Ed, show us your anger

Someone once said  'The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn't angry enough.'

Last week I was at a protest in Victoria with 3500+ people

about the proposed plan to allow a pipeline for the oil sands through the province I live in, (British Columbia).

I heard from leaders of First Nations who are all against the pipeline, environmentalists & several politicians from the New Democrats who all oppose the pipeline. I agree with everything they said but at times it seemed like they were reading off a script, & many of them had the same script.

Then Elizabeth May, the leader of the Canadian Green Party & a local MP stepped up & blew me away. Her words weren't much different than what the others had said, but it was the way that she said it- she showed genuine anger & passion against the pipeline. Now I'm an NDP supporter but I have to say that it was Ms May that most inspired me the most. Please do take time to watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Ady8WCwvA

In an age of apathy & indifference to politicians from the general public,  I can't help thinking if more of our politicians did this, it would make a difference. In the UK, many people now consider the Tories & Labour to be offering much the same- cuts to public services, higher taxes on the poor & middle classes & nothing new. This is despite Ed Miliband outlining several new Labour policies in the last year such as  a bank bonus tax, vocational education, plans to build 100,000 new homes, a youth jobs guarantee, cutting tuition fees, restorative policing and a proper plan for jobs and growth, Of course we need more than this. 

But as well as more progressive policies, Miliband has to show he's different than Cameron & Clegg- he needs to show he's genuinely ANGRY about the cuts that are being forced on disabled people, unemployed people, people on minimum wage & other vulnerable people. Genuinely ANGRY that at a time of the biggest austerity agenda the country has ever seen, the Tory led government is cutting the top rate of tax & doing nothing to reign in the irresponsible bankers that caused this crisis. We need Ed to show he's not just another Neoliberal politician happy to carry on with the status quo, but that he is standing with the majority of the country in opposing the current government. 

So come on Ed, we need your anger.