Sunday, January 17, 2010

West Ham Labour Party Dance & Fund Raising Event


Next Saturday 23 January 2010 there will be a West Ham CLP Dance and Fund Raising Event at the Vicarage Lane Community Centre, Govier Close, London E15.

The cost is £10 per ticket but this will include food and music. Drinks will be available.

Please ring Leanora for tickets (or email me).

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

west ham
first socialist council

John Gray said...

Hi Anon

West Ham South elected the first ever Labour Party MP as well ( a certain Mr Keir Hardie)

Anonymous said...

Rather than spending your time doing this, wouldn't it be better to build up your own UNISON branch?

I notice you have several vacant positions on your branch committee including Membership Officer, two Equalities Officers, Assistant Secretary, Young Members Officer and eight other vacant seats. This is even worse given that several people are doing more than one branch committee post at the same time as well as taking the delegate positions.

It also seems your branch doesn't have a single Self Organised Group that is functioning.

Fun as it must be raising money for the Labour Party I'm not sure your members will think you've got your priorities right.

John Gray said...

Hi anon

This is pretty desperate stuff for you lot to bring up don’t you think? The time spent publishing a “one off” social event on my blog is hardly onerous?

My UNISON branch is actually far more active than most. It does have, very democratically, a large number of positions open as employer reps. Since we organise in over 130 different employers it is hardly surprising than some are not filled.

Actually, since the vast majority of branch members are solid Labour Party supporters it is actually good for the development of the branch that we hold such events locally.

Next month I am arranging a meeting of branch Labour Link members at the House of Commons with the Housing Minister John Healey and I think such events will grow the branch and encourage good activists to participate.

Mind you - Keep on selling the newspapers comrade! You are making such a difference.

Mike Law said...

Anon 22:19

As much as it pains me to support John, I don't understand the point you are trying to make.

What is wrong with John supporting his party in such a way?

From what I can make out from John's union blogpost, he is a dedicated and reliable union man.

I really just cannot make out the point you are trying to make.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mike,

The point is, John presents himself as some sort of fantastic example of what trade unionists should be doing when in fact he appears to be the ultimate jack of all trades, master of none! I've seen his type come and go for decades.

How you have so many unfilled vacancies when your "branch" covers over 130 employers (and presumably at least 1,000 members?) is a total embarrassment. Who are you to criticise the so called "trots" and anyone else to the left or right of you that you disagree with, when you appear to apply yourself so thinly to every pie you have a finger in?

You're like one of the New Labour careerists in 1997 presenting yourself as all things to all people, except you are 13 years too late! How about a bit less blogging and a bit more building something other than you're own (virtual) reputation?

Which party were you in in 1997 John, out of interest? I don't remember seeing you on the doorstep then...

There is something so sickeningly superficial about this blog and the amount of time you seem to have to maintain it... (not that you are alone in doing this with all of these other keyboard warriors around...)

Hope the dance goes well and you raise a lot of money for the Party - heavens knows we need it!

Old and cynical in Plaistow

John Gray said...

Hi Mike

Many thanks! I knew you would see the light eventually!

Hi Old and Cynical

Look - I don’t mind people digging me out and frankly if I can’t take it then I shouldn’t be dishing it. But you are having a go at my union branch which I think is unfair. The branch has nearly 4000 members and a large number of keen activists but like many voluntary organisations we do have trouble recruiting and retaining stewards. But we increased our membership by some 13% last year and we have more good folk this year putting themselves forward for executive office. So I will be dropping at least one position (thankfully).

I think that I do my bit on the ground representing union members and campaigning for Labour. Could do more, could do better. I admit.

Now if you are a genuine Labour Party member then you will no doubt be very p****d off with what I have to say but since you are “anon” you cannot really whinge.

You appear to make the same arguments and write in the same grammatical style as the thicko BNP supporter who I called “Cheshire Cat” here http://grayee.blogspot.com/2010/01/bnp-email-from-cheshire-cat.html

I’m pretty sure it is you and it is a shame you are so daft that you have to adopt such moronic disguises. But there you go...you are the example that proves the rule that fascism does rot your brain!

I suppose you could be you-know-who pretending to be a nazi - but what the heck. You are both different sides of the same coin.

Anonymous said...

Blimey, Old and Cynical Anon of Plaistow... that's a long comment on a reviled blog from you... bit of a keyboard warrior yourself perhaps?
John Gray is not so bad - he's shown the courage of his convictions on more than one occasion I know of. He's a dedicated and reliable trade unionist, as Mike mentions, and he took a principled stand in support of Michael Gavan. I have some differnces with him politically but he has shown integrity (and heaven knows, Newham politics needs some of that). I don't really care what party he might have been in, it's what he's doing now that matters.
Labour Anon (less old and less cynical of Plaistow...)

Mike Law said...

As ever John, you read far more into my words than is actually there. In my view, you’re a Labour member – why shouldn’t you announce a Labour social on your blog. Regarding your union involvement, as I stated, you come over as a conscientious official.

I have no idea what anon’s motives nor do I know if what s/he has stated is factually correct. What is interesting is that his/her approach is very much like your own.

Good to see you sticking to a regular theme: nazis, nazis everywhere and you know who they are.

Almost forgot… West Ham ward… well done. Remember: Learn, understand, accept.

John Gray said...

Hi Real Plaistow anon

Cheers

Hi Mike

You haven't sponsored me yet? Its a good cause!

Anyway this is who i think anon is:-

"Pull the other one

I am sorry but you sound to good to be true, you have to many fingers in to many pies and you certainly like to blow your own trumpet don't you, the list is endless. if we were all like you life would be marvellous.

Charles Atlas".

This bloke is a real Nazi who stands for the BNP on a regular basis.

Am I wrong Mikey?

Cheers about you-know-what. Will post when everything sorted.

Learn, understand, FIGHT, accept...

Anonymous said...

John Gray and integrity in the same sentence? You are having a bubble mate!

He looks to discredit more of his own union's activists than most employers would be proud of...

No wonder the regional bureaucracy love him and feed him tit-bits to slag off socialists (some of which are even occassionally true!)

John Gray said...

who would have thought that posting a simple invite to a local party do would cause so much fuss and bother eh?

anon 00.32 - get a life - please! (and just to wind up Mike) - attack the politics not the person!

Anonymous said...

"attack the politics not the person!"

Coming from you that is a bit rich!

ROFLMAO!

John Gray said...

Hi anon

Do you mean "mo"? surely not?

Mike Law said...

How the hell would I know if any anon comments are written by "Charles Atlas"?

Wind me up? Not at all. Baffle... yes, you do that.

Like I've stated before, you're going to make a real interesting councillor.

John Gray said...

http://grayee.blogspot.com/2010/01/bnp-email-from-cheshire-cat.html

Anonymous said...

I see, "too many fingers in too many pies" - is that what makes you think it's the same person?

Both the e-mail you received from Mr Atlas and the anon comment on this thread do have similar concerns about you workload.

Anonymous said...

Who'se "Mo"? (peace be upon him)?!

John Gray said...

wrong "mo" racist anon
http://grayee.blogspot.com/2009/12/wannabe-hunter-gatherer-at-work.html

John Gray said...

Hi Mike

Yes I think. (it is of course nice that people are so genuinely worried about my workload - LOL!)

Anonymous said...

John Gray said...
Hi anon

Do you mean "mo"? surely not?

19 January 2010 22:11


Again, who is "Mo" (pboh)? And why am I a racist for asking who he is...?

Do you mean "moi" - french for "me"?

Anonymous said...

John

I see that the dance is sponsored by LB Cameron. No relation I suppose...

John Gray said...

Hi Anon

yes of course it should have been "Moi" - apologies or (pardon, désolé, je regrette).

Hi Anon

Good point about Cameron but I doubt it - but who knows?