MPs state: Get the phone number out: it's time to act on Zimbabwe.

Following the ICC decision today that the games will stay in Zimbabwe we must re-double our efforts to get behind the team. The voice of the people can now speak.

In a charged press conference at the House of Commons today, politicians from all parties urged the media to get behind the Aegis Zimbabwe Fund's national voting line - 0906 1200 005. Each call demonstrates solidarity with the victims and support for the England Cricket team, automatically putting a pound towards the estimated £1million fine the ICC would impose on England for pulling out.

RT HON MICHAEL ANCRAM QC, MP.
Shadow Foreign Secretary
"In my view, this is beyond politics, this is about Humanity. In Zimbabwe last July I saw people being terrorised by their government, and I could not believe that the cricket world cup - a festival to celebrate one of the greatest sports - could take place with that as a backdrop. I think it is remarkable that in the face of the problems in Zimbabwe, the Aegis Trust today has come forward with a practical response to a problem which up until now has proved intractable.

"Can I reiterate how important it is to remind people of the telephone number, which is 0906 1200 005. That means an automatic donation to the fund. I'm going to put a pound on the table here, and I think you all might do the same just to start the ball rolling.

"We should perhaps mention that the patron of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union is Robert Mugabe."

MICHAEL MOORE
Lib Dem Foreign Affairs spokesperson
"The situation in Zimbabwe is absolutely desperate. The horrors, the violence, the deliberate policy of starving sections of the population, all these things have rightly drawn the worlds opprobrium over the last couple of years. The England team have been put in a very difficult position, and I believe that the Government should be providing compensation for that.

"But what we must not lose sight of, at any stage in all of this, is that there must continue to be strong pressure on Zimbabwe to put their house in order, to stop the killings, to bring about true democracy."

LORD HOYLE
Lab, chair of the all-party cricket group.
"The players have spoken out very courageously on moral and political grounds. Taking those things into account, I still think the ICC should call the match off. It can be relocated to South Africa.
"There is no doubt at all that if it does take place, it will be used by Mugabe as a political triumph. Let us continue the pressure and continue to say that this is one country we should not send our cricket team to."

JAMES SMITH
Director of Aegis Trust and initiator, Zimbabwe Fund

"The England team represent England, not the ICC or GCC. The team have exercised their conscience and made a statement that they want to play in South Africa but the ECB have so far ignored them. Eventually the ECB must take in into account the wishes of the team, once they realise the public is behind them. I suspect hardly a person in the UK wants these games to take place in our name while mass death is going to occur. The case then should be closed. That's why it is so important for everyone to make it clear through this phone line.

"I plead with you journalists to get this number out there; people in this country cannot make their voice heard if we don't get this number out. 0906 1200 005, this is the number to call to register your opposition to what is happening in Zimbabwe. In doing so, we will support the England team, and will send a message to the people of Zimbabwe that we care; that this time we are not going to stand by; that we will turn our back on indifference. It's quite simple; call this number, listen to the message, and by doing so, a pound will be donated to the fund.

"This fund will raise the money that the ICC will fine England if we pull out of Zimbabwe. This is about more than cricket: a humanitarian disaster is looming and all surplus money will go to the people of Zimbabwe directly."

For more information contact Aegis Trust press officer, David Brown on:
01623 836627; mobile: 07812 640873; email: david.brown@aegistrust.org
or Michael Conroy mobile: 07985 276784