Saturday, October 17, 2009

Campaign in West Ham, West Ham

I’ve been helping out the local Labour Party branch in West Ham ward - West Ham CLP with voter ID (aka on the knocker) for the past couple of weeks.

The pictures are of activists on the evening sessions (Labour Party Stalwart John Whitworth, local Councillor Freda Bourne and activist Jennifer Sheikh) outside the newly built Rokeby Community centre. This is also a Sure Start centre which if the Tories get their wicked way they will close.

West Ham is a solid Labour ward with three Labour Councillors and the doorstep reaction is at times humbling since it is so overwhelmingly positive and loyal Labour.

However I had a real conversation with an angry but still polite unemployed construction worker of about my own age who complained that he couldn’t get work because of all the East Europeans taking all the jobs. The ward is within walking distance of the Stratford Olympic site. He wasn’t impressed with my initial argument that I don’t think that this statement was actually accurate and that also there are similar numbers of Brits working aboard to that of foreign nationals working over here - I mentioned members of my own family who work abroad and other friends who are part of the wider British diaspora especially in overseas construction projects.

He was then even less impressed with my comment that we should be aware that since neither of us were born in London and both of us probably came here looking for work (he had a strong Scottish accent) that there are probably locals who resented us coming to London “taking their jobs”. To which he said this was different since he was British. I asked him as a fellow (half) Scot if he had never heard his fellow London born workers moaning about us “jocks” coming down and stealing their jobs? To which he said that he did not care what I said and that while he did really want a Labour not a Conservative Government most of all he just wanted a bloody job. Which was fair enough and there is a clear message there for us politicos.

The borough of Newham at the next election will have two parliamentary seats within it - West Ham (Lyn Brown MP) and East Ham (Stephen Timms MP). West Ham ward is one of the 9 wards within the West Ham Parliamentary Constituency. Confusingly the world famous football club West Ham is actually located in East Ham.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are at least 3 MPs for Newham. You forgot Jim Fitzpatrick - he covers some of the Royal Docks - E16.

You can see the constituency map on http://www.jimfitzpatrickmp.co.uk/constituency.htm

As for the builder complaining about lack of jobs. Newham Council and the London City Airport propoganda machine continually bleat out that the airport brings jobs and regeneration to the Newham. Well where is it?

Go read about the £1.5bn Silvertown regeneration project that has sank!!! Another Newham failure!!

Newham Council had within in a golden opportunity to regenerate the Royal Docks, but instead Newham is in bed with the London City Airport, which is killing off regeneration.

Who in their right mind would be investing in a £1.5bn project to build 5000 homes next to a noisy airport?.

You only have to walk about through the Docklands in E16 and compare that with the Docklands in E14 (Isle of Dogs) and compare the failure of Newham Council regeneration failure.

Even during a recession they are new developments in Isle of Dogs, but in Newham everything is falling apart. Just check out the unsold homes in Galleons Reach!

So go tell your builder, about the lost opportunity of him to work on this massive project.

John Gray said...

Hi Airport anon
Your information about Newham MP’s is I’m afraid as inaccurate as the rest of your comments.

At the next election due to boundary changes there will be two Newham MP’s not three. Check your facts please.

The issue with the unemployed builder is not so much about the amount of work available but his perception that too many jobs are being taken by East Europeans.

Obviously real political matters rather than single issue obsessions are beyond you.

I thought you were moving out of Newham? I keep offering to help!

Anonymous (Airport) said...

Can you post details about boundary changes... that could explain why Jim Fitzpatrick does not reply to emails!

As for help to move out, it is a pity that you have contempt for residents who are blighted by aircraft noise. I have never been involved in politics. But I expect that people who are involved in this do it for the right reasons.....

I will gladly move out, perhaps the Council can buy up the homes of people who are struggling to sell.

John Gray said...

Hi airport fan anon
Not sure what else to say? If you are any sort of a real activists then you would have known about these boundary changes?

I don’t have contempt for no-one accept perhaps middle class Tories who just enjoy slagging off and running down their local communities. Y

ou keep saying you are leaving...so please, please go (I’ll help pack!)

Anymous (Airport) said...

I am not a political activist. I don't belong to a political party.

And I don't give a toss if someone is Labour, Conservative or Lib Dems etc.... Simply that they do the right thing by the Borough.

I am angry about airport expansion because it is making residents life hell and it is bad for regeneration. Get it?

Newham Councillors are enjoying free flights at the suffering of residents.

So you say "I don’t have contempt for no-one accept perhaps middle class Tories". ---- SO WHO DO YOU THINK IS FLYING OUT OF LONDON CITY AIRPORT?.

Most of the people flying out are bankers on jolly business trips - as rewards. Yet it is residents such as me who have to pay for their economic mess but also their enjoyment.

You say you are labour but you don't support a labour community in favour of a bunch of bankers in canary wharf!

John Gray said...

Hi Airport Anon
Now you have finally “come out” elsewhere as a BNP/fascist supporter your real motivations are now very clear.

Newham is solid Labour and long will it remain so. So I hope that you do pack your bags and go off and join the rest of your soon to be forgotten Falange elsewhere.
Hopefully far, far away.

John Gray said...

Hi Mike
As an otherwise proud taff I am ashamed to say that I understand that Herr Griffith claims to be of Welsh origin. It is interestingly that because of this and his physical characteristics some of his racists mates do not consider him to have a true Aryan bloodline (google it).

I use the title “Herr” because I think some people who support the BNP yet call themselves British nationalists or god forbids even patriots simply do not realise that the BNP is essentially a Party based on foreign and alien political concepts. BNP Nazi National Socialism ideology and racism is essentially unBritish and has nothing at all to do with traditional British culture or patriotism. IMO.

Mike Law said...

Whilst I agree with your views on the BNP, I think this is a pretty feeble excuse for using the term "Herr" - I wonder what you would have thought if someone else had done it?

Why didn't you post this comment in the relevant thread?

John Gray said...

Hi Mike

Whoops!