Civilians are in the firing line.
Campaigning can be like a rollercoaster. Oxfam's work on arms control as part of the Conflict Campaign is a case in point. He points to very successful MP visits by Constituency Contacts, action by Oxfam and Amnesty groups, and a landmark seminar at the House of Commons in May, as being instrumental in getting senior civil servants at the DTI to consider Oxfam's proposals. There have been positive noises coming from Whitehall about our suggestions, but we're entering choppy waters. It's likely that the General Election will be held in May, which squeezes the time available for passing bills.