A coalition of conservative activist groups – calling themselves the Tea Party movement – is stepping up demonstrations against the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, ahead of midterm elections. On Saturday, it began a 42-city tour campaigning against healthcare reforms signed into law last week. Thousands of people joined a rally in Searchlight, Nevada to hear Sarah Palin, the populist Republican former vice-presidential candidate, lead the attack against Harry Reid, the Democratic House Majority leader. Roger Wilkinson reports. [March 28, 2010]