Women's peace camp to return to US base

Otley's Helen John, who is fighting Tony Blair's Sedgefield seat in the General Election, is to re-establish a peace camp close to Menwith Hill - more than two years after the original camp dwellers were evicted.

And her actions have the support of Otley town councillor John Eveleigh, chairman of the Menwith Hill Forum - which believes the base could put the area in real danger.

"Anything that makes people aware of the impending danger there is legitimate and I would certainly support the camp," he said.

Ms John is due to appear at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing for committing criminal damage to a high security fence at Menwith Hill. She says people need to know the seriousness of any expansion of the base and its possible inclusion in the United States missile defence system.

"As soon as we come out of jail, regardless of how long that is, my first thing will be to re-establish the camp on the A59. It has become really important to keep up the profile," she said.

Coun Eveleigh, added: "People are beginning to wake up to the fact that President Bush's rhetoric is beginning to concern quite a lot of people and it's not just world leaders but ordinary people as well.

"People do need to be made aware of this threat on our doorsteps. It will put Yorkshire and Otley right in the front line for no tangible benefit to us."

Menwith Hill, along with Fylingdales, also in North Yorkshire, could form a major part of American President George Bush's 'Son of Star Wars' National Missile Defence System. (NMD). The stations could be used as part of the system designed to shoot down missiles from so called 'rogue' states.

The Prime Minister's spokesman, Alastair Campbell, recently said that the NMD was 'broadly a good idea'.

But local MPs, including Harold Best, who is defending the Leeds North-West seat for Labour in the election, have expressed their doubts.

Coun Eveleigh added: "Assuming the Labour Government is re-elected there will be a lot of pressure within the Labour Back Benchers for Tony Blair not to agree to this. I think he is playing a waiting game at the moment and saying there has been no request from the United States.

" But when that request is made there will be a lot of pressure. I know Harold Best feels the same way and he will be at the front leading the campaign against it.

"I think Helen John is doing a service in highlighting this issue, I'm not as hardy as her and I wouldn't camp outside, but I certainly support any peaceful protest."

Ms John added: "It is only in this last year that people have begun to understand. Up until that point, in the public opinion, we were filthy, smelly people who upset local trade."

And she has already been pounding the streets of Sedgefield canvassing votes.

She said: "The people I spoke to were interested, and they were not in any way abusive. I spoke to local voters, and none of the people in Sedgefield have ever been encouraged to have any form of debate about the ballistic missile system."

Her sentence, which is expected to be passed on Monday, will not affect her election campaign - she said she intends to fight from behind bars if she has to.

Ms John and fellow protesters were evicted from the camp outside Menwith Hill in November 1998. They said they would leave voluntarily, rather than be a burden on the local authority and people of the area.

Now Ms John says the return of the camp is necessary to keep people aware of the significance of the base.

The protesters are fighting the expansion of the base - used as a US 'listening post - and opposing plans to site equipment for the 'Son of Star Wars' ballistic missile defence system at Menwith Hill, and Fylingdales early warning base.

Son of Star Wars is believed to include a weapons system capable of shooting down incoming ballistic missiles.

A number of nations' governments have criticised the plans, claiming it will destabilise international relations, and create a new arms race.