West Ham All Saints Remembrance Service Sunday 11 November 2018

On Sunday I represented the Mayor and Newham Council at the 1918-2018 Remembrance Ceremony at West Ham Parish Church All Saints with Chair of Council Cllr Joy Laguda and our Director of Finance, Michael O'Donnell. With our local MP Lyn Brown, we each laid a wreath of poppies together with G Company 7 Rifles (our local British Army Reservist unit based nearby in West Ham), Police, British Legion and local residents.

It was good to see a large contingent of soldiers in uniform from our local regiment 7 Rifles present. In past Remembrance ceremonies at this Church, members of G Company had been on active service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I am now of an age, that they all look too young to put their lives at risk and wish that fighting for all countries and all beliefs was only restricted to older folk such as myself over the age 50.  I doubt that many wars would still happen if this was so.

Chair of Newham Councillor Scrutiny Committees, Cllr John Whitworth and Councillor Winston Vaughan also attended (Cllr Vaughan is a British Army Veteran) While local Cllr, Jane Lofthouse actually had a lovely singing voice (and saved the reputation of the Council since none of us could hold a note).

Newham Council had supported 8 separate Remembrance events across the borough this historic weekend with the Mayor, Cabinet, Senior officers and Councillors attending.

The new Parish Priest, Revd Cannon Alex Summers, led an excellent and moving service (despite a heavy cold) and spoke about two of his great uncles, who were killed in the first world war. He and his young family had visited the war cemetery of one of his uncles in France and noted that the graves of British and German dead were buried alongside each other. It seemed fitting that former enemies were laid in peace together. I completely agree.

The Church is a beautiful Grade 1 listed building and was founded in the 12th Century.  I recommend a visit. There is a Beethoven Concert there on 24 November 2018 which I sadly cannot attend due to pre booked clash.

After the ceremony my wife Gill and I went over to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to view the "Shrouds from the Somme". Visit, look and listen to the endless names of the unidentified dead. It is heartbreaking.

Why its never that boring being "on the knocker" for Labour.

Picture from last weekend's Plaistow North ward "Super Sunday" Labour door knock with our West Ham MP Lyn Brown, which which went really well. UNISON members James Beckles (2nd from left) and Forhad Hussain (2nd from right) are both candidates. The 3rd Labour Candidate, Joy Laguda is also a UNISON member.  Joy had to attend a funeral and was unable to attend. All 3 candidates work or have worked for the NHS. 

Tonight I am just back from being out in West Ham Ward. It was a warm and sunny evening.  It too went really well but just a little too perfect. There was a fantastic "Labour promise" response rate. Household after household said they would vote for us. We had mums bringing out their cute young children out to meet the candidates.

I had a detailed and interesting explanation of democratic Polish politics since the Solidarity strikes and the fall of the Communist State.

Excited first time voters who were delighted we had come to see them and who couldn't wait for 22 May and the opportunity to vote Labour. 

A woman very angry with this Tory led government who she blames for being made redundant and being now only able to find insecure part time work.

An unsubstantiated (but very specific) allegation of political and contractor corruption across the other side of the River Lea.

I also had one man in his 30's who admitted that he has never voted, agree that it was about time he participated and promised to do so this time (for Labour).

I knew it was too good to last. Towards the end of the session the law of averages re-established itself.

I came across a very unpleasant racist who scorned Labour because of all "these dirty foreigners". There was a short and sharp exchange with resulted with the front door being slammed shut very loudly in my face and me marking the address on our list as "Against".

Apart from that - it was a good evening.

Plaistow North Labour Movement Family Team

All three elected Labour Party Councillors at Plaistow North ward in Newham, London are UNISON members.

Seen here at the Count shortly after their declaration are (left to right)

Alan Griffiths (Housing officer); Forhad Hussain (NHS hospital project officer) and Joy Laguda (NHS Nurse).

They were convincing winners in their ward by over 2000 votes.

Check out this YouTube link here to hear the declaration.

Well done comrades!

UNISON Labour Link West Ham phone bank

This evening after work I helped out at the West Ham CLP phone bank.  Which was being used to ring Newham residents about their views and if they have any complaints about local Council services.

This phone bank was originally sponsored by Greater London UNISON Labour Link.

Pictured is UNISON member, Councillor Joy Laguda who is a former NHS nurse and now the member for Plaistow North ward and the Council Executive Member for Older People and Adults.

Next to her is Alan Griffiths (UNISON Waltham Forest Local Government branch Labour Link Officer and a top local housing worker).

You may recognise some other odd UNISON bod who is about.

Tele-canvassing is very different form of  door knocking. While I enjoy and find fascinating both of these forms of voter identification. I actually think that people are more open and even honest about their voting intentions on the phone than face to face on the doorstep. Tele-canvassing is probably also a more time efficient way for reaching more people.

Yet nothing really beats being “on the knocker” - going door to door and talking to local people.  Such canvassing really demonstrate to a community that their potential elected representatives are real human beings who want to get out to listen and help them.