Labour Party Conference 2024: Sunday

 

Labour Party conference formally started at 11am on the Sunday but since I was not a delegate, I was able to go for a run in the morning around Sefton Park (which is near my hotel room). I once again left it too late to book accommodation nearer but it was only a 20 minute bus journey away. I find the buses in Liverpool to be as good or better than London. Sefton Park is a huge City "lung" with a marvellous lake in the middle. 

I went straight to the fringe panel that I was on representing the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF)  with Liam Byrne MP and TUC Economics head, Nicola Smith. The topic was "Labour New Deal for Working Peoples: How will investors react".  I will post separately on this event which I really enjoyed. 

My next fringe was also on Pensions but I missed the beginning. "The Pensions Review: What is the right role for Pensions in Supporting UK Growth". I did try and ask a question about possible risks of consolidation and being directed" by the Government into so called "productive finance" but was not picked (it happens). 

I visited the Fabians/UNISON Health & Social Care fringe in the Maritime Museum with Wes Streeting MP. Having a National care service and sectoral pay bargaining for all care workers will be transformational.

At 5.30pm I went to the Annual Trade Union Rally and Reception: For a New Deal for Working People (Labour Unions). Which went well and I was able to meet up with trade union friends and colleagues including someone I did a health and safety course in 2003 (remembered due to incident that year at an infamous  Trade Union BBQ).

I left early for The Housing Fringe "More than a Landlord: How can Housing Associations help tackle the Housing Crisis". Where I made the point that Housing Associations can certainly do many good things and help to tackle the housing crisis, we need public subsidy in order to meet the scale of the problem. For example, Newham has 6500 families in temporary accommodation, 30,000 on its waiting list and 50% of our children live in poverty after housing costs are taken into account. 

I went back into the Labour Unions rally then went to the Association of Labour Councillors Annual Reception. More speeches and gossip.  Final visit was to the Labour Friends of Bangladesh Annual Conference Dinner. I missed the speeches and the main meal but enjoyed the company.

Mental health in the UK

I came across this slide that shows the scale of the problem in the UK. Hat tip charity MIND via Association of Labour Councillors (ALC)

Vote FIAZ, Rokhsana #1 - London Rep on Executive of Association of Labour Cllrs

(In a personal capacity and as a London Cllr I fully support Rokhsana as a candidate to be the ALC rep for London. She has integrity and principles and will be a fantastic advocate for London Councillors at the ALC). Vote FIAZ, Rokhsana #1 Association of Labour Councillors Executive Representative for London Region Cllr Rokhsana Fiaz  Councillors at the heart of Labour's future Dear Friend,   You’ll have received details of how to vote online or via post for the next Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and as a Labour councillor you are also able to vote for your Association of Labour Councillors executive representative for the London Region.   As a candidate, I am seeking your support because I want to make sure that Councillors are at the heart of Labour’s policy and campaigning future.   I am a Councillor in Newham - one of London’s most ethnically diverse, dynamic but poorest boroughs - and bring a strong track record of policy development and delivery. I also bring three decades worth of advocacy, campaigning and organising experience in the party and in local communities.  I’ve led UK-wide, European and international campaigns including a Global Week of Action for Oxfam’s ‘Robin Hood Tax’, a worldwide movement of people committed to reducing poverty and tackling climate change by taxing financial transactions.   As the ALC Executive member representing the London region, I will bring all these skills to bear as our party prepares for London Mayoral and Assembly elections in 2016, which winning decisively has to be our key priority.   We need to ensure that with a Labour Mayor, we work to tackle London’s challenges, a global city whose population is set to grow to ten million.  Labour Councillors in London, as elsewhere, are at the forefront of the battle against the reckless cuts to local authority budgets by the Tories. But we are also contending with unique problems and demands: an acute housing crisis; skyrocketing rents; and a generation of Londoners for whom the cost of living doesn’t match their real income. We need more investment in transport and the skills agenda to help our businesses and people to thrive. London’s economic prosperity, projected to grow in the midst of a wider climate of austerity, has to benefit all Londoners. All these issues and more also mean that as Labour councillors we need to play a crucial role in shaping Labour’s offer to people across our country with the new Leader and Deputy Leader. How we reshape doing the business of politics in our communities, on the doorstep and online needs to respond to the massive challenges facing our party and our country as we build a winning movement ready for 2020.     As your Executive Committee representative I am committed to ensuring that London Councillors are at the forefront of that. I will also work to ensure that the Association of Labour Councillors continues to punch its weight within the Party, be it through building on the work of Labour’s Local Government Innovation Taskforce; or ensuring that Councillors are at the heart of driving the devolution agenda so that there is better involvement, better decisions and better outcomes for our communities at local level.   I will also make it my priority to improve the training and support that the Association of Labour Councillors offers to our growing diversity of amazing member talent.  That's why, if you are still considering who to vote for as your first preference, I hope I can count on your support. Of course, I'd be delighted to talk with you, so feel free to contact me if you would like to find out more about why I am standing and my plans. I’d love to hear from you! Yours sincerely, Cllr Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Custom House ward, London Borough of Newham: @rokhsanafiaz P.S. Remember, the deadline for returning your ballot paper or voting online ismidday on the 10th September.    A bit more about my work as a Councillor:  Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Commission (Deputy Chair) Overview & Scrutiny Committee  Budget Working Group  Audit Board  Strategic Development Committee