Thursday, March 14, 2024

Veronica Oakeshott for Bicester & Woodstock

 

Bicester and Woodstock Labour
@BicstrWdstckLab

"We're excited to announce that our prospective General Election candidate is Veronica Oakeshott! Read all about her in this exclusive interview with the @TheOxfordMail #bicesterandwoodstock #labour https://oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24177313".
"It’s a huge honour to be the Labour candidate for my home constituency and the area I love! I want to improve the public services we all rely on & be the voice of my community in Westminster on the many things nationally that need to change. #VoteLabour  #ToriesOut #SaveOurNHS

(former West Ham ward resident and Newham Council Councillor)

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

"Pensions under the next Government": TUC Pension Conference 13.3.24

 

Picture of Keynote speaker, Liz Kendall MP, at today's TUC Pension conference. Will post more later in week. There is definitely a feeling we are going to win power at next General election but we cannot take anything for granted. 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Homage to a Hairy Dieter

 

I have been a fan of the Hairy Bikers/Dieters for a long, long time and it was sad to hear that Dave Myers lost his battle against cancer recently. Tonight I cooked one of my favourite recipes from their book and I am freezing 3 more dishes for the next few weeks. Yum (but for me it needs more chili added than in book) and very healthy with extra green veg and seasoned Cauliflower rice. 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Pay Ballot sent out today via email to all Clarion UNISON members.

 

This consultation will close at 5pm on 25 March 2024. As the recognised trade union, only Clarion UNISON members are being balloted.

VOTE ACCEPT OR REJECT
If you do not have a ballot email Unison@clarionhg.com

Sunday, March 10, 2024

UNISON Community Annual Seminar & Conference - Day 1

 

On Friday our annual Community Seminar/Conference started in Chester. I was brought up only 8 miles away from Chester (Welsh side of the border) and have many fond memories of this lovely and historic city. Walking from the railway station to the hotel I passed Chester's "Marks and Spencers" and remember (not very foundly) spending many, many hours as a young child inside with my Mum and sister, shopping for clothes. The following week my Mum would often go back and return the clothes and then start shopping again!

After a 9am Service Group Executive Meeting (I am one of the 2 UNISON Community NEC members), I then attended a meeting of UNISON delegates who also work for Housing Associations. There was a number of useful discussions on common issues and it is pretty clear that on pay, our employers have been talking together and very many (not all) are offering 5% pay increase for this year. I made a comment that if employers are working together on pay then so should we. Another argument for sectorial wide fair pay agreements if there is a change of government. 

At the same time there was delegation meetings for the wider Community & Voluntary sector and Major Charities. 

Next there was a session for new delegates, where a brave attempt was made to explain how unison conferences work and how new delegates can participate. National Officer, Gavin Edwards and SGE member, Hassan Ortega did their their very best to demystify "points of order" and "card votes". 

During lunch there was meetings of self organised groups (young members, disabled members, Black members and LGBT+). I went for a 50 minute brisk walk around Chester City Walls. 

In the afternoon, there was the Plenary seminar session, starting with a welcome by our Chair, Malcolm Gray (a long lost cousin) and Jon Richards - UNISON Assistant General Secretary. 

We then had Rebecca Young from NCVO presenting on their campaign to better fund public sector contracts in the Charity sector. UNISON policy officer Anna Birley on our Cost of Living Campaign. Finally, Gavin again on the UNISON National Care service campaigns. 

At 4.30pm delegates had a choice of 4 workshops - "Pensions made simple and how to organise to improve them", "Year of the LGBT+ Worker", "Hands off - Tie to Tackle violence at work" and "Digital Organising". I helped out with national officer Andrew Dobbie on the pensions workshop. Which gave me some ideas on what to say during the pension motion on the Saturday. 

Finally, there was regional briefings for delegates, followed by a reception in the hotel. Our keynote speaker for tomorrow's conference, Labour Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner, was there and it was a pleasure to have a chat with her and her two youngest boys, who I had seen many times at previous UNISON conferences, growing up over the years. 

Afterwards, Many of the London delegates then retired to a local hostelry for food, drinks, putting the world right and lots of gossip. 

Thursday, March 07, 2024

Labour Housing Group Executive Elections 2024 - Election Re-run. Finish today Friday 8.3.24 5pm

 "We have unfortunately come to the view that the ballot for the EC needs to be rerun, as it became clear that some voters had abused the system.

The list of voters will be the same as were eligible to vote on the first occasion and the candidates are the same as in the original ballot.
 
Please find the list of candidates here.
The attendance record for current Executive Committee members standing for re-election is here.

We have partnered with Anonyvoter for this election, you will receive an email from them with a link to vote shortly. Make sure you check your spam folder.

If you didn't receive a ballot and think you should have done, please contact LHGadmin@labourhousing.org.

The closing time for your vote is 5pm on Friday 8th March.
Please use your votes!"


JG "I have just voted in the LHG Executive elections for the following 10 candidates. Lot of very good people standing and apologies for those I have not voted for on this occasion. 

You may only vote if you are both a member of LHG and a member of the Labour Party.


Sheila Spencer,

John Cotton,

Ross Houston,

Heather Johnson,

Christopher Worrall,

Paul Martin,

Andy Bates

Alison Inman.

Adam Allnut

Asma Islam"


Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Out for a meal with two Hackney Comrades

 

Back from a great meal in Evin, Kingsland High Street, E8 and political discussion (aka mostly gossip) with my Hackney Comrades, Yvonne Maxwell and Dave Osler. 

Yvonne and I, are your no nonsense, Labour "sell out" reformists, while Dave is more from the purist (but knows it will never happen) tradition. 

I first met Dave and Yvonne during our extraordinary battles against our weird and wonderful libel actions

Tuesday, March 05, 2024

Newham Voices March 24: the worth of West Ham Park

 

I have just enjoyed reading the online version of our community newspaper "Newham Voices". A eclectic mix of local news, politics, arts, sports, notices, history and even fashion hints. 

I enjoyed this calculation of the worth of the lovely West Ham Park. A Spring walk in the Park is definitely one of my favourites places to be. 

Check out Newham Voices website and subscribe, donate, advertise or volunteer to help out. https://newhamvoices.co.uk/membership/

Monday, March 04, 2024

"Sadiq Has Frozen Your Fares"

 

After work this evening together with activists across London, we leafleted local railway stations with these flyers pointing out that Sadaq had frozen fares for the 5th time! 

While the Tories have allowed fares to rise by 4.9% elsewhere. Together with free school meals and the largest number of council homes built in London since the 1970s, Sadiq policies are making a massive difference to ordinary Londoners struggling with the cost of living crisis.