Geldof gaffe in G8 call to pupils

Published on Tuesday 17 May 2005 12:13

SIR BOB GELDOF today called on teachers to lead their pupils out of school to join G8 protests - despite the fact the summit will be held during the summer break.

Geldof’s gaffe, broadcast on Radio Forth, followed his impassioned appeal to the Scottish Parliament to help fight poverty in Africa.

The musician, who launched the Live Aid appeal for famine relief in 1985, said pupils should be able to make their voices heard during the July summit when the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations meet at Gleneagles.

And he said teachers should allow them to miss classes, even though the march falls on July 2 - the start of the Scottish school summer holidays.

Sir Bob said: "What is better - two days of geography or a day they’ll remember all their lives?"

Geldof also announced he would be joining the Make Poverty History march and said Scotland would "rise magnificently" to the challenge of pressuring world leaders to end world poverty.

He said: "The politicians have to do what the people of Scotland tell them to do and I have no doubt the people here will rise magnificently to that task and let the politicians know how they feel.

"The Make Poverty History march is the perfect chance to do that and I will be there."

Yesterday, Sir Bob told the Scottish parliament it would cost every citizen of the G8 the equivalent of half a stick of chewing gum a day to alleviate poverty in Africa and told First Minister Jack McConnell he should "not welcome" the world's leaders to Scotland this July unless they come to Gleneagles with "the right attitude".