Dai Havard

Labour Party | Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney

HAVARD IN THE HOUSE - The Defeat of Fascism and Terror

“As I write, we are learning of the actions agreed by the leaders of the G8 on poverty and development in Africa. Peaceful lobbying and protest by ‘Make Poverty History’ and the personal commitment of politicians such as Gordon Brown show the real hopes and actions that can make for peaceful development. All of that however is tempered by the horrific terrorist actions - this time - in London. The indiscriminate explosions without warning in London were just cold blooded murder. They do not represent any positive political aims or religious ideology. As a regular user of public transport in London I know how fragile we are when we live in and visit a large city in an open society - but we wish to see our society policed largely by consent and we have to work hard to get the balance of security and liberty right. Whilst Cardiff is as vulnerable as London to such attacks we must not close down our society or let these terrorist divide us.

I recently chaired a meeting of fifty plus Iraqi’s lobbying for their country to adopt an open constitution, which respects all faiths and ethic groups, as they try to re-build their country and society. I also met again with a senior security advisor to the Afghan President to see how the production and supply of narcotics that end up on our own streets can be defeated, while we help Afghans work towards their own Parliamentary elections. Terror actions in those countries and in Palestine; Israel; New York; Madrid; Bali or London do not progress the interests of the ordinary people of The Middle or Far East and Africa, they are claimed to represent.

Also this month we remember those from our own communities who fought and defeated fascism in WWII, we also praise those in the emergency and security services who seek to protect us today. As with the defeat of fascism sixty years ago we must be vigilant and understand the politics as well as the evil intentions of those who would destroy our society, so that we defeat them in a way that denies them all their perverted aims."