When l spoke to one of the organisers this morning he was getting jumpy about numbers. He need not have been. They are now saying 120k minimum. The big battalions have been mobilised by the churches - dwarfing the sizeable contingents of the campaign groups and the left. First impressions: it is one of those days when you realise how rich and resilient civil society is: there are Quakers, there are the women of Sheboom, an all woman Samba Band, there are two middle aged blokes with pushbikes and green clown noses, with bits of tree attached to their bikes, giving out used McDonalds cartons to the crowd. Yes giving them out...
I caught up with DFID minister Hilary Benn, having a heated discussion with a young campaigner. It was postgraduate level stuff - they were swapping facts and stats like experts. It was all about conditionality nd the protester was not placated. But he did say he admired the minister for coming down alone with no bodyguard. I am back in the Meadow and everywhere there are Daily Mirror placards strewn, saying Make Poverty History...with the Mirror logo torn off.
