Forest Gate By Election 2016: 15 days to go

Picture collage from the recent canvassing sessions in the Forest Gate North ward By election in Newham, East London. The candidate is Anam Islam, a top Labour trade unionist, anti-racist campaigner and committed socialist.

The campaign started last week but I was away at Unison National delegate conference. Following the disastrous referendum result and self destructive infighting amongst the Parliamentary Labour Party, let us be honest, that this is not the best time to be holding a by election.

However, the Labour vote seems as solid as ever and Forest Gate residents want a Labour councillor to be returned in the ward. This is not to say I have not had some serious conversations with residents about national politics but only 1 person in the past 3 nights has raised the leadership issue with me.

The referendum result has stunned people and the majority of people I have spoken to about it are ashamed of the result. We came across 2 residents who said they were normally Tories but they would not be voting for them in this election because of what has happened.

I spoke to one man on Monday who claimed that he did not know the result since he had ignored all the media since the previous Thursday evening and asked what had happened. I replied that I hope I am in the middle of a horrible dream and will wake up tomorrow and find out it was the Friday morning again, and we had actually voted to remain

East European residents I have spoken to have been quite understanding and pragmatic. They accept the result and while some are fearful about what will happen to them, most said they had been working in the UK for more than 5 years, paying UK taxes, so they thought they will be ok. They were of course as interested in local bread and butter council issues such as anti-social behaviour and parking control as anyone else.

I will post further on the EU referendum result (and why Newham had such an awful low "remain" vote). In the meanwhile can supporters please come out and canvass for Anam.

Thursday 30th June 11:00 at Dean Street E7 9BJ (Odessa Road Open Space)

Thursday 30th June 18:00 at Dean Street E7 9BJ (Odessa Road Open Space)

Friday 1 July 11:00 at Wanstead Park station E7 0HX

Saturday 2nd July 11:00 at Wanstead Park station E7 0HX

Saturday 2nd July 14:00 at Wanstead Park station E7 0HX

Sunday 3rd July 11:00 at Hatfield Road E15 1QY

Sunday 3rd July 14:00 at Hatfield Road E15 1QY

Monday 4th July 11:00 at Wanstead Park station E7 0HX

Monday 4th July 14:00 at Wanstead Park station E7 0HX


 

Register to Vote in EU Referendum - online in 5 minutes (By 7 June)

If you haven't registered to vote - Click on https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It will take about 5 minutes and all you need is your national insurance number (on a pay or pension slip, tax form, or plastic card). You can even use a smart phone. 

The EU: in or out - Newham Compass debate 13 June

This should be interesting. I have not heard anyone yet speak on behalf of "Labour Leave". 

Forest Gate "Labour In"

Picture is from the stall on Saturday in Forest Gate of West Ham CLP supporters campaigning for "Remain" in the EU referendum.

This was led by our MP Lyn Brown (left of picture).

There was a very good response. Lots of "thumbs up" and positive comments by local residents.

Next time we need more balloons to hand out.

We also sent out leafleters to surrounding streets and asked local shops and businesses to put up "VOTE REMAIN 23 JUNE" posters.

Sunday Night Live 22 May: Remain & Leave on Trial

I hope to attend this debate on Sunday evening.  Should be interesting.

Campaigning for Sadiq in West Ham, Stratford & Forest Gate

Collage is from my last 3 canvassing sessions in West Ham ward, Stratford and Forest Gate North. Our MP Lyn Brown joined us at Stratford. A positive response for Labour and Sadiq as you might expect but also for remaining in the EU (when we remember to ask the question).

Another Europe is possible - UNISON backs campaign to stay in Europe

This afternoon I took part in a "once in a life time" debate and decision. The National Executive Committee of UNISON met in London and decided by an overwhelming majority to campaign for the UK to remain in the European Union. The  referendum will take place next month .

It was a passionate but largely good tempered and well argued debate. UNISON had carried out a 6 week consultation of members beforehan and there was an unusually high response. 95% of branches that responded supported staying in Europe and believed that UNISON should actively campaign to do so.

The protection of workers' employment rights was a key issue for Unison members. Especially our female members who make up 1 million of our 1.3 million membership who benefit the most from EU legislation on parental leave, paid holiday, protection for part-timers and limits on excessive hours. 

The European Union (EU) did come in for a lot of criticism even from those who supported staying in. Letting things stay as they are is not an option for anyone.

I argued in the debate that that it was no use criticising the EU and saying we should leave since it was a "capitalist club", because this is pointless since we already live in the a capitalist country and that we should reform both from within.

On a personal level I said why is it that I am the first male member of my family in 3 generations who has not had Germans trying to kill him or being sent to kill Germans? We should never forget that the EU was created to keep the peace between France, Germany and the UK.

Many people are rightly worried about international trade treaties between the EU and  the USA/Canada. But it is Labour MEPs and other progressives in the EU who are holding back the UK government in its attempt to allow the destruction of public services in these treaties. Does anyone really think that an EU treaty would be worse than one negotiated by either Osborne or Boris with regard to public services?

My final point was that the EU has been criticised with justification for its attitude and bullying towards Greece. I pointed out that last month I had been to a solidarity delegation visit to Greece and much to my surprise, I did not come across any activists, trade unionists or left wing politicians who wanted to leave the EU. The ones I spoke to wanted us to remain and work with us to change the EU.

Yes, another Europe is possible.

(I am an elected member of the UNISON NEC for Housing Associations and Voluntary sector workers. The NEC is the 65 strong UNISON "Parliament" that meets to decide issues and progress policy in between our annual National Delegate Conference).

Last week my UNISON branch passed this motion here http://grayee.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/trade-unionists-for-in-tu4in.html and the website http://www.anothereurope.org/

Unison's Labour MEPs are in for services, rights and jobs

Some great reasons from UNISON MEPs on staying "IN" the European Union. Check out also the website "Another Europe is Possible".

"Unison's Labour MEPs: Theresa Griffin, Jude Kirton-Darling, Richard Howitt, Mary Honeyball, Linda McAvan and Claude Moraes are all in for services, rights and jobs. The only way for UNISON members to protect services, rights and jobs on June 23 is to vote in favour of remaining in the EU"

Private Eye, EU referendums and the Role of Coincidence

Chance and coincidence can be a bit weird and unsettling but you have to accept that it just happens from time to time.

This morning in Newham,  by chance I spotted a bundle of papers including musical scores dumped next to a communal recycling bin. I had a look and noticed that there was a single well preserved copy of the satirical magazine "Private Eye" from  1975 in the pile. Which I recycled and took away to read.


Oddly, there was also some minutes from a 1986 Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative Party meeting.

While very few people nowadays will have a clue what the joke was about on the front page regarding "Social Contract" (Goggle it and weep), the 7 March 1975 edition of this 41 year magazine was extracting the Michael about the forthcoming Referendum on the UK membership on the European Union that was also due to take place later that year in June.

....Well, I thought it was all a bit weird.