Bob Geldof’s has announced that he wants a million people to descend on Edinburgh next month. The police are already saying no.

Geldof hasn’t been clear what he wants this million to do. There is a protest rally organised by Make Poverty History four days earlier, the same day as “Live8”. A million people protesting to the G8 in Gleneagles would be better off in London: the world leaders at the summit will be no less aware of them and London is much more able to cope. It would probably involve less travel overall, which would be better for the environment.

And the number itself is problematic. Edinburgh can’t cope with a sudden influx of a million people, but who’s to say how many will come? Geldof wants a million but he’s not ticketing entry to the city – it’s a number plucked out of thin air. Fewer people might make the trek up north (or south if you’re reading this in the Highlands), but with no-one counting them all in, who’s going to turn back the million-and-first person?

See also Chris, Alan and, on Live8 itself, Justin.