Scott Ritter at Menwith Hill Independence Day Protest

Former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq, Scott Ritter, accepted an invite to speak at the annual protest outside the Menwith Hill American spybase outside Harrogate. The action is expected to anger his United States countrymen by criticising President George Bush on Independence Day.

Oh dear, and what better day to do so than Independence day?

Especially as it's the same day as Bush declares his government's independence from the rest of the world through the rejection of any Kyoto-style deal on climate change at the G8 summit, and a couple of days after the British government announces personal carbon allowances for its unwitting citizens, controlled and monitored via national Identity cards that nobody wants for this and countless other covert intended uses for the technology.

And you might think the annual protest outside the American Spybase that inhibits (sic) the North Yorkshire countryside might be newsworthy. Apparently, it's not sufficiently newsworthy for the BBC to make much of an effort. Google News doesn't turn up much. Limited reporting also from the local rag, Yorkshire Today. Even IndyMedia doesn't have the protest listed on their calendar of events.

What is going on?