Mass Lobby Latest News

8:45pm Finale kicks off at end of a long and successful day. Jess Worth, from student campaigning group People and Planet says: "We hear lots of talk of young people being apathetic these days, but I don't think they are - they just don't believe politicians are interested in the things they care about. We have to put those things on the political agenda. And that's what we have done today."

6:20pm Latest estimate for number of supporters attending the lobby is more than 12,000.

6:00pm Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor speaking in Westminster Cathedral to a mass packed with sunburnt campaigners says: "This was lobbying with a purpose: For trade justice in our world today. More and more, the catholic community should take part in working for justice for our world. Our prayers, our commitment, our work to this kind of justice is crucial for fulfilling the Lord's purpose."

5:40pm 228 MPs lobbied, including Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, opposition leader Iain Duncan Smith and Andrew Smith, work and pensions secretary.

4:35pm 150 MPs have now been lobbied.

4:30pm Latest estimate: at least 10,000 people were in queue for Mexican Wave of Sound.

4:15pm Peter Mandelson, MP for Hartlepool: "I'm proud of my constituents and people from across the North East for coming here today to stand up for a fairer world. Globalisation is not the enemy of justice but globalisation needs to be managed to bring prosperity to the rest of the world."

3:47pm After 6 minutes 37 seconds, Mexican Wave of Sound reaches back of queue, which in places is seven people across.

3:45pm Thom Yorke of Radiohead lobbies his MP, Dr Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat member for Oxford West & Abingdon.

3:40pm Mexican Wave of Sound - "Speak out for trade justice" - is started by Anita Roddick and Radiohead and sweeps through queue.

3:30pm 1001 people have signed up to receive text updates to their mobile phones as they queue.

3:18pm Queue now extends past London Eye.

3:15pm 40 MPs have now been lobbied - Hilary Armstrong, Hilary Benn, Michael Howard, Peter Bottomley, Margaret Hodge, Paul Marsden, Alun Michael, Barbara Roche, Caroline Spelman, ...

3:00pm Labour MP for Watford Claire Ward opens Prime Minister's Questions by referrng to the mass lobby. Prime Minister Tony Blair acknowledges he has met Trade Justice Movement leaders.

2:30pm Mass lobbyists attending rally in Westminster Central Hall practise Mexican Wave of Sound - ready for "mass moment" at end of PM's Questions.

2:00pm 25 MPs have been met and lobbied. All of them have been very supportive, covering the whole political spectrum from Michael Howard, Conservative MP for Folkestone and former Home Office Minister, to Kate Hoey, Labour MP for Vauxhall. A great start to the day.

12:45pm Ecumenical service at Emmanuel Centre in Westminster is so well attended that people have to be turned away.

12:05pm Message of support from South African President Thabo Mbeki: "I want to thank Christian Aid and all the members of the Trade Justice Movement for all they're doing. We need your support to tackle poverty and overcome injustice. It is important that as well as G8 leaders hearing from people like myself they get this clear message from the people in their own countries. Your actions and activities will give all of us renewed hope. I'll be raising what you're doing in the South African parliament today. I'm glad to have had this moment to express my personal appreciation for all your support."

11:30am Radiohead hold press conference outside Houses of Parliament.

9:00am Tony Blair meets with campaigners from his Sedgefield constituency: "Rich countries can't say they want to help developing countries while at the same time denying them access to markets. This mass lobby is very timely and at next week's G8 Conference we're hoping for movement on Africa. I urge you to keep up pressure on governments, and but can assure you that we're building alliances across the world on this issue."

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