Two years ago I celebrated a Suffragette anniversary with the women-led environmental action group Climate Rush. It was the 100th anniversary of the Suffragette Rush on Parliament and I was asked to deliver the final speech in Parliament Square.
Draped in a red sash with DEEDS NOT WORDS hand-printed across it, I spoke about the urgency of tackling the climate crisis; about the importance of challenging what is deemed by the political establishment to be “politically realistic.” Because unless we redefine what is “politically possible”, so that it means, first and foremost, what is necessary to guarantee a liveable planet, not what guarantees the greatest possible financial returns to companies and their share-holders, our future looks grim.
That night, inspired by the Suffragettes we pushed together to recreate the best of their spirit: their sense of performance, their style, their courage and the controversy they continue to court.
As I finished my speech, I looked out at the crowd – 1000 men, women and children in variously complete Edwardian garb, all with a bright red sash. At 6.30pm this group surrounded the Palace of Westminster and chanted ‘DEEDS NOT WORDS’ as inside MPs debated the Climate Change Bill.
Throughout 2008 Climate Rush rode the momentum that the Copenhagen Climate Summit was then inspiring. Climate Suffragettes got the media’s attention and created news around climate change, and helped generate political debate on the subject.
That’s why I’m delighted that Climate Rush is back. I am proud to be their patron and to speak as they launch phase two of their campaign.
While I am now in a position to be active inside Parliament, I am in no doubt that Government will take most notice when there is a creative alliance between a growing movement outside parliament, as well as committed politicians inside. Climate Rush has a vital role to play in that movement, with their uncompromising demand for action to create a safer future for all of us, before it’s too late.
The Climate Rush celebrates its 2-year anniversary with an evening dedicated to campaigns that have ended in victory. They invoke the Suffragettes because those women dared to make history, and delivered a campaign that gave everyone a specific part to play. Yes, some risked their lives with hunger strikes, but many more simply did the most they could. They wore their sashes in public, they explained to their peers why they deserved equality and they encouraged more people to expect a fairer world.
This is the kind of movement that Climate Rush aims to create. Join us TONIGHT and play a role in helping create a sustainable future.
