Happy New Year 2024

 Been for some wonderful walks during holiday and looking forward to many more in 2024. Picture Ecton Hill, Peak District

Merry Christmas 2023

 

Turkey is in the oven. Picture from our morning walk to work up an appetite.

Picture Solomon's Tower, Buxton Country Park. Christmas Day 23

Wanstead Flats A Short Illustrated History

 

I have finally just got around to ordering myself this book as a late Crimbo present. I have lived opposite Wanstead flats (now part of Epping Forest) for over 30 years and it is an absolute joy. I went for an early run this morning around the flats, while listening to "Today" on Radio 4. My perfect start to the day. 

You can buy this book by local authors Mark Gorman & Peter Williams, from Newham Bookshop https://www.newhambooks.co.uk/request.php?ref=A422&within=home  for £10 (plus £3 postage). 

"Once part of the riverbed of the Thames, in medieval times the Flats became grazing land. Over the last two centuries the Flats has hosted funfairs and football, become a site for political protest and been a key part of London’ anti-aircraft defences in two world wars.

Wanstead Flats: A Short Illustrated History includes a number of never-before-published photos".

UNISON Direct Christmas Opening Hours 2023

For any UNISON members (or rather the many that will be working 24/7 all through the holidays) who need urgent union assistance. Most branches will be closed from today to Tuesday 2 Jan.

Hap tip UNISON Lincolnshire Police Branch. 

Professional Vs Lay Trustees: The Great Pension Scheme Debate

Picture is from last months Professional Pensions Investment Conference where I put forward arguments in favour of member nominated lay trustees on trustee pension committees/LGPS boards. While Richard Hubbard, spoke in favour of Professional Trustees.

It was pretty good natured debate chaired by the Editor-in-chief of Professional Pensions, Jonathan Stapleton, followed by a Q&A from the audience. Richard argued that the present system was not fit for purpose and the complexity of modern pension fund investment meant it was unfair to expect lay trustees to have the skills and experience necessary to be running massive multi million or even multi billion funds.

My reasoning was that member nominated trustees have a vital role, since this is usually all about their own money. Their pensions, their "deferred pay" in law. Their financial futures. There have been a number of dreadful financial scandals over the years by financial "professionals". Remembering that Member nominated lay trustees was largely brought about following the Robert Maxwell theft of pensioner funds. 

There is a tradition in pensions, local and national government and charities of the interested lay person, assisted and guided by trained officer,s asking the simple but difficult questions and challenging the "Group think" and "follow the herd" instincts that financial services are too often influenced by. 

I think it is naive not to accept that there is a conflict of interest between pension savers and the financial service industry as a whole. That is not to say that the present lay trustee model is perfect and does not need reform and that I have worked with a number of reputable professional trustees over the years. 

I argued that member nominated trustees need greater support from employers and statutory time off to undertake all their their duties and receive proper training. Pension boards or sponsors must pay for this. I mentioned a recent report by the AMNT (Association of member nominated trustees). There should be at least one "accredited" pension trustee on a board, whether professional or lay. The qualifications are the same. 

There was a flurry of questions and no doubt this subject will be revisited again and again, especially with the push to consolidate pension funds. 

Migrants Day 2023: One NHS, many nationalities

 

What on earth will happen to our NHS (nevermind our care services, food production, retail, etc) if  we did not have migrant Labour in this country. 

Hat tip https://twitter.com/unisontheunion/status/1736716695438319848

Merry Christmas.🎄 The best gift you can give to your past, present and future self is to join a union!

 hat tip North West UNISON https://twitter.com/NorthWestUNISON/status/1474363981649358853

https://tuc.org.uk/joinunion #joinunison

@unisontheunion

Walking along Bournemouth Beach

Last weekend Gill and I were in Bournemouth and the weather Gods were kind to us as we walked from the Pier to Boscombe, then as far as Port Man Ravine, before turning back. A little windy but largely blue skies and sunshine. The surfers were out in force chasing the waves, we passed the oldest Council built beach hut in the UK and enjoyed the winter peace and solitude. 

We did a figure of 8 walking route' alternating between the beach and the cliffs, there and back. My Zepp Life app recorded 10.48 miles (it is a little basic and I think it over estimates distance).Good training anyway for my 26 mile homeless charity walk in January. 

Check out further photos in my walking Facebook page. 
 

West Ham Ward Christmas Campaign: Sadiq Khan for London Labour Mayor in 2024

 

This morning I went to my Councillor advice surgery for local residents, then this afternoon I joined colleagues in the ward to deliver leaflets (Labour doorstep was down) for Sadiq Khan, to be re-elected as London Mayor in May 2024. 

We were joined by the Newham Labour Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz and we also delivered leaflets for West Ham ward residents, on how to contact us if they have a problem (and also our Local MP, Lyn Brown and GLA, Assembly member, Unmesh  Desai). We were joined by Cllr Shaban Mohammed, who missed the group photo. 

People appreciated having information on contacting their elected representatives and were as you can imagine for the time of year, quite relaxed and many were happy to chat with us. 

I had one women say that "we are sort of Labour but we don't like Starmer". I responded that I didn't agree with everything he has said or done (I have never agreed with everything any Labour Leader has done) but he is the only leader who can defeat the tories, and that trumps everything. She did not disagree.

We finished off at the beginning (or end) of Corporation Road and had photo outside a relatively new and unusual family business run by two twin brothers - its a mens barbers and a cycle repair shop. One brother is a barber and the other a mechanic. Why not? Will bring my bikes there for a service. Take your bike in and he will give you a price (and if you are male, you can have a hair cut by his brother at the same time). 

Across Newham we had 4 different campaign sessions today.  

26 mile "Winter walk" for homeless charity St Mungo's 27 January 2024

 

I have signed up to this walk via my employer and will be (hopefully) raising money by this "Just Giving" page for homelessness charity.

In the past few months I have visited a St Mungo's hostel, met residents and staff for work reasons and believe this is a worthwhile cause to support. 

When I was younger (much younger) I did a number of 25 mile walks with the cadets and the TA (including the 4 day 40k per day Nijmegen marches). I have also done the 3 Peaks (very tough and we got hopelessly lost and very wet) 2 London Marathons (which were simply awful) and  2 Olympic distance Triathlons (which were much better).

26 Miles in January will be a challenge but London is usually quite mild and of course no major hills or mountains.  Hopefully this will also work off some of the Christmas cheer. 

If you can support with sponsorship then please do.

Grand (Re) Opening of The Millers Well Pub

 

Another "off message" none political, pension or trade union post. It must be Christmas! Today I was invited by former Newham Councillor D Paul Sathianesan to attend the "Grand Opening" of the "The Millers Well Pub" tomorrow at 5.30pm. 

It is being opened by the local MP for East Ham, Sir Stephen Timms. 

I posted on the demise of the Weatherspoon run "Millers" here https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2023/10/good-bye-to-east-ham-spoons.html and really pleased that it has reopened. 

I have a clash tomorrow and will not be able to make the reopening but will no doubt be visiting soon. 

UNISON Housing Associations branch officers Xmas meal 2023

 

A great meal out in Hoxton "Tay Do Cafe" (Vietnamese). Quite a few were unable to make it due to other seasonal commitments, but great opportunity for Branch officers to meet up with our Regional officer (Ezequiel) and case officer (Karl). The world (and UNISON) was put to rights.

Afterwards some of us went to a pub for a drink and I bumped into a former Newham Council political assistant and had a catch up. 

Newham Voices: "East End Pubs" December 2023

 

I have finally got around to reading the December version of "Newham Voices". It has been a busy few weeks.  Lots of good stuff about politics and planning but my eye was caught about this review by Phil Mellows, of a new book called "East End Pubs". 

I agree with Phil that it is a shame that the book is only confirmed to pubs in Tower Hamlets and Hackney (I have worked in Towers Hamlets for 30 years, so know a few of their pubs as well). The Newham pub gems mentioned are all my favourites (especially the Eddies and Black Lion). 

Tonight, I had some different drinks and a great meal in a Bulgarian bar/cafe in Stratford High Street called Rodina-2, with Labour Party comrades, John Saunders and John Whitworth (we are known in West Ham as the "Three Johns").   

I genuinely wonder, that if in the future it survives, the Rodina-2 , will eventually be recognised as the latest version of a traditional "East End" pub? I hope so. 

"Frontline staff face lottery when it comes to essential criminal-check costs"

 

Just imagine that you go for a job as a carer (nearly always low paid) then find out you have to pay for your criminal record check (DBS), not your employer! 42% of employers in a recent UNISON survey recharge their employees for these statutory checks in order to work and care. 2.4 million workers. Incredible. Some of these care workers have to pay for multiple checks since they have to work for different employers to get a full time wage.

Hat tip to UNISON care worker Jordan Creed (and branch secretary of the London Voluntary Organisations Branch) for exposing this national scandal. 

"Staff working with vulnerable people face a lottery when it comes to who pays for an essential check needed to do their jobs, says UNISON.

Employers have a legal duty to carry out criminal record checks on frontline public sector workers. A recent survey from the union found that more than four in ten (42%) are passing on the cost of that to their employees.

UNISON believes this means almost two and a half million frontline public sector workers are paying for their own criminal record checks.

Women (74%) and the lowest paid (85%) make up the majority of people working in jobs that require the checks, the research found.

However, UNISON can find no pattern to explain why some employers cover the cost and others – often facing the same recruitment and budgetary pressures – force staff to foot the bill.

According to the survey, over two-thirds (69%) of staff who do not currently pay for the disclosure and barring service check would be put off applying for a job where they would have to meet them cost themselves.

Employees complain about being forced to pay for a new check if they get promoted or move within the same organisation.

UNISON said the law should be changed so employers cannot pass the cost onto staff. The fee was waived during the pandemic for health and social care applicants and the union said government covering the cost for all public sector workers made sense during the current recruitment crisis.

UNISON assistant deputy general secretary Jon Richards said: “People already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis should not be forced to pay to work. Most staff who need these checks earn below the national average and money docked from their pay is cash they can ill afford to lose.

“Criminal record checks are vital and bosses have a legal duty to carry them out. The law should be changed to stop rogue employers from docking money for work essentials such as these checks from their staff.

“Such a seemingly small change would make a huge difference to the tens of thousands of staff who currently have to pay for their own checks. People are being put off applying for jobs and even going for promotion because of the cost, which is no good for them or their employers.”

A cross-party group of MPs will discuss the report’s findings at a parliamentary roundtable event on Tuesday 5 December. MPs, including chair of the home affairs select committee Dame Diana Johnson, will hear directly from frontline public sector workers at the event in Room U, Portcullis House from 12:30pm-1:30pm".

London 2023 Conference: Tackling London’s Housing Crisis 9/12/23

 

Dear all, we now have a detailed plan for our event at the Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BD. The event is both in-person and virtual. 

London 2023 Conference: Tackling London’s Housing Crisis – Labour Housing Group

10am start

Facilitator Sem Moema, GLA assembly member

Matthew Pennycook- Shadow Housing Minister 

Karen Buck – MP - 

Miatta Fahnbulleh – NEF

10- 11am: talks and brief questions

11-11.20 In person and virtual breakout groups: one question & one policy proposal pitch to panel. (Also chance to grab a tea/coffee)

11.20- 12.00  Panel response 

12.00- workshops

Giving Londoners control over their housing

What can the GLA do about the housing crisis

What can London councils do about the housing crisis. 

 

1pm -2pm lunch 

2-4pm

Danny Dorling – Shattered Nation

Pete Apps – Show Me the Bodies-how we let Grenfell Happen. Will be virtual  

John Boughton – Municipal Dreams (including PowerPoint)

Talk-15 mins each & carry forward of questions and policy ideas from the morning breakouts

It will be great to see you, either in person or virtually. 

(A shame but I will be away on Saturday)

Labour Unions Christmas Shop

I have just ordered a "Labour New Deal for Working People" mug for Christmas. Check out other gifts https://labourunions-shop.org.uk/

 "Dear John,

With Christmas almost upon us, a reminder that our Labour Unions Campaign Shop carries a range of gifts for the trade unionist in your life.

Whether they’d prefer to drink their coffee out of a New Deal for Working People mug, or if they’d rather their tea to declare Never Cross a Picket Line, we’ve got you covered.

Or perhaps one of our New Deal posters will hit the spot.

Head over to our Labour Unions shop for all the solidarity stocking fillers you might need.

labourunions.org.uk/campaignshop

Yours in festive solidarity,

Helen and Robbie"

Capital Ring Walk 2: Falconwood to Grove Park

Today, Gill and I completed the 2nd "Capital Ring" walk around London. Officially only 3.5 miles but our Zepp Life walking app claimed 6 miles. This included walks from local railway stations to start and finish but also getting a little lost and exploring the gardens in Eltham Palace. 

It was more built up than last week (no sunshine and much colder) but still very pleasant, mostly walking through parks, green lanes and footpaths. 

The highlight was stopping off at Eltham Palace, childhood home of King Henry V111 and the country home of the English monarchy for over 250 years, run now by English Heritage. We did not have time to tour the inside of the Palace, and had a disappointing experience with a grumpy and rude cafe manager but the other staff and volunteers were most welcoming. Will return in summer to explore further. 

The Courtaulds family bought and restored the site in the 1930s, using I assume their wealth obtained from their textile mills. I was brought up in North Wales and the mills in Flint and Holywell were major employers but when they closed,  it contributed to massive unemployment at the time. There are also serious concerns about the safety of these mills and the impact on its workers. 

We passed the home of famous cricketer WG Grace and the theatre named after another famous local boy, the comedian Bob Hope, who emigrated to America aged 4.  British comedian, Frankie Howard was also brought up near here. We then walked past the home of "Farmer Brown" who at the turn of the 20th century, dressed in smock and tall hat, who lived to the age of 102 "on a diet of whiskey, ale, steak and cigars". 

It took about an hour to get there and back via train from Forest Gate. You can get a route for free form google maps but we used Ordnance Survey app (subscription) and the guide book "The Capital Ring" by Colin Saunders. 

Check out further pictures on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/walksinandaroundlondon/

Wellingborough PPC: ‘I cut short my honeymoon to win this by-election’

 

Hat tip Labour List for this article by former Newham Councillor Gen Kitchen. 

"I was on day four of my honeymoon in Suffolk when I got the call to say Peter Bone had been suspended from the Commons and a recall petition had been triggered.

I would have said wild horses couldn’t drag me from my honeymoon early, but I travelled home immediately to get ready to begin my campaign with the local community in mind.

Wellingborough deserves better than Tory neglect

I grew up in Northamptonshire and I know just how special the local area is, but I’m also acutely aware of the issues that concern local people. From crime to cost of living – Wellingborough deserves a better future.

My husband Joe and I are moving back to Northants, and we can’t wait to get settled back in the County where we grew up and where our families live.

Wellingborough deserves a candidate with bold ideas, energy and determination. Local people can and should have an MP with integrity who works tirelessly for them.
I’m confident that my experience means I can represent Wellingborough

I have dedicated my career to improving the lives of others. I am proud of my decade of experience in the charity sector, supporting homeless people into employment, helping vulnerable women to improve their lives, creating new clinical nurse specialists, and raising over £1 million for cancer research.

I want Labour’s campaign here to be positive, full of energy and hope for the future. That’s because I am hopeful for the future. I believe we should be proud of where we live and that we can fix the things that we know are wrong.

We don’t have to sit back and give criminals free reign to escape punishment. We should be able to get an appointment with a GP when we need one. We can provide our children with a worldclass education.
The Tories are out of ideas and in a cycle of failure

Rishi Sunak and his Conservative Party are bereft of ambition and new ideas. They are in a cycle of failure and we are paying the price. Peter Bone’s refusal to do the decent thing and resign immediately is costing the taxpayer over a hundred thousand in a costly and cumbersome recall petition. It’s time for them to get out of the way for a party that is offering the country hope for a brighter future.

People are eager to hear from Labour here, and genuinely want to know how we can get towns like Wellingborough and Rushden back on a positive track. They want to feel proud of their high streets, safe in the town centres and are keen to know how the Labour Party can help with that.
Early conversations are important – every conversation matters

That’s why these early conversations are so important, to find out what people want, because nobody knows that better than the local shopkeeper, the small business owner, the parents looking for activities for their children.

Labour members and volunteers are very welcome to join us on the doors for these vital conversations. Wellingborough is less than an hour on the train from London, and we’ve got a fantastic team on the ground up and running and ready to welcome you. I hope to see you soon!"