BBC 1 - Tuesday 17 May - 10.35pm
"Reg Keys' son, Tom, was one of six Red Cap soldiers brutally murdered in Iraq in 2003. As no weapons of mass destruction were ever found, Reg believes Tom was betrayed by the government and died for a lie. ONE life follows Reg's heart-breaking story."
The iconic image of this election - maybe even of Blair's political career - was created at around 2.30am on the morning of Friday 6 May 2005 when Reg Keys stands at the podium, Blair in shot behind him, and reads out the names of The Six, the dead of Al Majar Al-Kabir.
This image - instantly flashed around the world - will remain forever linked with Blair's name and reputation; it embodies the contrast between his power and discomfort and Reg Keys' dignity and grief, between the hollow conviction of those who send other people's children illegally to war and the depth campaign election of pain of those who pay the price. �
For this moment alone the campaign has been worthwhile, for with this image Reg Keys has brought the responsibility home to Blair's doorstep, and placed it firmly at his feet.
Jane Mayes
Watch Reg Keys' speech on the BBC website.
'I would like to dedicate my campaign to all the British servicemen - and I am aware that some people do not know how many it is who have been killed - to dedicate it to all the 88 British servicemen who have been killed and given their young lives in this conflict.' �Reg Keys speaking at Sedgefield after the count.Text of speech in full:
"I dedicate this campaign to my son Tom, who was killed in Iraq four days short of his 21st birthday. He was sent to war under very controversial circumstances.
"If this war was justified then I would not be here today. If the war had been just I would have been grieving and not campaigning. If weapons of mass destruction had been found in Iraq, then I would not have come to Sedgefield, to the Prime Minister's stronghold, to challenge him on its legality.
"I don't pretend to be a politician, and it has not been easy for me, but it has been a very rewarding campaign, and I think it is remarkable that an amateur like me has come from a standing start in one of the most traditional and safe Labour seats of all to achieve a share of the vote which is not so far short of that of an established political party.
"For this I thank the team which built spontaneously around me, my wife Sally and my other son Richard who have stood behind me, and above all I thank the voters of Sedgefield who put their trust in me.
"I hope in my heart that one day the Prime Minister will be able to say sorry to the families bereaved by this war; �I hope in my heart that one day he will find himself able to visit in hospital the soldiers who have been wounded by it.
"So, as well as to Tom, I would like to dedicate my campaign to all the British servicemen - and I am aware that some people do not know how many it is who have been killed - to all 88 British servicemen who have been killed and given their young lives in this conflict.
"And especially to those Royal Military Policemen who have become known as The Six, who were abandoned and slaughtered in a filthy police voting campaign station in Al Majar Al-Kabir: Lance Corp. Tom Keys, Corp. Russell Aston, Corp. Simon Miller, Corp. Paul Long, Lance corp. Ben Hyde and Sgt. Simon Hamilton-Jewell." Reg Keys
Reg Keys
Thanks to the people of Sedgefield and particularly to the 4,252 who voted for Reg Keys. This was a solid result which shows a serious proportion of the electorate has put its concern about the Iraq war at the top of the political agenda. It is accepted by election analysts that a large proportion of Labour voters are voting despite the war, while Lib Dem voters are expressing opposition to it, so the results at Sedgefield can in no way be interpreted as demonstrating that Iraq is no longer an issue.
see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/506.stm
| Tony Blair | Labour | 24,421 | 58.9 | -6.0 |
| Al Lockwood | Conservative | 5,972 | 14.4 | -6.5 |
| Robert Browne | Liberal Democrat | 4,935 | 11.9 | +2.9 |
| Reg Keys | Independent | 4,252 | 10.3 | +10.3 |
I have asked you to meet me many times - sedgefield council in particular at the start of this campaign. I have asked you for a full, open and public debate between us about the war on Iraq.
Now I understand a little more easily why you refuse - not only because you are vulnerable on so many counts about the legality of the war, not only because, maybe, your conscience troubles you, not only because you are the Prime Minister and I am merely a retired paramedic of little consequence.
No, you refuse to meet me because to you, the dead are not people; the dead are not names; the dead are not even numbers.
Read the whole Letter to Tony Blair.
Supporters include: Benjamin Zephaniah, Rory Bremner, John Williams, Margaret Cook, Richard Dawkins, Frederick Forsyth, Brian Eno, Martin Rowson and Steve Bell.
- ©Reg Keys, 2005 -
