Traditionally, Gypsies in this country have had very little reason to be interested in or concerned with politics. For hundreds of years they have travelled the country performing menial tasks, taking and often begging whatever employment they could find, fighting the elements, bigotry and mistrust, often being hounded and harassed from county to county by the constabulary pursuing outdated and archaic laws - very often I may add with much more vigour than was necessary. many a poor Gypsy family went hungry for the day due to a well aimed police regulation boot being aimed at a pot suspended from a kettle iron over an open fire containing the whole days food supply for a family.

It is generally accepted that Gypsies arrived in Europe around the 14th Century. Almost from the time they arrived, right up to the present day they have been despised and persecuted. No people on Earth have such a history of persecution and hatred directed at them for such a prolonged period of time and for no reason. Tell me one war which the Gypsies started, tell me one land they tried to occupy by force, tell me one monarch they tried to dethrone, tell me one crime against humanity they have committed. Is it through lack of understanding, jealousy or fear? True, their manners and customs must have seemed strange, their nomadic way of life must have been at variance with the convention of settled societies. Fear though - is often triggered with a fascination, countless painters, musicians and writers have had their imagination stirred, and some of the public had their heads turned by romantic notions about Gypsy weddings and blood brotherhood, scenes of passion to the sound of violins, moon light, mystery, magic, fortune telling and secret powers. Then there is the disenchanted view of the landowners and gamekeepers who find their coverts raided and their land fouled and littered (often may I say by non - gypsy travellers). Somewhere between these two extremes the gypsies exist. A people who in the course of their history have preserved and sometimes acquired beliefs, customs and traditions which are paralleled in many cultures. A people who's history is preserved in oral traditions and legends, for being nomadic the gypsies have not left behind archaeological evidence of settlement or cultivation, and because of their history of illiteracy no written documentation of any note. But - other documentation is available in various archives and this much is known, that by 1471 the first anti gypsy laws had been passed in Lucerne, and by 1637 anti gypsy laws had spread via Brandenburgh, Spain, Germany, Holland, Portugal, England, Denmark, France, Flanders, Scotland, Bohemia, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden to encompass the whole of Europe.

The punishment that these laws demanded was varied and vicious. Flogging, torture, branding, mutilation, hanging, shooting, being hunted like animals for sport, bounties being put on their heads and hunted as vermin, the list is endless, the misery incalculable. In England in 1554 Queen Elizabeth 1 imposed the death penalty, not only for the crime of BEING A GYPSY, but for anyone in their fellowship and company. -GYPSY LIAISON OFFICERS WERE A SCARCE COMMODITY IN THOSE DAYS - Scotland continued to enforce such legislation right through to the 18th century, and indeed much Scottish anti-gypsy law was on the statute book up until 1906. In 1994 a Conservative Government in England is still passing anti-gypsy laws, threatening to destroy homes, confiscate property, split up families, provoke needless confrontations, traumatise innocent children caught in the middle of it ail - a stark similarity to Germany in the late 30's and early 40's don't you think? - This, under a basics banner in 1994 - the year of the family - in DEMOCRATIC ENGLAND. By a government more dedicated to legalising buggery with 16 year old boys, than providing conditions for travellers to live within the law, following the only way of life they and their ancestors have known.

We now have ethnic cleansing by legislation - far more subtle and far more dangerous than ethnic cleansing by violence. That can be fought against, you can see your enemy, fight your enemy, crush your enemy - there is no such recourse with cleansing by legislation - unjust laws and legislation are something different. You may despise them, you may disobey them, you may argue against them - but you cannot destroy them, cannot crush them they are always there and your way of life is always in peril, constantly under threat.

Once on the statute books, history has shown they will not readily be repealed, if anything they will be reinforced by reforms. Too many species on this planet have become extinct and too many species today are on the endangered list, are the Gypsies now to be added to it? In this country - and quite rightly too - there are laws to protect the birds of the air, the flowers of the field and the majority of our natural wildlife - with penalties ranging from heavy fines to imprisonment - yet there is not one law to protect the gypsy.

British justice, we are told is the envy of the world. The British sense of fair play is legendary, they will lay down their lives in defence of the underprivileged and oppressed. How and where these myths originated is a mystery, and how they have lasted and endured is an even greater mystery. The British Empire was one of the greatest the world has ever seen. Taken by the sword, and held down by oppression and exploitation. How many poor souls perished through torture, slavery and trying to defend their freedom, is anybody's guess. Millions is a conservative estimate. These atrocities were not only confined to foreign shores either, the Peasants revolts of 1431 led by Watt Tyler, Richard Kett, and John Ball against the closing of common lands to the common people - DOES THAT RING A BELL - and the imposition of a poll - tax, - DO I HEAR ANOTHER BELL RINGING - was brutally and savagely put down by the Earl of Warwick later elevated to the Duke of Northumberland - who it is said thought solely of money and power - DOES THAT ALSO RING A BELL - his accomplice was Humphrey Arundel of Cornwall & Devon who's main claim to fame was that he was a powerful landowner who also denied the ancient common rights to his tenants. The Tolpuddle Martyrs deported for standing up for their rights. The Jarrow marchers and more recently the Workers at G.C.H.Q. at Cheltenham and the miners all having their rights denied them by legislation in this free and democratic country.

English history is littered with such instances, in fact it is almost entirely made up of them, oppression and subse rvience hand in hand, taking away the citizens rights of any land they occupied and of this land when it suited them.

However, to get the gypsies - The 1968 Caravan Act gave us cause to believe that at long last our struggle for recognition was being acknowledged, progress was being made, at long last our children would be educated, would receive proper health care, we would be accepted by society - in short, we would be treated like human beings. How short lived that jubilation turned out to be, how empty those promises proved, how typical of this governments hypocrisy. The wheel has turned full circle, the wrath of the state is again being vented upon the gypsy population, with laws exhibiting not just a dislike for the underprivileged and despised but portraying a physical expression of hatred. Laws being wheedled through Parliament by chicanery and deception, trickery and guile, devoid of democracy - devoid of compassion -devoid of shame. A purely social problem given pride of place in a Criminal Justice Bill. What an indictment of British Democracy.

I stated earlier that politics played no great part in the gypsies life - that is rapidly changing. The gypsy is beginning to realise that it is not the man in the street, not the man in the blue uniform - that is his enemy, it is the pin striped suited politician stomping through the corridors of Wh itehall in jackboot fashion, calling each other honourable and not knowing the meaning of the word - that is his true enemy. It is ironic that the laws now being framed, that this government claims are for the benefit of the gypsies are so, MACHIAVELLIAN in their structure. Misleading information oozes from this government like puss from an ulcer, whilst beneath the skin the problem festers on - untreated.

Certain segments of society have always from time to time had Draconic laws aimed at them resulting in bloodshed, misery and torment. Witches, Heretics and Jews spring readily to mind, ail have one thing in common, the laws are now repealed and the persecution is a thing of the past. The Gypsies stand alone - UNIQUE - as the only segment of society whereby such laws have not been repealed, in fact, today the laws are being strengthened and made even more insidious. Leave or be hounded to death, - every country in Europe has attempted this legislation at least once against the Gypsies, Britain is now failing in line with that maxim once again.

Let us ponder here for a moment on what the problem really is. It is a government induced situation, induced deliberately, mischievously, and with malice. Intent on destroying the nomadic way of life. Give us back our traditional stopping places - give us back our freedom - freedom to travel without let or hindrance, set aside basic sites which allow us to follow our way of life without trespass - give us the rights which have always been denied us, then - where is the problem? If a traveller wishes to purchase a piece of land and settle, for gods sake why not encourage him, as the law stands you do not want him to settle down ( At least not where he wants to be), and you do not want him to travel. What do you want? The answer is self evident - YOU DO NOT WANT GYPSIES - ANYWHERE - AT ANY COST.

A popular concept of a gypsy camp is a roadside settlement littered and fouled, with no sanitation or refuse disposal. Filth and squalor unbridled. Everyone of you here can imagine it in your minds eye quite visibly I am sure. The next part takes a bit more concentration.

Imagine one of your council estates in the middle of town - before it becomes privatised - with its high concentration of children and household pets such as cats and dogs. Now imagine the water supply being disconnected - permanently - no more water on tap, no more hot baths, no more hot showers, - NO MORE TOILETS BEING FLUSHED. Now imagine its road being torn up and the refuse disposal service being abolished, - you now have no water, no road and your own litter in your house is in the garden. After 4 to 5 days the refuse bin is full, after a week it is overflowing with cats and dogs foragin g around amongst it. The toilet is still not getting flushed, 3 days - 3 weeks - 3 months later can you now imagine it? -IMAGINE it! You can almost smell it! After 6 Months of council tenants or private house owners living in conditions like this, it would be the gypsies down the road complaining to the authorities about the health hazards, the squalor and the filth which would be lowering the tone of their neighbourhood.

I say to you - ANY ENCAMPMENT OF'TRAVELLERS WITHOUT THE BASIC FACILITIES OF WATER, SANITATORY AND REFUSE DISPOSAL IS AN INDICTMENT OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES WHO SHOULD HAVE BY LAW THE LEGAL OBLIGATION to supply such minimal services which every householder takes for granted and all too often would willingly deny to others.

The attempts by government and a few local authorities to wriggle out of their duties of difficult situations by promoting Romanies and marginalizing Tinkers, Didicoys, New Age Travellers etc. is a scapegoat mechanism used by society against the gypsies and by the gypsies against each other. Government propaganda aggravating the situation, not addressing it. If the needs of the people of a nomadic way of life are ever going to be addressed, the definition must be simplified not made more complicated, the plight they find themselves in is the same for one and all. All the rubbish being talked (more propaganda) about the New Age Travellers and so on making it more difficult for government to solve the situation, is meaningless rhetoric aimed at stirring up discontent. THE PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED BEFORE THE NEW AGE TRAVELLERS APPEARED ON THE SCENE.

Much has been made about how much the government has spent on sites, £78 million has been quoted, that represents about £3 million a year for the duration of the caravan act. The drinks bill for the government last year was £15 million. That gives some idea of the seriousness with which they tackled the problem of site provision. Less than a quarter of what they spend on beer and spirits.

I will not take up your time and analyse clause by clause the new amendments, they speak for themselves and you are all probably aware of them.

Clause 45

strengthens section 39 of the Public Orders Act 1986. ;Altering the definition of damage to the heights of lunacy, and changing from 12 to 6 the number of vehicles required to trigger implementation of the law.

Clause 46

gives the police power to confiscate vehicles.

Clause 51

provides for the retention of property seized and the imposition of charges.

Clause 58/59

provides local authorities with special powers, and includes all the highways and byways and all the little back lanes in England, no matter how secluded or unobtrusive it may be. It will be an offence to stop ANYWHERE.

Clause 61

everyone knows, the repealing of the Caravan Act as we know it.

Over 92% of District Councils, the Police Federation and I believe the synod of the Church of England all say that these new proposals are either flawed, wrong or unworkable. Does this government listen? No.

We have a government with absolutely no commitment to resolving the situation. A government intent on focusing its attention on pr eventing offences against itself. A government making itself accountable to no - one. Democratic? the word DESPOTIC would seem more appropriate.

Framing ambiguous laws aimed at specific sections of the community, laws which will be interpreted arbitrarily. The great danger in that, is that a law administered arbitrarily is an uncertain law, and an uncertain law is not a law. The very roots of freedom and democracy are being denied the sustenance they exist on. With certain exceptions, such as a mentally unstable person in secure confinement - if you can still find one open - there are only 2 good reasons in England for subjecting a person to prison or RESTRAINT. One is that he is accused of an offence and must be brought before a court of law, the other is that he has been convicted of an offence and is undergoing punishment.

A man may not have his LIBERTY OF MOVEMENT interfered with except as a SUSPECTED OR ACTUAL CRIMINAL. Where does that leave the Gypsy. - a criminal by birth - a criminal by virtue of having no legal and lawful sites to move onto. HIS LIBERTY OF MOVEMENT DENIED HIM. An exile in his homeland. this is democratic Britain in 1994. The land millions have died for to preserve us from tyranny and oppression.

Would their sacrifice have been so willing if they could see their beloved country as it Is today.

The corruption that permeates through sport, politics and the law. The unaccountability of the ruling class, the persecution of the e working class, the indifference and hatred of the underclass. The of impotence the Church in combating our moral decline, the despair that is choking the life from the young and old alike. The apathy from those causing and condoning it. Helplessness hangs like a dense fog over ail the land.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, God had given him 10 laws. 10 laws which our creator deemed sufficient for man to live in peace and harmony, if he heeded them. Today we have 10,000 laws for each of the 10 - all man made - we now have also more starvation, more misery, more wars, more envy, more hatred, more greed, more murder, more rape, more injustice, and more social discontent than any time in our history.

Surely there is a moral in there somewhere. maybe we only need one law, one law that is constant, that needs no amendments, no sub - clauses, no reforming.

That law is:

LIVE AND LET LIVE.