Saturday, February 25, 2012

Boris THE OMEN: Branch Labour Link report

This was my Annual Report to the UNISON Housing Association Branch as the Labour Link officer

"We had a well attended branch Labour Link meeting at the House of Commons with Shadow Housing minister Alison Seabeck MP as keynote speaker. Next year we will try to get the new shadow Jack Dormey MP to a similar event.

In 2011 branch activists have been out campaigning for Labour. They have taken part in street stalls, telephone and door to door canvassing. We have also taken an active part in the formation of a new London branch of the Labour Housing Group.

The big battle in 2012 will be over the GLA Mayoral elections in May. It is absolutely vital we do all we can
to get rid of Tory Mayor Boris Johnson and elect Ken Livingstone. This will also send a message to the
government to stop and think again about the disastrous economic policies they are following. Below is a message from Ken Livingstone to all members of our branch.

“Each week, I meet too many Londoners struggling on waiting lists, and living in overcrowded or
Unsuitable accommodation, who represent the reality of London’s social housing shortage. The facts show that these are some of the Londoners worst let down by Boris Johnson. The Tory Mayor should be ashamed that on his watch, London has had the biggest decrease in house building in the country, and just 56 affordable homes have been built in the last six months.

Tackling the shortage of homes in the capital and undertaking a large scale programme to build social housing will be one of my priorities if elected next mayor.  

Londoners need a Mayor who is on their side and committed to taking action on the big issues that
matter to them like housing, transport and crime.” Contact http://kenlivingstone.com to volunteer. 


John Gray
(hat tip caption Col. Roi)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ken said the Olympics would cost £2billion. We are looking at nearly £25billion.

No regeneration for Newham or East London.

Ken does not deserve to win.

The money could have been spent more wisely.

But then regeneration would have meant more Tory voters and we can't have that can we?

John Gray said...

Hi Paranoid Anon

Welcome back:)

What a load of old nonsense. "No regeneration for Newham or East London"? Where on earth have you been in recent years?

There has been massive regeneration already on the back of the Olympics and more to come. There was lots going on anyway but the Olympics and QE Park has been a fantastic draw. Even after the games related construction Canning Town will be the biggest Regen site in Europe.

You are (deliberately?) confusing the cost of putting on the games with the wider regeneration.

Ironically due to cuts in building and Housing benefit it is Boris and this government who are driving out the poor out of Tory boroughs into East London

Anonymous said...

The lessons from Dame Shirley Porter did not go unnoticed in Newham.

Anonymous said...

The £25bn, is one I have heard a few times. it is both the olympic and transports costs.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092077/London-2012-Olympics-cost-spiral-24bn--10-TIMES-higher-2005-estimate.html

Anonymous said...

Lists all the improvements in Newham post codes:

E6
E7
E12
E13
E15
E16

John Gray said...

Hi anon x3

Yet more paranoid silliness anon!

Please don't read the Daily Mail - it rots your brain! A grown up reference to Ken saying the total cost will only be £2.5billion?

All of Newham will benefit. You don't have to live in E20 to get a job there? Don't you realise that Stratford is in E15 and the Excel centre is in E16?

Anonymous said...

Olympics Q&A (from 2006)

At the time London was chosen to host the 2012 Olympic Games, it was estimated it would cost nearly £2.4bn to build the infrastructure, while just over £1bn was earmarked for the wider regeneration project for the area post-2012.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6165980.stm