Press Release
12 June 2003 For Immediate Release 

Radiohead back weekend push for Trade Justice

Rock band Radiohead are backing the Trade Justice Movement's campaign for fairer rules governing international trade. 

The band, whose album Hail to the Thief was released this week, is helping promote 'Scale Up for Trade Justice', a national action to lobby all the UK's 659 MPs in their local constituencies over a 24 hour period on 27-28 June. 

Ed O'Brien, Radiohead guitarist, said: "We want to make sure every MP gets a clear message that British voters want the rules on international trade rewritten to make world trade work for the whole world."

"On 27/28th June we are taking our message to every UK MP in their constituencies. I would urge anyone who feels strongly about world poverty to join the Trade Justice Movement MP lobby marathon." 

Glen Tarman, Trade Justice Movement Coordinator, said: "The UK Government says it wants trade to help end world poverty. Yet the Government is pushing for policies in the World Trade Organisation that are biased towards rich countries and the West's corporations. We want to put the spotlight on our Government's hypocrisy this summer, in the run-up to the next big WTO meeting in Mexico in September. Radiohead are helping us to do this." 

Anyone interested in finding out more about the campaign should go to the Trade Justice Movement website - where they can also find out about local lobbying events on 27/28 June. Those at Glastonbury, where Radiohead will be headlining, will still be able to share in the protest at the many stunts, stalls and events taking place throughout the weekend at the festival.

ENDS

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Notes to Editors

1. The Trade Justice Movement is a coalition of over 40 member organisations campaigning for trade justice - not free trade - with the rules weighted to benefit poor people and the environment. Members include Oxfam, Friends of the Earth, Christian Aid, the TUC and the National Union of Students.

2. Lobbying will take place at hundreds of events around the country between noon on Friday 27 June and noon on Saturday 28 June, ending with a huge symbolic action which will take place simultaneously at festivals, rallies and celebrations all over the country. See for details.

3. Radiohead are headlining at Glastonbury on 28 June. Many other acts at the Festival will also be supporting the campaign, and campaigners from the Trade Justice Movement, Oxfam and other member organisations will take the trade justice message to artists and festival-goers alike with stunts, stalls and events. Photos will be available from the Trade Justice Movement over the weekend.

4. Last year, the Trade Justice Movement organised the biggest ever Mass Lobby of Parliament, when over 12,000 people lobbied 346 MPs at Westminster. Photos of Ed O'Brien and Thom Yorke at the Mass Lobby are available from the Trade Justice Movement. 

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