Thom Yorke calls Bush and Blair liars as the state visit begins

Thom Yorke has called George Bush and Tony Blair liars, in an email to NME urging its readers to protest against the President's state visit to Britain. Bush arrived in London yesterday, 18 November, and a march that CND are helping to organise assembles on Malet Street at 2pm tomorrow and goes on to Trafalgar Square.

Yorke told NME he had spoken out to make Blair squirm over his decision to take us into a illegitimate war (In Iraq) and follow this religious lunatic (Bush) toward a dangerous future for the whole planet.¹

He says the two men are making the terrorist threat worse rather than containing it, and that most people in Britain were against the war. He expects the visit to be stage-managed, with fear of terrorism used as cover to intimidate and arrest protesters, and thinks it will only damage Blair further. With the Hutton Inquiry still to report, Blair is, he says, on very thin ice.

Bush is staying at Buckingham Palace, and Yorke thinks the Royal Family should object as well. How about one of the little heirs to throne doing something useful with their lives and speaking out? Refusing to shake hands for example?¹