For a full report, and a wide variety of photos, please see: http://re-electjean.blogspot.com/
10am Friday – "In Sipson, Jean met John Stewart from HACAN ClearSkies. Jean spoke with residents who were particularly concerned about the threat to Harlington and Harmondsworth and were worried about the focus on Sipson. They expressed that the Greens were the only Party that they could trust, because we have such a strong record on opposing Heathrow expansion, on environmental issues and planning. The Greens won’t put big business before the concerns and welfare of local communities."
1130am Friday – "Jean is now giving a speech to the Nigeria Liberty Forum on democracy and human rights in Nigeria. As a Green, she has long been concerned about the role of oil companies in the Ogoni region. 90% of Nigeria’s population live on less than $2 per day. Jean has written to the European Commission to press for EU action to tackle corruption in Nigeria. She will continue to demand that oil companies be forced to operate at the same high environmental standards that would be expected if they were here in the EU."
3pm Friday – "En route to stopping at Tothill Hill street, just near Westminster Abbey, we passed by the Tamils protest on Parliament Square. Jean gave a message of support (below) to them through our amplified mic, and expressed her disgust at the UN’s decision not to investigate alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, given the horrendous human rights violations that have taken place during the conflict."
530pm Friday – "Cyclists are slowly gathering for the critical mass event, and hundreds of people are lying on the lawns by the river. We’re broadcasting our message to an interested audience — that there is an alternative to the three main parties: vote Green for a better future, for peace, human riughts and the environment. There’s a carnival atmosphere as we unleash our upbeat, soulful music through the speakers. We become surrounded by the hundreds of bikes setting off for their evening ride around the city to reclaim the streets for cyclists and pedestrians."
10am Saturday – "We took the bus to Southwark, for a fascinating meeting at Uptown Oil. Uptown Oil was the company supplying the recycled biodiesel, made from used chip oil, that powered the bus. We were given a quick tour of the processing plant. Uptown Oil supplies many local restaurants with cooking oil, and then collects it from them after use, to be recycled into fuel. Peter Tatchell caught up with us in Southwark, to give his backing to Jean’s re-election campaign. Peter had just returned from the Moscow Gay Pride events, where he was supporting LGBT campaigners who were fighting persecution and homophobia. He spoke to Jean about her work in the European Parliament — to improve legislation, to enshrine in law equal rights for all, and also to ensure that all EU countries implement those laws in practice."
1130am Saturday – "We received a lively reception in Brixton from Joseph Healy, the #4 candidate on the European elections list, and several other candidates from Lambeth Green Party. Despite roadworks in front of the Ritzy Cinema being against us — congratulations to Joe, our driver, for navigating the busy streets — we engaged with many residents on the street who told us they would be voting Green."
1pm Saturday – "After leaving Brixton, we travelled through the streets of East Dulwich and Peckham, notably passing Peckham Library, to arrive in New Cross. Beside Goldsmiths, Jean was met by volunteers and ward councillors with the Lewisham Green Party. At a street stall, we handed out leaflets to passersby. We were even serenaded with a song by one of them, about pollution!"
330pm Saturday – "The bus made quite a sight … slowly passing over Tower Bridge into Aldgate. We proceeded up into Hackney, and met up with twenty cyclists from the Hackney Green Party. With the cyclists leading us as an honour guard, we slowly drove past Hackney Town Hall, through Lower and Upper Clapton, before cutting across to Stoke Newington High Street. We received lots of friendly waves as we passed patios and pubs on Stoke Newington Church Street."
5pm Saturday – From Manor House, we drove up through Green Lanes, Turnpike Lane, Muswell Hill, and then to Crouch End. At Crouch End Broadway, we made our final stop, at a stall run by the Haringey Green Party. Following an interview at Channel 4, Jean rejoined the bus for its final event. We engaged with late afternoon passersby, and posed for photos for the local paper in Haringey. We then offloaded our leaflets, t-shirts, laptops, tasty homemade cakes, cameras and video equipment, and thanked Joe, our driver, profusely. He set off for the motorway north to Crewe, as the North West campaign has the bus for the next few days."