Lizzie Cornish....Why are the organisers of "Make poverty history" actively discouraging people from protesting at Gleneagles Hotel, where their protests should at least embarrass the the G8 leaders.

Instead we are invited to leave our brains at home and join the politicians at a "feel good " junket in Edinburgh.

Well I for one wont be listening to the ageing hypocrits singing of poverty and environmental disaster, while they gorge on cocaine and travel by private jet.

Like the anti Iraq war demo, this is an occasion when all we need to do is stand and be counted, and make the politicians understand that these issues can't be treated as a PR exercise, all bleeding hearts and rhetoric for a while, but then its back to business as usual.

It's the oldest trick in their book, rub the spiky corners off the protest, emmoliate the protesters with some meaningless figures, then when all the fuss has died down, let the African continue to die in peace.
I hope some of the party goers make the effort to get to Gleneagles and make a show of unity where it really counts...Ake