Fighting the Good Fight in Norwich North

Back from a good day out with a West Ham CLP canvass team in Norwich North. The Labour Party candidate, Chris Ostrowski, is facing a strong challenge from the Tories. The day went pretty smoothly. When we arrived at the Labour HQ, local MP Charles Clarke was being interviewed outside by the Telly while standing under an umbrella. It rained on and off most of the day but wasn’t too bad. The Labour Party campaign headquarters itself was unusually calm, efficient and organised. Good sign!

We were swiftly sent off to a sub office in Catton Grove. Where we spent the day canvassing door-to-door and delivering some targeted leaflets. I knew the ward organiser via SERTUC. Most of the patch belonged to Norwich City Council and their stock was on the whole in pretty good condition and well cared for by the Landlord and the residents. We had a pretty positive reception even though I had one resident who after I posted the target mailing opened his door muttered furiously about God know what and threw the leaflet back out onto the floor and slammed the door shut. I put his leaflet in his recycling box.

There was a piano in one communal hallway which I wondered about while I noticed that one resident had converted their front door to resemble a shiny red post office box. I wonder if he or she was on strike Friday as well?

There were loads and loads of friendly Labour Students from all over - out delivering and door knocking.

I tried to help one elderly resident whose Yale key was stuck in her front door and she could not get in. I was called over because I was “a housing officer and will know what to do”. I failed miserably to open the door since the key was bent but the next door neighbour was looking after her and had called a locksmith.

My highlight of the day was trying to persuade a Labour supporter to use our “Promise Card” as a reminder to vote on the day. I explained carefully how he could keep it on his mantelpiece or behind a fridge magnet. To which he smiled nicely and said “or I could keep it in the rubbish bin?” while reassuring me that he would vote Labour and did not need all this “fuss” to do so. I still think that the “promise cards” are a good idea.

There were a few Tory canvassers about but the Green Party had bizarrely a (mostly) red ex-London transport double Decker as some sort of a “Battle Bus” polluting the environment with a loud, grating and almost completely intelligible PA system. Keep it up Swampy! Towards the end of day we actually canvassed the streets around the bus which appeared to have broken down.

On the whole we all felt that it had been a very positive and even friendly canvass. The big problem I suspect will be getting our vote out on the day. If we get our vote out we will win. So if you are available in person this Thursday then please turn up to help out. Or if you cannot then go to Labour Party members net virtual phone bank and pick up the phone.

(centre picture of the Sunday West Ham team led by our MP, Lyn Brown and 3 of the 4 Johns: double click to expand)

Charles Clarke MP “The importance of joining a trade union”

Yesterday lunchtime I was at my Housing Association Group office at Norwich to chair a UNISON recruitment meeting. Our guest speaker was Charles Clarke MP, former Home Secretary and Labour MP for Norwich South. I had bumped into Charles at the Progress Conference last year and invited him to address one of our meetings on this theme. He immediately accepted.

The meeting was sponsored by UNISON Eastern Region Labour Link (APF) who provided lunch. We also had someone from trade unions solicitors Thompsons present and UNISON regional organising staff Jon Hartley and Gwen Williams.

The meeting itself was very relaxed and informal. Charles praised UNISON for having the very good reputation of a union that vigorously defends the interests of its members but also tries to be constructive. It is a “progressive” union that is listened to by the government and taken seriously by ministers.

He pointed out that there were always tensions in the relationship between the government and unions, and this is natural. We are not going to agree all the time. Especially over pay. He pointed out that pursuing better pay is not the only reason to join a union. Issues such as health & safety and equality of opportunity were very important. In fact being a voice for staff and striving to make sure that things are fair in the workplace is probably even more important.

As a MP he is always willing to meet up with trade unions to talk about particular problems with employers. At the moment he has been taken up with the redundancies that have been announced at major local firms.

Charles made an interesting comment that he felt that there was actually too much emphasis and belief on employment laws and regulations. Which he felt favoured solicitors (nothing personal against Thompsons) not ordinary workers? Legal remedies and employment tribunals should very much a last resort since even if successful they take years to complete are complex, expensive and bureaucratic. Instead he felt there should be more emphasis on collective bargaining between employers and trade unions which would result in better work relationships, fewer grievances and far less employment tribunals. In private companies were there are low levels of union protection then employment law is very necessary but in unionised organisations then collective bargaining is best for everyone.

During the Q&A Charles explained there needs to be an expansion of a programme of homes for rent. The current model of social housing finance which is based on assumptions of outright sales and shared ownership is broken. There has to be a new model. He is optimistic that a new model will be (have to be?) announced in the near future.

During a separate question he put forward the idea that public pension funds (LGPS?) could play a direct role in financing housing and other public investments to help revive the economy.

He agreed that having “Supporting People” programmes that only last 2 years is far too short and wrong. They should be at least 3-5 years. This will not only benefit staff but also clients. He offered to help us talk to local authorities to improve commissioning contracts were there are problems.

I asked Charles about the TULO campaign to support an increase in the minimum redundancy payments. He was aware of the private members bill by Labour MP, Lindsay Hoyle and understood that negotiations were going on and he hoped that there would be a good outcome.

There was a general discussion on further equality laws in the pipeline; fair trade; agency workers; religious freedoms at work and the important role that Europe has played in promoting workers rights. Charles stayed around afterwards chatting to people.

The meeting was held in the boardroom which overlooks the St Andrews Business Park were the office is located. Just as he was leaving Charles made the significant remark (to me) that he had never been to a trade union meeting in a business park before today. As we walked down the staircase we discussed how unions can make themselves relevant to such workers and organise in modern day work places.

It was a very positive meeting in a number of ways: we signed up a number of new members and I am confident that many more will join. I am hopeful we will also get another new local union representative out of it as well. There was a meaningful and "grown up" discussion with an informed speaker on the role of modern trade unions, work related housing issues as well as other important local and national matters. I'll try to arrange other similar events.

Why Brown must face a Challenge – from the Right

This came up yesterday in conversation with other Labour Party activists (yes, in a pub!) and the more I think about it the more convincing the argument. Now putting aside my aversion to John McDonnell MP for the moment. I don’t think that anyone seriously believes that he or Michael Meacher will be the next Prime Minister. The Electoral College is split 1/3rd MP’s, 1/3rd Trade union levy payers and 1/3rd ordinary Party members. They will get little or no votes (never mind nominations) from Labour MPs, maybe say 10% top from individual trade unionists(the big unions are not going to support either) and I think a similar amount from ordinary members. I like Luke Akehurst's comparison of two bald men fighting over a comb. Times have changed.

What is important is that Brown would easily defeat such “left wing” candidates without sparking a real debate about post-Blairism and the future of the Party. Instead, what is needed is a challenge from the Right such as Clarke or Reid. Brown would then have to show how his politics and philosophy is different from the Right.

There has been a lot of fuss and bother about encouraging Labour MPs to nominate either McDonnell or Meacher in order to “have a debate” about the future direction of the Party (they can nominate up to 3). This is barking up the wrong tree. What we should be doing is encouraging them to nominate Clarke or Reid.