Free Mandela

Never mind the controversial statue - yesterday Londoners were treated to the real thing. There was a special poignancy to Nelson Mandela's appearance in Trafalgar Square, where so many protesters used to gather to demand his freedom through the dark years of apartheid.

The subject of Mr Mandela's speech was poverty. He argued most eloquently that the great progressive goal for this century was to establish a fair trading system with developing countries. It is a timely message for, as the great statesman pointed out, the need for the fortunate of the world to demonstrate solidarity with the repressed and forlorn is far from over.