"I wanted to say something"

It is not often that one hears the honest words “thank you” spoken to a conservative at a ‘stop the cuts’ rally…

But then this was an interesting day.



The police closed traffic around the town to allow the protesters to march
Photo by JOE BRISCOE

THE HIGHEST estimates reckon a thousand and the local press said 500, but however many people really took to the streets of Newport – county town of the Isle of Wight – it was clear that people were nearing the end of their patience.

For me though, the most fascinating story of the day, wasn’t the drums beating steadily at the front of the surge of people, nor was it the way in which the protesters calmly but defiantly overran the town, forcing police to divert traffic every which way.

No, for me the most interesting moment of this smile-raising display of democracy and the right to congregate came ironically at the very end, as it was all winding up. A number of UNISON representatives had been giving rousing speeches, shouting things like “Egypt yesterday, Isle of Wight tomorrow!”, “this is people power in action” and “contact your councillor and give them hell!”, and the requisite booing of David Pugh, head of the IW council, had been conducted as if he were a pantomime villain.

Footage by Joe Briscoe

And when the final cheer had gone up, the crowd, which has seconds before been baying for blood, slowly began to saunter off home to a cup of tea and an evening of Dancing on Ice. How British.

But then the microphone clicked back on.

“I, I wanted to say something” came the voice, trembling. And the exodus halted.

What followed was an emotional speech from a visably affected man - an ex-conservative politician who had heard the march from nearby and felt the need to speak out against the cuts and his party.

Granted the heartfelt speech went to pieces early on, and a polite smattering of applause signified his cue to hand the mic back prematurely, but the point had been made.



"Andrew Turner welcomes you to the 1980s"
Photo by JOE BRISCOE

After the crowds had once again started to leave, I cornered him and asked him why - as a conservative -he had come down in the first place.

“I didn’t realise it was going to kick off but I heard it. Basically, I’m on the other side" he told me.



"I know the game. I’ve played the game of politics. You’re on a hiding to nowhere. The only way you’re going to change it is to get these people out at the ballot box. I’m a conservative but we need a change of direction."

At that moment, a man from the crowd spotted the still shaking man, came over, and thanked him. "It means a hell of a lot” he said.

I asked him why out of all the people standing around he felt compelled to speak out.

“There’s too much apathy. The world has changed. I’m fed up". He replied.
"I’ve been there. I’m conservative and I supported Mrs Thatcher. Right?”



"But I’ve just about had enough of it. For a start the IOW is the most poverty stricken blackspot. And what’s being done to upgrade it and give life some sort of status or quality? Absolutely nothing."

But while the turnout was surprisingly good, I suggested that surely there are many more people who didn't come down to oppose the cuts. What would he say to them?



Library cuts sparked the outrage on the Isle of Wight
Photo by JOE BRISCOE



“It’s not for me to say why people should come out. But here is so much apathy - so much apathy in this country. I’m not promoting revolution or anything but I’m just saying that there has to be a sense of what’s reasonable.” He looks up as we are again interrupted, this time by a young lady.

“I just wanted to say thank you – that you did that” she smiles.

He looks back at me: “I know an awful lot about the running of the council.”

I push: "But you’ve never felt the need to speak out like that before?

“Never. Well I can see deterioration in what I would call moral principles. I just couldn’t help it, I just heard what was going on and…” he trails off.

And while it is always reassuring to see hundreds of people take to the streets in an attempt to make things right, it is equally as important sometimes to see just one person, who for whatever reason feels the necessity to stand up, take the microphone and speak their heart.

They say cut back, we say fight back, indeed.

Footage by Joe Briscoe

Footage by Joe Briscoe