Newham Full Council Meeting 17 September 2018 (my twitter feed)

A busy evening. Confirmed new Chief Executive. Passed motions, submitted petitions, deputation that schools should have ballots before deciding to become academies, Councillor questions, public questions, Mayor and CEO report.

At @NewhamLondon Full Council meeting in historic Stratford Town Hall. Delegation speaking to meeting on anti-academy campaign, just moved petition on behalf residents from #BrassettPoint about repairs & #ASB (@WestHamBLP Cllrs have been #walkabout with residents)

His first speech to Full Council, Cllr @danielblaney speaks about how we need to change traffic management and support the near 50% of residents who do not have a car. “The roads belong to all of not just cars”@NewhamLondon

If this was a unison conference or TUC we would clap first time speakers :)

Now Cllr @labourpartyCTN Shaban Mohammed moves motion on #Academisation ballots calling for all schools considering becoming a #academy to hold a ballot. @CllrSarahRuiz seconds @NewhamLondon

#Cllr @rkdasgupta moves @CoopParty sponsored motion against #modernSlavery . I spoke about ensuring that the £1.4 billion @NewhamLondon #pension fund takes action to ensure that we do not allow such exploitation of workers in companies we invest in

Council meeting over. Now presentation by @LGBCE on electoral review of @NewhamLondon for 2022 elections. #SaveWestHam ward @WestHamBLP

Picture of #Newham @UKLabour & @CoopParty councillors supporting campaign and @NewhamLondon motion on #modernslavery

Phil Wilson MP at West Ham GC on the Trade Union link

The guest speaker at last months West Ham Labour Party General Committee was Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield.

I was late due and missed the main part of his speech supporting the proposed reforms of the trade union link. He finished by stressing he wants not to break but to "mend the link".There was then a lively Q&A.

Daniel Blaney, an Unite delegate thought that the arguments for reform are inconsistent. What happened to "Refounding Labour" and why was this proposal not discussed then?

My question was that if the Party followed the UNISON model only about 1/3 members pay the Labour Party political levy and if the other unions reduced their affiliations by 2/3rd we are going to be broke.   The Tories are going to outspend us as usual and we will need every penny we can get to defeat them in 2015.

Phil said that this will take at least 5 years to implement and and that there will be no reduction in levy income until after 2015 General election.

I also said that a pilot London wide primary to pick the next Labour candidate for London Mayor is too risky and there is a real danger that we would have a candidate selected by the Evening Standard. We should experiment first with a CLP. One member suggested to widespread merriment that we should instead experiment with the a primary for the Newham Mayoral election next year!

Unite delegate Terry "Red" Paul spoke strongly in favour of keeping the union link. 

Phil reminded us saying Labour is a movement not a monument. Things have changed. When he grew up there was 100k coal miners and people automatically voted Labour.

Gill Hay, an UNISON member supported the reform because she thought it will encourage trade union members to consciously and positively join the Party. Alan Griffiths, also from UNISON thinks unions are already incredibly weak and can do more.

Phil finished by stressing, once again, that to him this is all about strengthen the union link with the Party.