles, ideas, videos etc for discussions to take place. We will then track the coverage on our website (through tagging etc).
-> TCP to advise on how this should be done.
-> AB to contact Guardian about possible use of video facilities.
-> Miranda Porter to be asked to produce and direct the “talking heads” videos.
NOTE from AB:
We are still not ready to finalise ticket prices, assign numbers to categories, and have some sessions outstanding. I therefore have decided after discussion with Henry that we will lift password protection on the 19th but mark the site as beta and under development for a week or so until we have finalised prices and can market it more strongly. I agree with the basic decision to sell tickets when we actively attract the public to the website.
CML meeting 19 November, Summary and Action Points
Present: Anthony Barnett AB; Claire Preston CP; Guy Aitchison GA; Clare Coatman CC; Phil Booth PB; Henry Porter HP; Stuart Weir SW; John Jackson JJ; Sabina Frediani SF; Stephen Taylor ST; Georgina Henry GH; Tony Curzon Price TCP Apols: Laura Sandys; Pam Giddy; Sunny Hundal (SH)
Action Points only
Sessions and speakers
- Ken Macdonald to be moved from the database state session to the morning plenary so that there is an authoritative non-parliamentary voice on that panel.
- It was felt that the second plenary on Freedom and Democracy after the Market meltdown could do with having a speaker on the database state. The title may need to be changed to reflect this. Caspar Bowden, Microsoft? Peter Barron of Google? HP to contact the latter. The latter is an ORG contact already down to speak on Business gets personal. Sunny Hundal to be bounced off as Bloggers Summit enough.
- There has to be a woman speaker in Parliament’s role Democracy Audit session. SF to approach Diane Abbott.
- GH and SH to meet to ensure focus on what the Bloggers’ summit will deliver.
- GH suggested moving the Judges session to the morning so as to make the Sunday news cycle. SW suggested swapping with his Democratic Audit session on Parliament.
- Martin McIvor has been asked for trade union leader for the Left and Liberty session. Christina Zara was (NO2ID TU liaison) could help.
- Panel of Torture, Stafford-Smith (and reprieve) to be involved. Phillipe Sands will have to watch Arsenal as his session can’t be moved.
- The British Library will not be sponsoring the Taking Liberties session. The title should be changed to reflect this.
- GH thinks Observer have agreed to sponsor Press Freedom. Nick Cohen to speak at that session.
- Private Eye will sponsor the session on the political class. HP will invite Francis Wheen to chair.
- GA to invite Dr Adnan Siddiqui of Cage Prisoner for Xenophobia session. Other possibles for Xenophobia: Tom Nixon, Bikhu Parekh.
- Derry Irving was suggested (session undecided).
• Victoria Brittain (journalist who has done work on control orders) was also suggested (session undecided).
- At the end of the meeting two extra sessions were noted as possibilities, on Children to be chaired by SF and on Democracy and Liberty with Tony Benn and Derry Irving
Tickets
The system is in place for ticket sales but the prices have yet to be finalised.
- It is planned that tickets will go on sale next week. Eventbrite (our ticketing service) allows the use of password protection. This option will be used at first so that tickets can be offered to target groups before going on sale to the public.
Publicity
a) Heavy-hitters
- The heavy-hitters’ party being organised by HP is scheduled for 15 January. HP and Helena Kennedy are hosting it at the Foreign Press Association. Moet are sponsoring the alcohol. Vanity Fair will print the invitations. The plan is to feed the Convention into the bloodstream of the mainstream media and opinion-formers. HP will circulate his list of invitees and welcomes any suggestions.
b) PR campaign
- HP and JJ stressed the need for a professional PR campaign. This may cost £10 k + and will require funding. (HP has already asked Felix Dennis for funding for PR)
- AB suggested if an agency agreed and costs specified existing funders could be specifically approached.
c) Coverage
- GH offered to plug the Convention at the bottom of each of the blogs the Guardian are running in December to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- GH offered to promote the regional meetings through the Guardian’s online coverage.
- JJ has agreed with History Today that they will run an article for the Convention (perhaps on the history of parliamentary sovereignty). JJ will send AB and HP the email of the History Today editor.
Regional meetings
- PB gave an update on the planned regional meetings to be held simultaneously with the Convention. These meetings will live stream the plenary sessions to halls of 100+ non-paying members of the public. Amnesty and Unlock Democracy are involved and more partners being sought.
• Meetings are planned for: Cambridge, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Swansea and Belfast and either Southampton or Bath. It was felt that any decisions about the geographical distribution of the meetings should be based on where the most people will turn up. Six or seven meeting would be great and would show that we are not simply a London event.
Convention on Modern Liberty Sponsors Meeting
Dec 2nd at Liberty 21 Tabard St
Present:
Anthony Barnett
Shami Chakrabarti
Sabina Frediani
Stephen Pittam
Henry Porter
Claire Preston
Stuart Weir
Action points:
Sessions and speakers
1. AB rethinking final plenary – welcomes ideas
2. SW offers to transfer from Parliamentary session to Local Government one but suggests renaming and rethinking this session. Alternative name, “Local Government: Authoritarianism on Your Doorstep”?
3. Children’s session SF working with HP on this. Will be supported by Liberty. ARCH and/or Children’s Rights Alliance also possibilities. Terri Dowty (ARCH) to be brought in.
4. SP concerned that 5 speakers per session is too many. Agreement that chairs should be given a note urging them to ensure enought time is left in sessions for discussion and questions
5. Press Freedom session needs further development. Suggest encouraging Martin Bright to get involved (AB confirms he has been invited). Agreement to try to bring in Murdoch paper people eg Jon Gaunt, Trevor Kavanagh. Agreement on Liberty’s recommendation to invite a speaker who articulates the way in which Human Rights can be used to protect press freedom and journalistic sources. Suggests lawyers Finers Stephen Innocent (Person is Mark Stephens?).
6. SC offers lawyer from Liberty to supplement the session run by Hilary Wainwright on protest – Being Free to Act Outside the System.
7. AB to explore idea of Trades Unions session – Tolpuddle Martyrs to ID cards. Approach TUC, via Adam Lent, TUC research officer; Dick Muskett (Young Foundation) good contact person, organises the Tolpuddle Martyrs memorials.
Publicity and marketing
1. Widget of logo being created. Liberty to put Convention widget on its site. HP to put on his blog
2. February 24th is Liberty’s 75th anniversary (Liberty founded by letter to Manchester Guardian). HP and SC agree to approach Guardian jointly to suggest they produce a booklet accompanying the Guardian to mark this anniversary and to promote the Convention as a one week series, on the constitution, rights etc.
3. AB suggests creating a story for the press around the fact that various events on this theme are coinciding at end of February – Liberty’s anniversary, Critical Lawyers Conference, CML and the Activists Summit
4. HP asks for suggestions for a party on Jan 15 (with emails). Says strategy is to get foreign press and TV interested and thereby provoke UK interest. Will circulate names of invitees to SC and SW for possible additions.
5. PR strategy. SC cautions on drawbacks of using PR firms. Suggests focusing on a person rather than a firm. HP to contact Daniel Harris of DHA (Daniel Harris Associates) who JRCT and Democratic Audit recommend. SC says Liberty happy to help with strategy and recommends SF’s expertise in this area.
Impact of the Convention and what happens afterwards
1. General agreement that the energy and resources created by the Convention should be built on. There was a sense that it could catch a new Zeitgeist. SC proposed SF to contact partner organisations involved in the Convention as a first stage to see what can be announced at the Convention in terms of petitions, messages and other collaborative actions which might contribute to building a movement.
2. The Convention aims only to inspire a movement. There will not be a ‘Modern Liberty’ organisation. CML website to continue after 28 Feb as an archive of the day and a link to those organisations involved and common activities.
3. SP emphasised the need to think deeply beyond the Liberty initiative on how to hot up the Zeitgeist if it proves to be such, and to think constructively and robustly about sustaining its momentum and the spirit around it, bringing people together and strengthening the organisations participating in it. SW said that it was important to build common ground on issues and principles, as this was what would animate and energise people.
4. It was agreed to hold a “deliberative discussion” in the week or so after the 28 February in order to assess what happened and brainstorm on how best to take a movemwentr forward.
Possible new partners
1. EHRC still in state of development and could imply government branding. Agreed not to approach them further.
2. Battle of Ideas, headed by Claire Fox, can be approched to help project the event.
3. RSA: Matthew Taylor’s Blairite enthusiasms seemed inappropriate but AB keen to involve their membership. Could there be an alternative figurehead to MT – SW suggested Albert Weale.
4. AB (at start of meeting) expressed concern of need for more centre-right participation as Policy Exchange said they have no one available. HP might have a route in for another try. Laura Sandys is approaching Conservative Home. The Countryside Alliance have been approached to tell their members.
CML meeting 11/12 – minutes and action points
Present: Anthony Barnett AB; Claire Preston CP; Guy Aitchison GA; Clare Coatman CC; Phil Booth PB; Henry Porter HP; Stephen Taylor ST; Tony Curzon Price TCP; Tom Griffin TG
Apologies: Stuart Weir SW
Students
• CC contacting academic departments to promote special discounted tickets to students
• Leaflet needs improving a) more prominent date b) make it clear it’s an event
Webcast
• Equipment, cameramen and person to do live mix will be expensive. PB is negotiating the cost (very approximately £5 – 7000) and will have a second quote at the end of the week.
• AB we do not have this much in the budget. Must try and find a sponsor (Lexus have said no to Mishcon but can be asked again)
Filming of sessions
• Suggested that we go to organisations we know and ask who does filming for them (maybe the cameraman would do it for a free ticket?).
• HP to ask Robin Lough to coordinate; suggested he may be interested in a TV documentary
New Website and video
Plan to go over to new site by Agency Republic 10/1 provided we can do the videos. Should then have a new video everyday for a fortnight
• therefore we must get 6 videos completed this month
• if we can get the Guardian studio, Portia Barnett-Herrin and Miranda Porter can do the filming
• we will have another meeting on this issue before Christmas
• we should have the videos as a dialogue, must be responsive. i.e. someone could do multiple videos e.g. in response to arising issues and events (however PB pointed out it can be extremely difficult to get videos out of people)
• HP will approach Robin Lough and perhaps ask him to attend a special meeting on videos (he is a good interviewer)
• PB suggested it would be much easier to take a film crew to people, rather than have them come to a studio, but AB pointed out there would be associated higher costs
• There will be a YouTube channel so members of the public can tag their own videos. (PB has a contact to help promote YouTube videos)
PR
• HP is still talking to PR firms and will select a short-list of 2 next week. They will help to make the Convention “mainstream”.
• there will be a run up of 6 weeks for PR, which is 42 days, “40(2?) days for freedom”?
• we need both soft and hard PR (companies are usually better at one or the other).
• Fund-raising for PR is ongoing.
• Pam Giddy, who has offered to help on broadcasting and media outreach for us, can work alongside PR agency as part of our team.
Media presence
• Must be a press pass and we need and Press room (as well as a Green room). Price of media pass debated fiercely no decision taken.
Email sign-up
• we want to really push the mailing list sign-up, and get as many people as possible
• PB pointed out we must be very precise and consistent about what the list is for, when it ends etc. TCP agreed: the “ask” must be structured in such a way so that we can hold the emails after even though CML not an organisation.
• What legal entity owns the mailing list? For data protection reasons, do we need an organisation called ‘Convention on Modern Liberty’, or maybe several organisations could hold part of the responsibility? TCP to advise on this.
• Collect as many emails as possible at the Convention
• it could be a resolution of the Convention to pledge to go out and sign 3 people up
This led to a discussion of how to strengthen the afterlife of CML. PB suggested a movement requires organisation and structure even if you don’t create an organisation. AB felt it c ould be more open and aim to strengthen existing organisations.
Open Session
• ST suggested a space at the Convention for an ‘open session’
• Will need a way for them to feed back
• The social networking would be used to pre-arrange some discussions in a very informal way
• ST will come up with a specific proposal on the Open Session
Lawyers
• AB suggested we need different self-organising networks e.g.: a “lawyer’s network”. We could approach a young lawyer in Mishcon/Bindmans/Doughty etc to go to the Bar Association and get accreditation for attendance of CML to qualify as continuing professional development.
• We will also approach young radical lawyers groups to create an informal ‘radical lawyers for Modern Liberty’ group
contact Matt Foot – has campaigned against ASBO’s
ask our contacts (Helena Kennedy, John Jackson ect.) to suggest one radical lawyer, and we will put them in touch with each other
PB suggested that we must give groups like these something to do/some reason to meet
Unions
• Christina Zaba to be asked to organise a session involving the TU’s and business (Martin Sorrel?)
• We will provide complementary TU group tickets for those that request it and those we really want. Accountability is a possible co-sponsor of this session.
• Can approach sponsors to cover the cost.
Art
• GA showed Peter Kennard’s artwork, “Declaration”, which he has offered to display at CML: CP will find out about wall hanging restrictions for the venue.
• HP suggested getting ML specific art work done
Regional meetings
• PB updated regarding the regional meetings:
Belfast: very good, venue is £250, should make it back from bucket donations
Glasgow: Strathclyde School of Law is the partner
Manchester: got SU
Cambridge: Cambridge Union want £1000, but PB will see if we can get it for free if we co-brand with Cambridge Union and they hold their own debate in the afternoon slot.
Birmingham and Southampton: no movement
Swansea: being slow
• For a day long event they must provide catering. PB will give us a figure of what CML need to underwrite
Other business
• Facebook marketing to begin this weekend. GA to make proposal
• HP suggested having a ‘non-attendance’ ticket: you can pay £50 to not attend, and have your name down as a participant (in the programme?)
• PB suggested the second plenary be about marketing experts casting a critical eye over the ‘movement’. He thinks it shouldn’t be about another issue: it should be either a strategy or a message – a single focal point.
• HP to talk to Georgina Henry about Guardian publicity. They are very busy and moving the entire organisation to a new building but we should aim to meet with them before Christmas.
Action Points:
AB: – go back to Leon with leaflet suggestions
- ask Pam Giddy to help
- ask Rosemary to help
- chase Guardian re studio
PB – get second filming quote
- give GA youtube promotion contact
- cost underwriting of regional events
HP – approach Robin Lough about coordinating videoing and prompting ‘talking heads’
- produce short list of PR firms
- follow up TV documentary?
CP – schedule meeting on talking heads videos before Christmas
- check no. of rooms with Logan hall re Green, Press and Open Session rooms
- check with venue re wall hangings
TCP – research legal status re owning mailing lists
GA – set up facebook page/cause
ST – to make a proposal on the Open Session
General – work on second plenary
- approach orgs asking about filming for the day
- facilitate set up of ‘Lawyers for ML’
Minutes CML 18/12
Present: Anthony Barnett AB; Henry Porter HP; Claire Preston CP; Guy Aitchison GA; Clare Coatman CC; Stuart Weir SW; Phil Booth PB; Tony Curzon Price TCP; Tom Griffin TG; Julian Stern JS; Sabina Frediani SF; Portia Barnett-Herrin PBH; Poppy Sebag-Montefiore PSM; Sunny Hundal SH; Thomas Ash TA; Ros Taylor RT; James Graham JG.
Apologies: Stephen Taylor ST; Rosemary Bechler RB; Pam Giddy PG.
Objective of meeting: push Convention out and make larger public impact
Videos:
Talking heads:
• Aim: site up for 12/01, with a new video a day for 2 weeks
• therefore AB, HP, HK +1 to be filmed by Portia on Monday 22/12.
• 4 mins may be too long – 2/3 is better
• Satish Kumar is coming to London 09/01 (rare – would be good to take advantage of it and film him then)
• We need a Labour talking head – David Lammy?
• SH suggested having a ‘clips’ video, compiling a key thought from a range of contributors. It would be snappier and more marketing orientated – like an ad.
• RT: CiF could run it
• There could also be a version made up of clips from videos the public send in
• check the site about reinventing the dictionary, which has done the video to camera style very well
• the Guardian can give tips to Portia/Poppy/interviewees
On the day:
1. Robin Lough has volunteered to direct the live streaming and put together a 90min documentary
2. he and the camera crew will work for free, but we need to pay for equipment
3. AB and HP to put RL and PB in touch so they can co-ordinate re the equipment
Blogging:
Having something to feed bloggers:
1. you have to generate a conversation to get bloggers writing. There needs to be debate/controversy (not just the Convention). Liberal Conspiracy can give a more activist feel to this. They are thinking around how to use the Convention as a platform to do more.
2. HP was saying in the New Year we must operate journalistically e.g.
1. commission research (although PB said there’s not enough time to get good enough quality research, but that NO2ID have their own research which they will try to publish before the Convention),
2. we could have a research group of students,
3. commission a poll,
4. broaden appeal to different groups e.g. clubbers affected by new law.
• We will operate in co-ordination with a PR firm
• We must produce more for people to talk about
• RT: we must move beyond the “triumvirate” of 42 days, CCTV, ID cards and focus on new areas e.g. football fans, DNA
• we need to be specific about what issues we want to push out
• TCP suggested the Convention should focus on aggregation: people will jump into an argument if they think they’ll be read. Would need:
◦ clear tagging of posts and articles
◦ possibly a weekly summary on what the debate as been about
• we could get panellists to argue in blogs; would work well with people with opposed views
• It should be a debate and not just the speakers laying out what they will say
• we should look at what the speakers are most interested in and tie it into current news stories
Engaging bloggers with an afterlife:
• We need to engage people so they think there will be progress made at the Convention and build on what has already been said in the blogosphere
• We need to look beyond the Convention; we need people to see there will be a convincing narrative after
• We must enunciate what the Convention is for, what will be achieved at the Convention and show that something really will come out of it, so people will put energy into it.
3. The Bloggers’ Summit will think about how to push the ideas forward.
4. We could hook bloggers up with people in the open session to start campaigns.
Publicity though partner organisations:
• We need to think around how to involve new organisations without giving them a session. Libertarians, UKIP, Justice 4 Charles, Dost, London Citizens, Privacy International all want to be involved. RT made the point that it’s OK if they engage, but we don’t want grandstanding.
◦ We can offer some of them regional and national/open session slots
• We need all the organisations to go to their supporters and campaign for the Convention
Open session:
• We must work out how to present the open session and how it will work on the day
• Main criteria for allocating open session space must be a ‘clear ask’.
• We could present the Convention as using the star acts to draw people in, and the open session would then be able to host pitches to an audience that want to do something.
◦ we would need to preview the concept visually on the site (although there is already an open invitation, which is producing results)
◦ we could have a space on the site where people/groups say “I would like to do THIS in the open session,” and then have a sign-up/voting system to allocate space/time.
• The Convention could be a space to get help to start your own campaign.
• We will need to decide who gets a London session/regional/national/open session. If they get one they must commit to market to their members
Partner organisations:
• While strengthening all of the partner organisations in what they are doing, to start a movement, we must also ensure cross-fertilisation, and a sense of the distinct organisations coming together and co-operating. SF: we should identify specific actions organisations will all sign up to.
• We shouldn’t lose the opportunity to put issues out there and say “who wants to make progress on this?”.
• Afterlife: people continue to be active within existing organisations but on the day we need concrete actions: petitions, pledges, to create a sense of something happening.
• On the day we could have a ‘how to’ booklet with actions you can take on different issues – various organisations can contribute their tips/ideas. (Addresses the sense of powerlessness.)
PR:
• HP recommends Four Communications (if we can raise the funds): they will need philosophical direction
• we must not be carolled into being dismissed as a group of fussy liberals
• we will need a mainstream message to neutralise the cynicism
Misc:
• We need to invite the stakeholders e.g. members of the Muslim community who will take the issues back to their community and self-organise e.g. City Circle.
• Guardian/Observer lecture at Kings Place in the week preceding the Convention: Vince Cable? Too partisan? Eliza Manningham-Buller? Someone with moral authority.
Minutes for Convention on Modern Liberty meeting 3-4:30pm, 13 January, Accountability, 250-52 Goswell Rd, EC1V 7EB
Present: Anthony Barnett (AB); Claire Preston (CP); Guy Aitchison (GA); Clare Coatman (CC); Phil Booth (PB); Henry Porter (HP); Stephen Taylor (ST); Tony Curzon Price (TCP); Rosemary Bechler (RB); Leon Harris (LH), Jonny Butterworth (JB), Christina Zaba (CZ); Robert Sharp (RS); James Graham (JG); David
Apols: Stuart Weir (SW); Portia Barnett Herrin (PBH); Tom Ash (TA); Sunny Hundal (SH) John Jackson
Launch party:
• 220 people have confirmed, estimated 300 will attend throughout the evening
• we will need some computers there to sell attendance and non-attendance tickets
• HP to check broadband will be available
• it would be good to get a sketch of the website projected, if we can get a screen, spare computer etc.
• we could give a book away with non-attendance tickets (Dominic Raab’s), however HP couldn’t get them for sale/return, and they would eat into profits (£5). However we could send them out after.
• HP will introduce HK (who will give a call to arms) and AB (who will be more specific and plug tickets and donations)
• a press release has been written to be released Thurs morning
• Londoner’s Diary are interested, but there is a question as to whether we want them.
• We need to create a news story
• from Thurs we need to focus on getting coverage
• RB to blog in OK
• we need to convey to the crowd a sense of momentum, a moment and a renewal of serious politics.
• A run of 100-200, 16 page taster programme have been produced to preview the full 100 page version to be used on the day. (Gifted by Imprint Academic) They are modelled on the new site to ensure continuity of style.
1. They will be used to sell adverts (e.g. to partner organisations who get a free ½ page ad or a full page colour ad for £150) and publishes – all contacts welcome
2. we need to hold some back from the 15th
3. if we run out, we can email the pdf out
New Website:
• a new visual theme will be overlayed on the existing site, keeping the existing content.
• It’s going well and is on track to go live Saturday 17th ready for HP’s Observer ‘call to arms’
• We need to upgrade the live WordPress server. RS to talk with TCP.
• NO2ID to display CML button and we will encourage all partners to do so
Videos:
Talking heads:
• PBH is back and will re-shoot HP this week
• the next batch will be filmed Saturday 17th
• Damien Green (can’t be at 25th, will be at 15th, wants to help in any way), PB and Phillipe Sands will be filmed. PB and PHB to arrange a time.
• Anyone can put a video on YouTube and the best ones will also go up on the CML site
• PHB may want to do location as well, and possibly start using a little make-up
Filming the day:
• There isn’t a spec for the technological requirements of receiving a live stream we can publicise to encourage people to start their own meetings.
• If we get more groups we may need to rethink how we stream the video. One option is to have a high quality stream to a few locations and a lower quality stream for others
• CZ to approach HP to sponsor this.
• UCL have some cameras which could be used
• AB to ask RL to let us know his requirements then JB will find out the specs feed back to him and there may be people who could donate equipment
• PB needs to be able to confirm the regional and national sessions that web casting is OK asap
Robin Lough:
• RL will handle the live streaming along with three colleagues
• they will also produce a 90min film of the day
• everything in the Logan hall will be filmed by them (two plenaries, judges session, database state session and the Bloggers’ Summit)
• JG, ST and RL (through HP) to liaise on editing,
• ST and RL to liaise re space for RL
Recording the sessions
• We want a video and sound record of all panels for later repro on websites and podcasts.
• ST agreed he would co-ordinate this. Feeling that volunteers could do it.
• [added later: good quality sound essential, means miking speakers, may need some dedicated kit and an organiser]
Publicity:
• the Guardian are due to launch ‘Liberty Central’ on the 19th.
• It is a key part of our support and we need to co-ordinate with them
• GH has been away, so no news on CiF coverage
1. GA to email RT and GH re coverage and banner – it is critical for this to go up
• Timeframe: HP article 18th, Guardian ad 19th, Observer ad 25th.
Partner organisations:
• RB working through partners: focusing on smaller ones
• is there a schedule of events, e.g. for leafleting/inserts?
• JG will message the members of Unlock Democracy next week (around 7,000)
• PB is keen for partner organisations to be encouraged to field speakers in the regional and national events as well as the London one
Groups:
• student groups could meet with e.g. HP on the 28th. This would give them a feel of privileged access, and motivate them.
• Will agreed to extend the group discount offer to partner organisations to encourage them to market to their members
5. There is a loss of income but the benefit of building groups and networks
6. People participate differently if they come in a group/as an individual
7. there won’t be that many people taking the offer up, but those that do will be highly motivated, and it starts people selling it to others
8. we will offer the group discount more widely, and do it now as there will most likely be a rush on tickets when the Guardian adverts come out
• CC and RB to liaise on ticketing offer to partners
• we can get the members of each group to disperse through different groups and report back to each other
• There need to be a stimulus provided to facilitate discussion outside
▪ AB to contact openDemocracy group (below) and ask for this
• There’s a group meeting today who regularly discuss issues around oD (tonight they are discussing the issues around CML). They are experienced at producing summary documents and will produce a report of their experiences tonight which will be very useful to any other groups.
Unions:
• tickets will have to be subsidised from union funds
• we can facilitate block-booking
• CZ to liaise with CC re ticketing
• regional and national events to be marketed to the TU’s as are free and local
Organisation of the day:
• Stalls policy: there may not be room for each partner who wants one to have a stall
1. there will be room for a books stall
2. each group can have leaflets etc. in their session rooms
3. ST will check space with the Logan Hall
• t-shirts are being done by Philosophy Football
• responsibility needs to be delegated for the t-shirts. Backdrops, banners, programme and delegate pack (to be packed by stewards, bags to be donated by Guardian?)
Stewards:
• there are currently approx 60 stewards (some will drop out, as they will be given the option of switching to a delegate role nearer the time)
• there will be a team meeting the evening of the 27th to begin setting up
• there is a google group and the stewards are introducing themselves
• ST is creating an atmosphere among the group such that there will be silent demand from them for the Convention to achieve something concrete.
• We could use the stewards to train delegates in making their own videos, or in filming the parallel sessions. They may also be able to help in sourcing cameras.
• They provide a ready pool of volunteers that can be dipped into
Open session:
• CC to come up with a proposal exploring different options in consultation with ST
• regional sessions will have a similar space/time
• we need to think how it will work on the website
Regional and national events:
• Birmingham has fallen through
• focus on South Wales to get all nations
• Manchester looking good
• Cambridge Union is still a problem. It would be much better if they would agree to hold is their event with co-branding from CML.
1. HP is speaking there on the 7th and will try and speak with them
2. Andrew who is organising the event could really do with some help this week chasing people and still needs speakers
• Bristol is back up, has an organiser and has a venue. It will now be the English South West meeting
• We need a document guide listing what we hope to be able to offer groups (to facilitate more groups forming)
• George Monbiot should be asked to speak at the Cardiff meetings
• could we also get footage of the regional and national meetings feeding into the London event?
‘Light up Britain’ statement:
• on hold until after the 15th
• the idea is that people can support the concerns without attending, or attend without supporting the concerns. It would be a form of demonstration (pixels lighting up to represent an individual’s concerns)
Afterlife stemming from the 28th:
• could the result of the Convention be a statement? If it’s done at the end it starts an organisation, which we don’t want to do.
• Could the convention stress pluralism, with groups going back to their regions and continuing the debate – groups working together.
• We could end the day with a pledge
1. there is already a NO2ID pledge, but it is very specific to NO2ID
• would it contravene not becoming an organisation to resolve to meet again in 6/12 months?
1. The idea of lighting up pixels on a map could be held until the end, to represent the (repeated) coming together of concerned individuals
2. the convention could appoint a drafting committee to draft a resolution to be discussed at the next meeting. But where would the network effect fit in?
3. The pledge could be “between now and next coming together I will be active with existing organisations/form my own/as an individual”
• There is an energy to everyone coming together and not being in agreement on a statement
• there needs to be a moment of emotion: people aren’t coming to learn, they’re coming because they’re upset.
1. We need to capture that emotion and create a sense of celebration and movement – bringing energy together
2. a moment of ceremony – the simpler the better e.g. take a pledge
3. it would be a moment where you could say “I was there”
4. but people are dispersed
5. signing/sealing a document is very ritualistic and powerful
6. a seal is very relevant to this theme
7. at the end of every session each speaker could put a pledge on the backdrop (there could be innocuous pre-prepared ones as well as the opportunity the write your own to ensure full participation)
8. an action is good for PR, and we shouldn’t be afraid to ham it up a bit for TV and photo opportunities
• we need to get a clear sense of what to push and what to change
• it’s important to network, but there needs to be results and action
1. the Chain Reaction conference had a ‘connect’ and ‘commit’ desk, where you could register an interest in utilising your skills to help others’ projects, put out a request for people with particular skills to contact you, and arrange to meet.
2. Accountability had the facility to write your skills and what you’re interested in on your name badge, and put it on a map. We could have a similar system of placing a piece of card on a map, and the links could be found and published later.
3. There could be an electronic version of the map (this would facilitate the regional and national meetings feeding in – a volunteer could sit by a phone to enter the data)
• It is very diverse and the movement should be: there should be a sense of “it’s not just me – I’m going to go out and proliferate”
• empowerment seems to be a common theme, maybe people could commit to raising awareness
• RB will write a short, practical proposal combining the idea of a symbolic act and facilitation of networking
• we need a 150 statement for Four Communications and the RB to go to the partner organisations with explaining what/why we’re doing it
Research:
• UCL HR programme: last year staff and students came together and agreed that not enough action/networking was happening around HR issues. The programme involves a journal, monthly bulletin, events, a website and a research initiative. The research is inter-departmental and there is collaboration with the HR institute. They produce a paper each year (this year it is ‘building a HR culture’)
• the programme will collaborate with HP’s researchers. JB and HP to co-ordinate
• The aim is to produce short, digestible papers and accumulate evidence against the database state.
• This research will help get into the news sections of the papers
• ORG already have some of the information we want, and there is more chance of it making the news now, than in the past if Four Communication push out a press release. Jim Killock is the new Executive Director at ORG.
• UCL are already working with Guy Herbert on similar research, and so know it is do-able and have got a method
• CML and UCL will run a joint operation for 2 months with appropriate credit
Misc:
• HP is keen to involve football supporter organisations and UK Music, as they will both bring a crowd that is not the ‘usual suspects’. HP to chase Fergal Sharkey of The Undertones
• CZ to liaise with Simon Zadek and decide a business representative for the ‘Liberty and work’ session (no longer Martin Sorrel)
Minutes for Convention on Modern Liberty Sponsors Meeting
12.30-2.30pm, 21 January, Accountability, 250-52 Goswell Rd, EC1V 7EB
Present: Anthony Barnett (AB) Chair; Claire Preston (CP); Guy Aitchison (GA); Clare Coatman (CC); Phil Booth (PB); Henry Porter (HP); Stephen Taylor (ST); Rosemary Bechler (RB); Stuart Weir (SW); Sabina Frediani (SF); Mark Ross (MR); Denise Scott Fear (DSF)
Apols: Shami Chakrabarti; Stephen Pittam
• Chair apologised for onset of bad cold
• CC reported on ticketing – report available on request
• the launch party went very well. We must build on getting well known people on our side
PR:
5. HP met with Four Communication yesterday. He thinks they’re up to the job and are beginning to move, but need to be managed
6. they’re particularly good for photoshoots, graphic illustrations, thinking what to research, and knowing what to do with the research
7. ideas for PR aren’t exclusively Four’s remit – please send any ideas regarding PR to HP to be forwarded to them
8. we need an up-to-date list of which media representatives are attending and what field they work in
9. we will need some complementary media tickets
Programme:
• aim: sell ad space
• ½ page mono free to partners
• full page colour £150
• Imprint Academic will advise on printing.
• we need someone to take responsibility for ensuring the programme happens
• We will not commission, but take extracts from good articles e.g. Cory Doctorow’s piece on not carrying his ID card, Simon Jenkins STimes farewell column
• Need to be sure of the copyright issue
• the sooner we can get it out the better – good for PR. Aim for a week before the Convention (14th)
Partners:
Partnership working:
• key decisions – what do we need to do to strengthen the organisations involved and help them collaborate. This is a unique space for different organisations to collaborate on issues. How do we get them to come together and give them that space?
• We want to spark different ideas between different organisations to collaborate regionally or nationally
• We should provide practical tips on how they can do this
• CC recommended ‘commit’/'connect’ desks which she saw work very well at a Chain Reaction Conference (you post offers/requests for skills at the connect desk and are then linked up with relevant people, any commitments you make are written up and posted at the ‘commit’ desk) – we could ask if Chain Reaction could come in and run the desks for us (then we don’t need to hold the data) CC to contact.
• SF expressed concern that if the desks were to work in the same way as Chain Reaction there will need to be formal structure after the 28th to manage the connections
• There was a feeling that it’s better to create a space on the day anyway – the open session can be used for some of this (CC to write proposal), we also have some meeting spaces for the connections – even if they are bits of corridors with signs up.
• we want to provide the opportunity for people to continue to connect and inspire people from outside organisations and beyond the day
• we should distribute campaigning guides. SF has a Liberty document of tips for campaigning and specific guides for the Charge or Release campaign. We will make this available. CC to call the Sheila McKechnie Foundation (recommended by MR) who are working on producing an online campaigning tool.
• we should use the time at lunch for more e.g. a student’s summit, organisation’s summit etc.
• we need more of a feedback element built into the programme. Recording sessions essential for this.
• There was discussion of the role of the website after the 28th. The two points of view were that it should be a historical archive and reference, or that it could be an on-going focal point for organisations and the people CML had touched and motivated, and for collaboration between the partners. If the Convention is very successful, people may look to the site for what to do next.
• There was also concern about the need to create a space for people who do not wish to join an organisation to contribute
• SF expressed concern about ensuring the Convention is a one day event. Everyone was in agreement that there was no intention of starting a new membership organisation and that the mandate was to strengthen existing orgs and start a movement. Some argued that there would hopefully be a need to create a jointly managed continuing process as distinct from a new organisation.
• AB reminded meeting that the agreement in December was no competing organisation but to try and catch the zeitgeist and encourage a wider movement if possible
• Based on this, the question ‘when does CML cease to exist?’ was asked, and the consensus was that it must be responsive to the public and we can’t know definitively until after the 28th when the follow up committee meeting will be held.
• HP emphasised that we’re here for a cause , there is a crisis and that we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that this is a unique moment: any disagreements we may have are ultimately less important than fighting the attack on our civil liberties
What can we offer partner orgs (led by RB)?
• speaker slots for the regional and national meetings
• there will be around 12 stalls for org’s literature
• a slot at the open session (this has massive selling potential)
• a ½ page, black and white programme ad (free)
• full page, colour ad (£150)
• promotion of specific calls to action e.g. the NO2ID pledge
2. we need a ‘calls to action’ page on the website to give some advance knowledge
3. RB to ask orgs for their pledges/actions etc.
Countryside Alliance:
• a heads up that there have been some strong reactions about CA’s involvement
• a particularly vocal opponent has lobbied Caroline Lucas and Andrew Dismore
• we have published a statement on the site laying out the reasons for including them. If anyone gets complaints they can refer to that.
Regional and national meetings:
• Glasgow: Strathclyde School of Law is confirmed as the venue. Main hall only holds 100 people. The breakouts will focus on specifically Scottish issues
• Belfast: Queens University is confirmed as the venue. They have a fantastic programme.
• Manchester: main council of SU confirmed as the venue. It’s a bit more studenty. They are talking with Critical Lawyers about the possibility of some kind of link.
• Bristol: Trinity Centre confirmed as the venue. There’s a film-maker who will trailer his film (in an international première) on privacy
• South Wales is a problem: it could be Cardiff, but Swansea would be better. Can’t find a venue. SW knows the people running the citizens jury – they’re very keen on this kind of thing and could well help. SW to give details to PB.
• Cambridge: Cambridge Union confirmed as the venue. The president will get her team to mount a Cambridge union debate in the afternoon. Andrew Gamble is happy to be involved – AB to give details to PB.
• HP has approached Somerfield asking for funding for the Bristol meeting
• Could we find a Cambridge sponsor? There’s still an issue re paying for the building (£600ish)
• HP to talk to Cambridge Union re who could sponsor
• We should get some quite high profile speakers in the regions
• should we put the regional speakers in the speakers page? Not yet. Perhaps Andrew Gamble, but in different colour to signify he’s not in London.
Website:
• Tom Ash, Rob Sharp and Leon Harris did an amazing job. There’s been very good feedback.
• is the colour banding on the site ok for people with visual handicap? RNIB have clear guidelines – to be checked
Videos:
• Already filmed: Helena Kennedy, Peter Oborne, AB, HP, SC, Christina Zaba, Brian Eno, AC Grayling and Geoffrey Robertson (may not be used)
• Has agreed: Sunny Hundal, PB, Cory Doctorow, Tony Benn, David Davis, Tom Lee, Ken MacDonald, Alan Rusbridger, Zac Goldsmith, Conor Gearty
• To be asked: Billy Bragg, Paul Gilroy, Becky Hogge, Chuka Umuna, Sunder Katwala, Iain Dale, Sheila Rowbotham, Lilly Allen, Damien Green MP, Shaheed Fatima, Simon Jenkins, Gareth Young.
• please send any suggestions of young people to be filmed to Portia
• we will aim to put a new video up every other day
• AB 22/01, then SC or HP. SC’s video was excellent
• Portia needs an editing suite – all help welcome
• the videos will stay on youtube
• Helena Kennedys’ video is already up and has received almost 1000 views already
• we can take the good responses and videos from the public and put them on the CML site
• maybe have guidelines: keep to 3 mins? Or just say the shorter they are, the more likely they are to go up
• Liberty have 6 very short viral videos from their Common Values campaign which could go up on CML youtube as well
• SF to tag them ‘modernliberty’
• HP and PB to talk re ‘Take Jane’
Blogging:
2. all CML references are tracked on the site and the author is sent a link to CML buttons. Some have already put them up.
3. James Graham has launched a ‘blog carnival’ independently: posts are submitted from the blogosphere and collated. JG linked to 5 people in his original post asking for their thoughts and it was cross-posted on the Liberal Democrat and Labour home blogs.
4. We need to try and get the arguments to go viral – this is a good start
5. we need to start getting the bloggers to link to the Bloggers’ Summit specifically.
6. Has there been any movement on the Summit? Some – PB has agreed to speak, at least 15 bloggers are already coming
Funding:
• HP and AB have asked for £25,000 for PR, direct regional support (£500 – £1,000 per meeting), some support for the videos and rental equipment for upcasting (cameras – we need to clarify what Robin Lough needs). They have £15,000 so far, and are relatively confident they can get the rest. AB said not possible to raise £19K for upcasting – the quote given to PB.
• SF would like an up to date budget. We are still working from the December budget, this is extra, but CP will send the budget over.
Light up your beacon:
• the low tech approach would be to take a photo of people putting post-it notes (or similar) up on a rough outline of Britain and taking a photo. This creates a great visual for the media. It also creates the impression of a ‘blizzard’ of pledges, as you would not be restricted in where you stick your pledge. (better than the possibility of a geographically accurate map with swathes of the rural regions appearing unconcerned)
• ST to write proposal
Marketing to students and TU’s:
• CZ met with the TUC – Sarah Veale has confirmed she will speak
Pamphlets:
• Anthony Grayling has spoken with Liberty and AB 7 HP about writing a pamphlet
• we could also do one of HP’s best articles
• they would be 40-50 pages
• Imprint Academic might do them jointly branded for CML and Partners
• they need to happen fast to get out before 28th
• it would be good for the media impact to get the arguments set out before the 28th
• they would have a uniform design, and we would involve the partners
▪ do they have to be printed? Could we just publish them online – cheaper, quicker
2. ST to manage
Media:
• we need a network of spokespeople who can speak competently on a range of issues and on the Convention
• HP suggested a three tier system:
4. tier 1: 3 or 4 people in London who can speak very well on the Convention
5. tier 2: about 12 people (4 or 5 already committed) who are experts, lawyers etc.
6. tier 3: local level. It would be great if we could have around 30 people from all over the country from various orgs who can speak on various issues and the Convention. Obviously not everyone can talk on everything, but ideally we would cover all topics in all locations using a range of people. We need to brief those people we think are capable with ‘what is the Convention?’
• we should have a very simple 3 bullet point message we want to disseminate – our key message
• in order to be able to push media requests back out into the regions we need a list to give to Four of suitable spokespeople
• we need a press officer who can go to all orgs and tell us who the local people are
• we should direct everything to Four
• GA will compile a list and send it to HP to send to Four. He will copy RB into the correspondence and begin with the main partners, working down.
• There was a suggestion that we should target the areas with BBC radio stations first, but it was felt we should see what we’ve got and go from there
Guardian:
• the Guardian’s Liberty Central goes live 22/01
• Afua Hirsch is covering us, and is very good.
Sessions:
The final, or drinks session:
• HP we need to give some direction in this session of where we go from here: how you can engage, spread the message, participate in democracy, we mustn’t lose the momentum or energy created on the day, we need a political detonation that’s the heart of what we’re doing
• maybe a call to arms from a big figure/all of us?
• It needs to be more participatory: we could invite the audience to speak on it – how do they want to go forward?
• We can’t have feedback from all the sessions, it’s a long day and people will be leaving. But it would be good for people to go away with a sense of what’s happened. Maybe have designated reporters floating around.
• The title needs to be electrifying to get people to stay
• AB: the high point of the day doesn’t necessarily have to be at the end of the day, which could be more reflective.
• The true momentum of the day will carry on after it ends – not at 6pm on the 28
• could there be a more systemic summing up? This is what’s going on, this is what we do about it (these answers should come from the floor)
AOB
police session:
• If this session remains Ped Pepper’s then good to retain Hilary Wainwright as a link to the Activist’s Summit, but we can’t have Peter Hitchins
• PB would like to get back to Gerrard Batten (UKIP) with a place on this or another panel
• Sir David Varney has agreed to come. There was a general consensus that while he might feel ambushed if we put him up in a head to head, we equally couldn’t treat him like any other panellist. ST had the idea of ’seconds’ e.g. PB and Ross Anderson vs DV +1 with a woman chair (Georgina Henry?). It must be confrontational, yet in the spirit of the Convention.
• Ross Anderson hasn’t agreed to come, but could be persuaded by the opportunity of debating DV
• we need to think who DV’s ’second’ could be: David Blunkett and Charles Clarke have already said no. Michael Wills?
• We may be able to get Peter Flischer from Google, but we couldn’t put him near Caspar Bowden
• we must focus the Convention as we go: the economy is melting down, we may need to respond to this.
Minutes, CML meeting 4th February 2009, 250-252 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7EB, UK.
Present: Anthony Barnett; Henry Porter; Guy Aitchison; Clare Coatman; Claire Preston; Tom Ash; Rosemary Bechler; Phil Booth; Portia Barnett-Herrin; Natalie Hanman; Qudsi Rusheed; Miranda Porter; Matt Brian; Leon Harris; Ned Cavendish
Apols: Stuart Weir; Sunny Hundal; Denise Scott Fears; James Graham; Tony Curzon Price; Robert Sharp
tickets:
• ticket report: ticket sales are going well. We’ve sold 593 and are at 812 confirmed attending (with speakers, stewards etc.). Only 27 are attending as part of a group but this is expected to increase once the partner orgs push out to their members.
• Yesterday was very good for sales (40) and visits to the site (4,500)
New sessions:
10. David Lammy has dropped out so we need to change the first Plenary
11. HP has asked David Varney to speak. This would mean PB has to rethink the database state session
12. we must remember that while DV has agreed to come, he could easily drop out
13. new economic crisis breakout session:
◦ HP has asked Rory Bremner to chair
◦ Will Hutton has agreed to speak
◦ we could move Suzanne Moore across from Press Freedom
◦ Lord Lawson? Vince Cable?
◦ A TU speaker (given the recent strikes)? Derek Simpson? (Maybe put him into Liberty at Work)
Regional and National:
• PB comfortable with all of them except South Wales
• Caroline Oug is now helping
Upcasting:
• PB got commercial quotes for 200 simultaneous streams (lower quality than the feed to the reg and nat meetings) of around £850 + VAT and another £800 for someone to run it. It looks good for going ahead.
Bloggers’ Summit:
• coming together: SH, GH and NH met this week
• it will probably be a panel of four with an interactive aspect e.g. a bloggers’ manifesto
Open Session:
• description on site is going up today
• also to happen in reg and nat meetings
feed forward:
• software needs testing
• hopefully to go up next week – TCP to implement
• currently using Twitter
Guardian coverage:
• Liberty Central going very well
• HP to post a response to Conor Gearty’s blog tomorrow
• NH is talking with Afua Hirsch about how to generate news coverage (e.g. FOI requests)
• Simon Jenkins will do an interview: Jacqui Smith?
• There will be more comment columns in the paper
• George Monbiot will do a ‘did you know’ column
• the Observer magazine will do a feature on anti-establishment, the anti-thesis of the political classes
Programme:
• all copy in by 17th
• to comprise of session pages, ads and editorial copy
• to include A – Z of ‘What we’ve lost’ written journalistically
• aim = 64 pages black and white with colour cover
• needs to be ready the Wednesday before 28th for press
• 2000 print run
• it will be something substantial for participants to take away
blog:
4. it would be great if everyone involved could write a 200 – 300 word blog on why they’re involved and why it’s important. GA to chase.
5. we are aiming for two blogs a day
6. widgets are slowly happening
7. the blog carnival is going well
◦ it will be hosted on Lib Dem home next week
◦ we should put the carnival widget up on the home page
videos:
• there are three more shoot dates which should produce a substantial amount of footage
• at the moment there’s a new video every two days. This should go to one a day in the week before the Convention
• we need a volunteer to manage pushing them to other platforms, such as an open source platform rather than Flash
• PB to send PBH details of doctors and policemen to interview
• the 1 min ad is coming together
• RS also had the great idea of cutting together the footage of the moment before they speak and playing around with the idea of ‘if you didn’t have your civil liberties, you couldn’t hear this’
• HP and PBH to meet with Agency Republic on Friday about them doing a viral video
• HP should run his video through his blog
• the Guardian will embed CML videos from youtube
• GH has said she will run the 1 min ad on Liberty Central’s front page
• TA to extend the video boxes on the CML site to 8 and then 10
• TA will also create a dedicated video wall page to archive the videos
• Tristram Hunt could do a video
production:
• the design of the t-shirts is being worked on
• ST to work with HP on dressing the day
• we will project the back drops in the Logan Hall and each session room (need 12 memory sticks)
• pamphlets – nothing to report
light up the UK:
• RB and CC to take responsibility we will get partner orgs to come up with calls to action to be displayed on/beneath the map
• speakers to make a small/large pledge about what they will do next
• pledges to go on the Commit desk
• how do we represent this to people?
• How do we include the reg and nat meetings?
• We want to include individuals and groups not just organisations and speakers
• we need physical cards to fill in – they could be on/under each seat or in delegate packs (thanks Phil)
• we could have a post box for posting pledges
students:
3. UCL HR programme will be running a half hour student’s “meet and greet” summit aiming to build links, focus resources, eliminate duplication of work and make connections.
4. The programme is hoping to branch out in the next few years and franchise to different universities
PR:
• HP fired Four Communications and hired Colman Getty who are much better and already working well
• Colman Getty are handling a photoshoot next week with some of the people from the launch party
• there will be a press conference with David Davis, HP and AB at the Foreign Press Association. It will draw international coverage and will be around 15 – 17th. We will publish the ‘what we’ve lost’ paper on the same day.
• We’re still working on bringing celebrities in
research papers:
• MP and MB are producing a range of 2 page, easy to read facts and figures on a range of topics
• they will be put up on the site once HP releases them – both on a web page to pick up searches and as a pdf to be printed
2. TA will add a new heading in the site navigation bar for the research
• their purposes are to:
◦ be released to the press
◦ brief speakers
◦ consolidate arguments
3. they can also go in the programme
4. they can be sent to PB to distribute to NO2ID’s stalls around the country
Convention live:
• what is happening on the site on the 28th?
• What will the home page look like?
• We can have:
◦ a twitter feed
◦ micro-blogging
◦ tagged questions
◦ comments
◦ can project the twitter feed across the country
◦ photos
◦ live blogging
◦ highlight directions to IoE
◦ videos from the day
◦ feed in ideas from reg and nat meetings
◦ a connect/commit/pledge post box
◦ there may be a live feed from Cambridge
• people can see what’s going on, and it will be a good record of the day
• TA +2/3 people will manage it and edit it live
• the server will be robust enough as long as we host the videos on youtube
Misc:
we need the opportunity for people to share their experiences and stewards to say why they’re here – we need to tell their story
1. would we do this by camera/written testament/both?
2. Is any footage used raw?
3. While there is a difference between making a complaint and talking about ‘why I’m here’, there is a moral responsibility: if we broadcast footage that prejudices open cases.
4. If we film them we can use the cameras from the parallel sessions during the breaks
5. We will decide by next week how to handle this
• base camp is very helpful and significantly lowers email traffic. Anyone can be added though ST.
• we’ll have a loose sheet with a map and various instructions e.g. fire distributed on the day
• Tristram Hunt and Dan Plesch have set up an organisation in preparation for 2015 – the 200th anniversary of Runnymede. They would like to be involved.
• The Conservatives will be asking a parliamentary question on the cost of transformational government
o we need a strategy for this
o send any other difficult questions to HP
Brief minutes, CML meeting 18th February 2009, 250-252 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7EB, UK.
Present: Anthony Barnett; Henry Porter; Guy Aitchison; Clare Coatman; Claire Preston; Tom Ash; Phil Booth; Portia Barnett-Herrin; Natalie Hanman; Miranda Porter; Matt Brian; Stuart Weir; James Graham; Tony Curzon Price; Phoebe Dickerson; Christina Zaba; Jonny Perfect; Richard Walker; Alice Dyke
• Jake Dowy has confirmed he will webcast the Logan Hall to the website front page
• the programme will be 64 pages with a full colour cover. It’s available Tuesday. Rosemary Bechler and Alice Dyke did a great job getting the partner ads and all but two went in. Leon Harris, David Cross and Phoebe Dickerson did a great job on the design and edit.
Convention live:
• Tom Ash showed a mock-up of the front page for the 28th.
• There’s a space for photos, which automatically updates from flikr, and Ollie Brock plus a friend will be taking photos of the day and uploading them,
• there’s a map that shows the addresses of the events around the country
1. we could enter post codes from the Lightning Connection desk and map of Britain – you can add text, and so could display the pledges
• we will have an automatic twitter feed which can either be done through one feed, this is:
◦ easier
• the other option is to filter the tweets:
◦ it’s a huge task to re-tweet everything, but do-able
◦ however, this raises issues of free speech
◦ but if people know we’re moderating, they won’t post disruptive things, and the job would be quite easy
◦ we should be allowed editorial discretion – but we need to have a good justification in place
• we will have a # tag to categorise messages and flag up when people are talking about the Convention
• we can have live blogging from the regional and national sessions and the bloggers summit – Tom Ash can aggregate
• TA to email PB the CML twitter log in so the national and regional meetings can have access
• UCL HR Programme has 11 reporters and will blog each session after (not live)
pamphlets:
• we won’t go with the original ideas, but might print the research papers
• they should be stand alone and clear with no messing around
• they don’t have to be long – they can be 12 or 16 pages
• ideally we will have them before the 28th. They’re too expensive to go in the delegate bags, but we can make them available on Amazon
Press conference:
• there will be a press conference with AB, HP, JB, TD and David Davis on Thursday to release the research paper ‘What we have lost’
• it’s a great environment to release it in, with Stella Rimmington’s article, the ruling of the International Commission of Jurists and several letters in the Telegraph
• this document systematically lists the liberties we’ve lost – something that’s never been done before
• Liberty Central’s document is very good, but this research makes people understand how big, broad and systematic this is
• the foreign press will also be attending and we will invite bloggers and the new media
• each MP will be sent a copy
• we will publish it on the site with a link to ‘They work for you’ and an invitation to contact local MP’s and ask if they’ve seen it
Light Up Britain:
• we will incorporate Crowdvine into Light Up Britain. It has functions for making pledges and displaying members locations so people can connect locally
• it is user-led and doesn’t require organising
• TCP has made a video explaining how it works
• CC to invite the wider team to join so when we invite participants there’s already something happening
• CC to brief JP, RW and Tony Daly so they can introduce it at the student session
Carnival:
• going well. The sixth carnival will be the week of the Convention and JG will take control back so it stays on message
• four people already want to host it after the Convention – it will have an afterlife
• linking is driving it and generating content
• there was a feeling that we need to be clear what the afterlife will be, as people will want to know. The response was that the people coming to the Convention are the Convention, and if they want to take action, and there are enough actions, they will shape the afterlife.
• Crowdvine will be key to this, as it allows those outside London to pledge and get connected
• one suggestion was that the Convention could become an online resource that provides informative, clear and accessible information so that schools etc. can inform themselves
• another suggestion was that the Convention becomes an annual event to keep track of what’s happened over the last 12 months – have we moved forwards or backwards? If Parliament knows that what they do will be scrutinised, it will hold them to account
• however, there are already reports that hold the government to account, and this would imply an ongoing structure and organisation, leaving the question who would hold that?
• it’s critical that the Convention helps existing organisations and creates a climate where all orgs can benefit and grow
• Crowdvine and the pledges people make will feed into orgs and their existing networks
• if it’s autonomous and not being driven by anyone the partner orgs represented felt it would only serve to strengthen them
• we need to give people a sense of ownership, we’re bringing people together and we need to
◦ keep networks going (extend technology)
◦ change people’s attitudes regarding contacting their MP’s – change the culture so people see how easy it is, and then feed into existing tools e.g. they work for you
◦ conduct research
8. we must remember that Crowdvine is just another tool, and is no good unless people do something practical, so we need to make sure the questions work, and we get feedback
Minutes, CML meeting 25th February 2009, 250-252 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7EB, UK.
Present: Anthony Barnett; Henry Porter; Guy Aitchison; Clare Coatman; Claire Preston; Phil Booth; Portia Barnett-Herrin; Stuart Weir; James Graham; Tony Curzon Price; Phoebe Dickerson; Alice Dyke; John Jackson; Rosemary Bechler; Lyndsey Fair; Libby Applebee; Patrick Corrigan; Peter Archer; Emily
• tickets – we’ve now sold out for the second time, with a total of 1060 tickets sold commercially, and 1350 confirmed attendees and growing.
sessions:
• Nick Clegg has dropped out, and Vince Cable has confirmed
• The Bloggers’ Summit is under control. SH and GH are working together and will finalise the agenda
• The Open Session has about 6 bookings and is still going well
• the student’s session will run between 1pm and 1.30pm. PB will give a short talk on campaigning and then the participants will take part in ’speed campaigning’: 1 – 2 mins with each person talking about their interests and projects
Regional and national meetings:
• expected attendance:
2. Cambridge: 300+
3. Glasgow: 120 capacity
4. Birmingham: 120 capacity
5. 150 for the others
6. Bristol attendance looking a bit down
• the regional and national events are a fantastic achievement and have changed the whole body language of the Convention
• GA to give PB flikr log in for regional and national meetings
website:
• we’re averaging 8000 visits per day to the website
• we need to decide what video to put up on Saturday (if any) – the medley? A new medley?
• Tom Ash will manage Convention Live which will include photos, live blogging, a live twitter feed and recorded footage.
stewards:
• we don’t have a stewarding report, and this is an area of potential weakness
• there will be different groups of stewards to: video the breakouts and evening session, manage the Logan Hall and manage the breakouts
videoing/livestreaming/webcasting:
• volunteers will meet for video recording training
• Jake Dowie has recommended that we use two flat mikes on each table and the video recorder will listen and raise their hand if they can’t hear, and ensure the chairs repeat questions. This will be a simple and easy way of getting podcasts of all the parallel sessions.
◦ GA to add to Chairs’ notes
• live streaming has been tested across the country and works
• we will webcast to the website (not the front page as it would make it too slow)
Practicalities:
• we can’t rely on mobiles as we will be predominantly underground. We will have an unknown number of walkie talkies – there is a cost issue
• lots of people won’t realise it’s a ticketed event and we need a policy for dealing with them.
1. We could ask a local pub to live stream it, but it’s a football day
2. some people are arriving in the afternoon, so we may think there are places when there aren’t
3. we have completely voluntary, untrained stewards – we can’t begin to let non-ticket holders in
4. we should have a sheet of paper detailing other ways of participating
• we need a browse and take table for partner org’s literature
• we could have the book from the launch party on a desk for participants to sign
• Tom Ash is making a DVD for the regional and national events to use as a contingency if the video feed fails
• we need refreshments in the press room
• we could put pamphlets out in the press room
• Colman Getty to send CC VIP names to add to the guest list
production:
• dressing – at 6.30am Colman Getty will put the 12ft backdrops outside
◦ we will brand the lectern
◦ we will use a step repeat banner as a backdrop for interviews
• signage: foam based boards will be printed and put up at 7.30am
• each satellite event will have a banner and branded signage (this is important for the photo record)
• we need to create a powerpoint for the backdrop in the Logan Hall
• we are a little low on material to stuff the programme bags with – we have material from PEN, Unlock Democracy and potentially Countryside Alliance. We don’t want them to be swamped, but there is room for more.
• we’ve been sent a pamphlet by AC Grayling and can turn ‘What we’ve lost’ into another pamphlet. HP and AB to look into the logistics. Maybe we could put a copy of ‘What we’ve lost’ into the speaker’s packs
Media:
• we expect a significant media presence and a few camera crews (including the BBC and Al Jazeera UK).
• There will be non-media film crews e.g. students. They should be given name badges and treated as press
• the national media is very important for us, and there is a resource issue with Colman Getty’s time. We need a volunteer to handle the non-media filming crews. PBH?
• Colman Getty will make name badges for the press Friday morning. CC to send all names to LA
• there will be a separate press desk
• We got David Cameron’s backing on Tuesday with a good quote referring to CML to release on Thursday or Friday
• the Lib Dems are launching a bill of the freedoms they will restore if they get to power – this helps push our story forward. They’ve been working on it a long time (three years) and they have chosen to announce it on the 26th.
• We should get Newsnight on Friday night, the Today Programme broadcast Saturday morning and Channel Four news (we need to get onto Jon Snow)
• a big thank you to HP and Colman Getty – the PR has been astounding
Coverage:
• Philip Pullman will write a comment piece for the Times on Thursday – we should turn it into a press release
• AC Grayling is writing for the Mail on Sunday
• Rory Bremner is writing for the Independent
• media coverage up to the 28th is a great problem. We need to keep the story alive, but there is a sense of fatigue in the media.
• Could the Guardian do an online announcement on Saturday letting people know they can watch the Convention live
• we’ve invited some celebrities
• this week is the 5th Carnival. JG will take it back this week to stay on message and there are several people lined up to take it on after Saturday
Creating a story:
• we need to push the sense that there’s a vigorous debate
• we’re trying to pitch to the media which is already bored with civil liberties. We must feed it new stories and angles.
• we could cast it as a debate on ‘has the Human Rights Act protected us?’
1. ties to the Judges and politicians session
2. it brings in everything (why has it failed? Parliament? The Judiciary?) and widens the debate
3. but we need to get two sides – government ministers
4. too nuanced a debate
• clause 152 is itself worse than any other piece of legislation. It reverses the data protection act
◦ it reinstates Henry VIIth powers and raises the key issue of who governs us
◦ we need to get PB on any outlet – hopefully he can address everyone in a Plenary
◦ there’s’ an open letter going to Jack Straw on Monday 2nd. We could get speakers to sign it
◦ the Convention can only come out against specific legislation in spirit – speakers, partners and individuals can in practice
• security vs liberty is the big issue
• Colman Getty need a list of all the different ways people can participate
• the technological aspect could be a story in itself – Colman Getty to put TA in touch with Computer Weekly and Guardian Technology
Crowdvine:
5. TCP’s explanation video is ready
6. aims of Crowdvine –
◦ to be a framework for organisations to recruit people
◦ people to self organise
◦ attempt to create a defined but very open public space around issues of the Convention
◦ to give the energy a voice
• we are asking partners for pledges first, and already have 21 calls to action
• there was a concern that it isn’t easy enough for people to find Crowdvine
• TCP’s video (and another video to follow including screen shots) will be very helpful
• even if people don’t make a pledge on the day, but sign up for Crowdvine, it will be a big step forward and will build momentum
• we will tell people who can’t attend about it
Sponsors Meeting Convention on Modern Liberty
Minutes: 5 March 2009 12 – 1.15pm at the Guardian
Present: Anthony Barnett (Chair), Henry Porter, Stuart Weir, Georgina Henry (Guardian), Natalie Hanman (Guardian), Phil Booth (NO2ID), Shami Chakrabarti (Liberty), Sabina Frediani (Liberty), Tony Curzon Price (openDemocracy), Stephen Pittam (JRCT), Mark Ross (JRRT), John Jackson (Mishcon de Reya), William Sieghart (Esmée Fairbairn). CML reporting team : Claire Preston, Guy Aitchison, Clare Coatman
Apologies: Helena Kennedy, Geoffrey Bindman (OpenTrust), Sigrid Rausing (Rausing Trust), Elaine Potter (D&E Potter Foundation)
Anthony Barnett: We are starting late and have little time. NB the reports are interim and do not address the key issues of putting on the CML – they are reports on impact, outreach and feedback.
HOW DID IT GO?
1. General messages (NB, the report is just a sample of the messages received):
• Henry Porter: there has been great feedback – across the board people were amazed by the day. I saw people with the happy smile of serious engagement. We should be very happy with what is an important moment.
• It wasn’t just speaker to audience interaction, but also speaker to speaker, audience to audience and audience to speaker.
• One of the real achievements is that this ripple continues to move out through the web
• The team should be very proud – it was a thrilling day for both participants and speakers
2. Media coverage (A large book of press cuttings from Colman Getty was tabled):
• HP: the media coverage has been a great success.
◦ This is a tribute to the Guardian which has supported the Convention in a way that has been fantastic. Many thanks to Georgina Henry, Natalie Hanman and Ros Taylor. The Jack Straw commission piece was genius.
◦ We also did remarkably well outside the Guardian: we were in the Daily Mail, did well in the Evening Standard and a range of columnists wrote about us in the weeks running up to the Convention.
◦ Four Communications was a mistake. From 19 January we hired Colman Getty who were wonderful.
• It all shows we are capable of coherent opposition and of opening up the debate
• John Jackson: I saw a lot of favourable coverage
• Stephen Pittam: it was a wonderful day – there a fantastic feel to it and so was the sheer ambition of connecting these issues up.
• Stuart Weir: I loved the audacity and ambition of the day. I thought Anthony was mad when he said he wanted more than 1000 people! It’s a marvellous achievement.
3. Guardian feedback:
• Georgina Henry: we could see the enormous work being put in.
◦ The launch of Liberty Central was assisted by the Convention
◦ Personally, I felt it was a wonderful day and have been galvanised by the issues. There’s an awful lot to go at editorially.
◦ I’ve been absolutely inspired, and it’s reflected in the Guardian. We’ve just had a meeting where we discussed several areas to pursue around issues raised by the Convention which shows what a fantastically fruitful area it is for us.
4. Speaker feedback:
14. Guy Aitchison: a full report on speaker’s feedback is in the pack. It has been overwhelmingly positive.
15. Only two speakers out of 142 in London gave apologies on the 27th and only one did not attend on the day (this was due to illness)
5. Partner feedback:
• AB: Rosemary Bechler did a fabulous job
• All but two partner organisation provided a half page advert for the programme
• The report is not yet complete but I would like to highlight responses to question 2 ‘Did the Convention help your organisation’s profile?’ A key aim and mainly “Yes”. A positive response which we can build on – important to building the energy and impact of the day
• The Institute of Ideas joined us near the end and are already encouraging meetings across London on issues raised from the Convention
6. Participants’ feedback:
• Clare Coatman: we sold 1048 tickets commercially, had 200 people on the guest list (most of whom paid in various ways), 40 stewards helped on the day and 142 speakers gave their time. We also had over 200 people on the returns list.
◦ we sent an email to all paying participants (956 distinct email addresses) thanking them for their participation and encouraging them to join NO2ID in fighting Clause 152 and to join our user-led social network Crowdvine.
◦ In 18 hours we had 88 respondents
◦ top answers for ‘What did you like most about the Convention?’ were: the speakers/keynote addresses, being with like-minded people and the how inclusive/diverse it was
◦ top answers for ‘What did you like least about the Convention?’ were: too much choice of sessions/couldn’t go to everything I wanted to, overcrowded and would have liked to ask more questions.
7. Parallel Conventions:
• Phil Booth: there were approximately 650 participants around the country
• the most popular parts were engaging people e.g. through workshops. We made sure to have things people could get involved with.
• Practically, we learnt a lot from using the web feed
• It was a bit of a scramble at the end to get national coverage of the local events
• We are using pre-existing networks and a new Facebook group to oppose Clause 152. The group has 2200 members in 72 hours – larger than the Convention’s Facebook group.
• It’s good to have a specific call to action in the regions
• The Convention helped in this rapid mobilisation
• We’re working with James Graham on Crowdvine and linking into the Clause 152 campaign
• SW: students in my class in Cambridge enjoyed the Convention enormously but were a little disappointed with the turnout.
◦ PB: there was an issue with the publicity in Cambridge which indicated it was just an afternoon event. Given more time we would have had more turnout.
◦ PB: there was a technical problem in Bristol – venue techies only turned up at 9:10am! – but webfeed was running shortly after 9:45am
• Was there regional variation? PB: yes we always run independent campaigns in the nations
• Birmingham had a very white audience, it was said.
• AB: the non-London events altered the body language of what we were doing in a very positive way
8. Stewards:
• AB: we used a volunteer recording crew to film every session and we hope to get podcasts and video footage up on the website over the next two weeks
• Jake Dowie now has Robin Lough’s footage of the Logan Hall which should go up over the next few days
9/ 10/ 11. Website and blogosphere:
• GA: the videos were a great tool to engage people and each one has a few thousand views
• Engaging bloggers was key. Liberty Central was very useful in feeding arguments.
• The Guardian is the top referrer to the website after Google
• the full report in the pack shows the number of blog posts referring to the Convention and the number of buttons hosted
• the Bloggers’ Summit was very good and packed
• will there be a documentary? If there’s time and funding.
• AB: The film crew were amazing and a wonderful part of the day
• PB: it would be very useful to get a DVD to the regions even of the raw footage
• PB: how many people watched the web cast on the day? GA: we should have figures tomorrow. They may not be very high as we only found out we could do it very close to the 28th and there wasn’t time to promote it.
• Global Mix who did the webcasting have waived their fee as they were so pleased
12. Pledges:
• a preliminary report is in the pack. A fuller report will follow.
COSTS & BUDGET
• AB: not included in the budget is the huge number of volunteers who helped us and under-charging. HP funded the launch party and gave a lot of time. A special thanks to Claire Preston for managing the budget and keeping a firm hand on costs.
• Claire Preston: please don’t take the figures too literally – this is our best estimate of final costs and the figures are rounded. It assumes we get all funding we have been promised.
• We think we will remain in budget
• PB: after clarifying that £3,500 had been budgeted for NO2ID all along noted that any financial contribution to NO2ID’s costs would be taken up by NO2ID’s Advisory Board. AB: NO2ID deserve more.
• How will we deal with any surplus? It could be packaged with the database and website i.e. to go to the Rowntrees. To be decided.
WHAT NEXT?
• Tony Curzon Price: the situation with the databases is that the emails and info collected are held under the umbrella of openDemocracy’s data protection act filing with a clause stating that the data is ring-fenced for the Convention including from openDemocracy. The terms under which the data was collected stipulates that data is given for the use of the Convention only and can’t be shared with partner organisations. OpenDemocracy is a trustee of this and will not use the data itself. Rowntrees could step into the role of openDemocracy and take charge of the data. Do we have to get the agreement of the people who provided data to move them? I will look into this.
• PB: It should not be a problem. I thought there would be a temporary body. If the Convention ceases to exist in a month there is no issue – it is only if it continues that we need stewardship for the data.
• WS: You have to capture the energy. It would be heartbreaking if bickering makes this crumble. The sum is greater than the parts – it’s crucial that we rise above resource allocation and don’t destroy the energy.
• Shami Chakrabarti: we already had this discussion and partner organisations gave their time, resources and support under the agreement reached.
◦ I agree with Henry about what was positive and negative and want to thank everyone who was involved and gave time. It was heartening to see people coming together and discussing these issues.
◦ However, from Liberty’s point of view there were some negative experiences many of which Henry brought under control in the week before the Convention. There was a lot of briefing against me personally and the organisation, and briefing against the Human Rights Act. This all went on behind Liberty’s back. It was politically embarrassing for us. I think this was a press strategy to court controversy.
◦ There were also statements in the programme against the Human Rights Act. Had we known this was part of the agenda we would not have been involved.
◦ Attacks on the Human Rights Act are as embarrassing to the Liberal Democrats as they are to Liberty.
◦ As we confirmed in emails, the Convention was a very exciting day and that is what we signed up to. If there are any attempts to move forward with this brand or do ongoing organisational work or campaign work, we (Liberty) will at the least have to publicly distance ourselves from the Convention due to attacks on the Human Rights Act.
• HP: can I refer you to my blog this morning where I address this issue
• SC: I have not spoken personally about this and I tried to take the heat out of the complaints. This was due to respect for Henry.
• WS: You have to find a common ground. If you fracture, all the money and energy that has gone into this is wasted.
• SC: As long as no-one breaths more life into ‘the Convention on Modern Liberty’ we don’t have a problem. There was consensus that no-one was seeking to start another organisation
• PB: NO2ID went into this thinking this could strengthen other organisations. NO2ID cannot join an umbrella campaign because we are a single-issue group.
• WS: It would be madness to throw away the energy created (general agreement from others present)
• PB: Let each debate form and push the argument forward.
◦ No2ID has not changed stance throughout the whole process.
• William Sieghart: I’m not saying you are all one organisation or campaign but you have created something special.
• HP: I am interested in our forming an opposition to the government and the Conservatives. I want us to form a political movement, raise awareness and raise the issues up the agenda. Neither of you (Liberty and No2ID) have formed a movement.
• JJ: I am both dismayed and understanding. What happened on Saturday was quite remarkable and everyone involved deserves great credit. We didn’t create something – we allowed something already there to come out. In a sense we are all in the position of trustees as it doesn’t belong to any of us. But it would be a great social crime if nothing is made out of it. We need to be very careful when talking about forming new organisations.
◦ Suggestion – those organisations involved are encouraged to come together maintaining their areas of interest and sovereignty to see on what points they can find common ground so as not to lose the energy. For example, everyone can agree on Clause 152. Also, there is a green paper coming out at the end of the month and a vigorous and co-ordinated response to that is something where they can come together.
• WS: we need another meeting
• SW: I am struck by the degree of paranoia, the distrust and the anger. It’s not going to be an organisation but there is loads of space for moving forward. Someone had to summon this into form even if it was there before.
• SC: Liberty will publicly distance themselves from any continuing brand and say why.
• SP: the Human Rights Act is enormously important for us too. We ought to be able to build something and it would be a terrible failure if we don’t. Jubilee 2000 had to destroy its database because of the infighting.
• Mark Ross: in principle Rowntrees can steward the database but we probably don’t have the capacity to look after the website.
• SC: as we agreed – it is an archive
• SP: it will damage everyone if we can’t find agreement. Criticism of the Human Rights Act is not helpful.
• HP: I’m happy to concede that my position on the Human Rights Act may be flawed. HP and SC agreed they placed a different emphasis on the effectiveness of the Human Rights Act. HP: But it’s so much more important to defend ourselves against the attack on freedom – can’t we all agree on that? I propose Rowntrees chair a seminar on this issue.
• PB: I’m not bickering. I’m trying to find a practical way forward.
• GH: the Guardian is also behind the Human Rights Act. 80% of people at the Convention were behind the HRA and I don’t think the Convention is against the HRA.
• PB: Peter Facey asked to be included in this meeting.
• AB: I’m afraid we are over time and have to end, thank you everyone.
