West Ham in Person Surgery, East Ham Neighbourhood watch stall & East Ham South Street Surgery

 

On Saturday I had my Councillor surgery in West Ham ward. I had 2 residents attend. One was about a very complicated "Succession of Tenancy" issue and the second about an appeal against a delay in granting a Blue Badge renewal. Due to the new case work system in Newham, I was able to raise both member enquiries via my phone. 

I then arrived late at a East Ham South canvass event which then became a Neighbourhood watch street stall. What a marvellous initiative with local Newham Council enforcement officers also attending. 

Next I was to join a well attended street surgery session in East Ham South with local Councillors. I was asked to run the session on the Labour doorstep app. I would advise colleagues on who to call upon and then input any information received. The Councillors took up the individual case work. It went very well. A pretty positive result for Labour. 

Note a very good notice board in the foyer of one L&Q Housing Association blocks. 

As chair of Newham Labour Group I look forward to visiting and campaigning in all our Newham wards. 

Red Flag on East Ham Town Hall!

 

I guess local Council staff were involved. We should have repeated this on East Ham & Stratford Town Hall on July 5th! 

Hat tip @CountryStandard May 1938

Grand (Re) Opening of The Millers Well Pub

 

Another "off message" none political, pension or trade union post. It must be Christmas! Today I was invited by former Newham Councillor D Paul Sathianesan to attend the "Grand Opening" of the "The Millers Well Pub" tomorrow at 5.30pm. 

It is being opened by the local MP for East Ham, Sir Stephen Timms. 

I posted on the demise of the Weatherspoon run "Millers" here https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2023/10/good-bye-to-east-ham-spoons.html and really pleased that it has reopened. 

I have a clash tomorrow and will not be able to make the reopening but will no doubt be visiting soon. 

East Ham Newham Voices - By Elections Hustings

 

Yesterday morning I went to the hustings in East Ham Library organised by Newham Voices. Picture is of Labour Candidate for Boleyn Ward, Sofia Patel (Stephanie Garfield, Wall End Labour candidate was unable to attend) telling it as it is on - fly tipping, sex education, hate speech, housing, policing and diversity. 

I admit that I am biased but I genuinely thought that Sofia was head and shoulders above everyone else on the panel. Dispite a rather vile sexist and anti working class question directed at her by those who claim to be pro equality (aka posh middle class white Green male's) that since she worked for the Labour Party she must be a Personal Assistant. However, she kept her cool and answered this and some other unpleasant attack questions with dignity, passion and great skill. 

Many thanks to Newham Voices for organising this event and to all the candidates and all residents who attended (even the sexist bigots, who hopefully learnt some things - probably not).

I hope that there is a good turnout this Thursday 13 July, at the two by elections and we must let the People of Wall End and Boleyn wards decide (but don't forget to bring your photo ID!)

Getting the Labour Postal Vote out in Boleyn

 

On Saturday morning I joined Labour colleagues door knocking in the Boleyn ward by election in East Ham. The local Labour Candidate is Sofia Patel. Thanks to Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz for main picture of us mostly trying to install the Labour doorstep information on our phones (my attempt failed)

We were calling at residents who had previously said they were postal voters and we were gently reminding them to vote. The response was on the whole really positive and residents either knew or had heard of Sofia and the vast majority had already voted (most for Labour). 

During the session I only came across 3 residents who had not voted Labour. One was a relative or tenant of the so called "independent" candidate, another was a labour supporter who apologised for voting Green due to a "moment of madness" but would be voting Labour again in the future. 

The third was someone who I had a decent political conversation with. He was not supporting Labour since he wanted more to be done to protect cars in his road since he had recently suffered "hit and run" damage on his car. I suggested that Labour in Newham was very much in favour of traffic calming & diversion  schemes which would help with this problem. 

He then said he was against emission parking charges in Newham, despite the fact he had a lovely young daughter running around in the hall. I mentioned again (same as last Saturday in Uxbridge campaign) the views of my UNISON paramedic colleague (Peter Hannell) that in central London 25% of kids suffer from asthma but in  his home town in rural Hertfordshire it is only 5%.

I think he got that point. Afterwards canvassers enjoyed coffee and gossip in Red Rock cafe right next to the Champions Statute. 

Meet at West Ham Champions Statute

This morning I joined our Labour candidate, Sofia Patel and her team at the "Champions Statute. This was the starting point of the West Ham FC victory tour on Thursday following their celebration parade upon winning the Eurora Conference League cup.  Well done to West Ham and the many, many thousands of fans who turned out that day to celebrate their fantastic victory. 

This morning there was another successful canvass and lots of good conversations with local residents about problems and possible solutions. Whenever a local resident wanted to speak to our candidate, Sofia Patel (who lives in the ward and was born and brought up in Newham) she would run over to see them and listen then talk. A somewhat rare and very welcome attribute in politics in my experience.  

It was definitely the hottest day of the year so far. Afterwards we went to the famous Boleyn Pub for coffee, water, soft drinks and snacks. I had to leave early to get ready for the prelims of the UNISON National conference tomorrow in Liverpool. I will soon be back to support Sofia and Stephanie in Wall End

East Ham - "Progress with the People"

Being proud of living in West Ham for over 30 years I am sometimes accused of forgetting the other part of modern day Newham - East Ham. 

I actually think that East Ham town hall is more striking than West Ham (Stratford) and I am very proud that some of the earliest ever Council housing was built here - 

'Progress with the People': East Ham Borough Council took justified pride in the 80 council homes, designed by Borough Engineer AH Campbell, it built on Brooks Avenue in 1903.

Hat tip @MunicipalDreams @lccmunicipal & @LondonNurse2015

East Ham NUPE Banner - "United we stand - Divided we fall" (any idea where it is now?)

 

Labour movement historian @LondonNurse2015 sent me this marvellous picture of a East Ham branch banner for the "National Union of Public Employees" (a predecessor union of UNISON). 

I have no idea where this banner is now? Anyone know? 

The Art and Ideology of the Trade Union Emblem, 1850–1925

West Ham History - "1918 Influenza epidemic - over 1,000 deaths"

 

This morning there was a post on the (excellent) Facebook site "Newham History" on a pamphlet published in 1986 to mark the 100th anniversary of the old West Ham Borough (now part of Newham).

It mentioned that the 1918 flu epidemic killed "over a 1000 people" in West Ham. So far I believe that there has been 666 deaths from the covid pandemic in Newham. 

The population of Newham in 1918 was a little higher than nowadays. Today it is around 350,000 but in 1921 the population of West Ham alone peaked 318,500 and in 1911 was 133, 847 in East Ham (West Ham and East Ham were joined in 1965 to form Newham).

UPDATE: these figures for 1918 flu deaths may be too low 

The November 9, 1918, edition of the Stratford Gazette reported 240 deaths that week alone in the old county of West Ham, risen from 100 for the previous seven days. In the former borough of East Ham, 134 people died, up from 67 the week before.

West Ham and Beckton Borough Constituency? New proposed Parliamentary Boundaries for Newham (& Bow)

Check out the proposals from the boundary commission for Newham (and London). My Councillor ward will still be in West Ham (and Beckton) but I will live in Stratford & Bow.

https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-06-08-London-Initial-Proposals-72.-West-Ham-and-Beckton-BC.pdf

https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-06-08-London-Initial-Proposals-23.-East-Ham-BC.pdf

https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-06-08-London-Initial-Proposals-63.-Stratford-and-Bow-BC.pdf

"We're voting for change" in the way we do things in Newham Council

Picture from Saturday's leafleting of East Ham High Street with my West Ham ward Councillor Colleague, John Whitworth (and Newham Council Scrutiny Committee Chair).

On Thursday May 6 Newham residents will also be able to vote in a referendum on the future governance arrangement in our borough (and in my personal view hopefully vote Labour).

If you want change in Newham - then lets get rid of a all powerful Executive Mayor and vote for a more democratic, transparent and accountable Committee model.

Check out the arguments :-

https://newhamforchange.org/

@ForNewham

https://www.facebook.com/newhamvotingforchange

and support

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/newham-for-change

Newham remembers the 80th Anniversary of the Blitz

 

Today (7 September 2020) is the 80th anniversary of the Blitz when during the second world war, Nazi Germany tried to bomb Britain into submission by massive air raids in 1940/41. Some 43000 civilians were killed and many more injured. 

In Newham we marked this day by firstly holding a ceremony at the Council repairs depot in  Abbey Road E15 at 9am remembering the 13 Air raid wardens and firefighters who were killed at this site by a direct hit on 7 September. Modern day fire fighters from the LFB and many council repair staff were in attendance which was led by the Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz and the Deputy Mayor (Community) Cllr Charlene McLean. 

Next. we laid wreaths at the East Ham War memorial and mass grave site for civilian dead at Manor Park cemetery E12. I was asked to say a few words and just pointed out that we must never forget that it was the rise of fascism in Germany which resulted in all these innocent deaths and that we must constantly be on our guard against fascism to stop this ever happening again. 

Afterwards, my Councillor colleagues for West Ham ward (Cllr Charlene Mclean and Cllr John Whitworth) and I went to East London Cemetery E13 to visit the West Ham war memorial and mass grave which listed the hundreds of civilians killed by Nazi bombing (as well as 7 Royal Navy sailors from HMT Abronia which was also sunk I assume in the docks on 7 September 1940).

We also paid our respects at the memorial and mass grave of 105 London Borough of Hackney residents buried at this cemetery. 

It is clear from all these memorials that whole families were wiped out due to the bombing including unnamed babies whose names had not yet been registered. 

Later we went to Ranelagh Road E15 in our ward and placed a single red rose at the site of a local tragedy. A German war plane had been shot down on 7 September by RAF fighters but it had crashed into the gardens killing 5 local residents who had been hiding in their air raid shelters. 

This evening there was a excellent Facebook live panel video with local Newham historians about the Blitz. You can see the recording here:-

here https://www.facebook.com/newhamevents/videos/1190977721272201

"East Ham War Pensions Committee: Your Fight Is Our Fight"

Historic photo of  dependants of World War One ex-service men protesting against cuts to War pensions in 1919. The authorities claimed that the local East Ham War Pensions committee did not follow the "rules" and gave out too generous benefits.

Check out "British Widows of the First World War - The Forgotten Legion" about this story and the dreadful treatment of many widows whose husbands had been killed for post war "immoral misconduct".

Hat tip @LondonNurse2015

Tribute to Vera Lynn (1917-2020)

"Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz has today offered condolences of behalf of the residents of Newham to the family and friends of forces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn who died today at the age of 103.

Mayor Fiaz said: “Dame Vera was the girl next door who galvanised the morale of the nation and those who served during the darkest days of the Second World War. Born and raised in East Ham, she was a symbol of the spirit and resilience of this part of the East End, which suffered heavily during the War. She lifted the spirit of millions at home and abroad then, and fittingly, did so again in May when we marked the 75th anniversary of VE Day with a rousing nationwide rendition of her most famous song We’ll Meet Again.

“Dame Vera will be sorely missed, but will live on through her wonderful songs and continue to be an inspiration to our armed forces communities. On behalf of the people of Newham I offer our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.”

She was born Vera Margaret Welch in Thackeray Road, East Ham, to Annie Welch, a dressmaker, and Bertram Samuel Welch, an assistant coppersmith. Encouraged by her parents, Dame Vera loved singing as a child and took her maternal grandmother’s maiden name Lynn for the stage. From 1921 to 1938 she lived in Ladysmith Avenue, East Ham.

Dame Vera began singing at family events. She made her public debut aged seven at working men's clubs. Two years later she joined a juvenile troupe and from 1935 was singing on radio with the Joe Loss band. In 1937 she appeared with the Ambrose Orchestra in West End nightclubs, remaining with them until 1940 when she went solo.
She was 21 at the outbreak of war and already appeared on early, experimental television and was doing regular radio broadcasts.

It was her 1939 recording of We’ll Meet Again that thrust her into the hearts of the nation because of the nostalgic lyrics that were popular with troops abroad and families at home. That same year she was awarded the title Forces' Sweetheart following a Daily Express poll among its readers to name their favourite singer. She also starred in a radio show Sincerely Yours, popular with soldiers on the front line. She also visited Egypt, Burma and India.

For her support of the services Dame Vera received the British War Medal (1939-1945) and the Burma Star. She received an OBE in 1969 and became a Dame (DBE) in 1975. In 2016 she was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH).

To mark the milestone of her 100th birthday in 2017 Newham Council erected new signs in streets with a connection to Dame Vera, including Thackeray Road, Ladysmith Avenue, and at Dame Vera Lynn Close in Forest Gate, where the unveiling was supported by members of Newham-based G Company 7 Rifles".

Unity is Strength - East Ham Trades Council donation of Ambulance Motorcycle 1937

Unity is indeed Strength. As shown by the fantastic show of solidarity for carers on Thursday evening.

This is great historic picture showing a hand built ambulance motorbike donated by East Ham Trades Council in 1937.

This was to help the Republicans who were fighting fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War.

I will post picture on the Newham History facebook page to see if anyone knows anymore about this

Hat tip @LondonNurse2015

Vote Moniba Khan - Labour's candidate for the Boleyn by-election on Thursday 1st November 2018.

Pictures from Saturdays afternoon canvass in Boleyn ward, East Ham. Meeting point is the 1966 World Cup Champions statute. There were 2 canvass teams, one with the Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz and the other with the candidate, Moniba Khan, which I was sent on.

Moniba is probably the nicest political candidate I have ever met or canvassed for - ever!

She is 100% genuine, with no side about her whatsoever. What you see is what you get. She genuinely enjoys meeting people and talking to them. She gives elderly people she has never met hugs and kisses. She listens to people and if she does not know an answer she admits it and says she will go away and find out.

She has lived in the ward for many years, has 2 young boys who go to local schools and when she promises she will try and do things for local residents, you know she will do her absolute damndest to do so.

"Shock, horror" - she even said really nice things about her Tory opponent that we met during the canvass! As an old school election agent I tried to persuade her otherwise but she was not having any of it. Definitely a new and kinder type of politics.

The canvass went very well. I had some good political discussions, including a not successful one  with an elderly resident who said he was a life long labour voter but hated Jeremy as our leader since he would not in any circumstances as prime minister press the button to launch our nuclear missiles (and kill millions of people)  but he also hated Blair as a complete sell out. We may get from him the local Council vote but...

Boleyn is an interesting and varied ward. I loved the pink house and the terrace house, which had a clock mounted on the wall with an outdoor temperature gauge next to it. I wonder why?

Highlight of the canvass was of course the ice cream & lolly fest (see top middle) brought about by the unseasonably warm and sunny weather. Labour doorstep canvassing can at times be (briefly) as nice as our nicest candidates.

Door knocking is twice every day, meeting at the Champions
statue, corner of Central Park Road and Barking Road, buses 5, 15, 58, 104,
115, 147, 330, 376. Newham E6. 10 minutes walk from Upton Lane District Line station

11:00 Every day

15:00 Saturdays and Sundays

18:00 Weekdays

East End May Day Rally - Yiddish, Cockney & Bengali Culture mix of Labour Movement Politics & History

After we finished campaigning in our ward, my Labour & Co-operative colleague John Whitworth and I went to the "East End May Day Rally" in East Ham Working Mens Club. This was organised by the Bangladeshi Workers' Council and the Morning Star.

We were late but within minutes of walking into the hall we were singing along (badly) to the French Revolution anthem "La Marseillaise" in Yiddish!

Next there was a local (E17) "Steve White and the Protest Band" who also wanted audience participation and sang several great songs including one advising the EDL to stick their racist hatred up their a...

At the end there was also a musical performance of the "Internationale" in Bengali which we were also invited to join in and sign along.

In between there was a number of political speeches, including that of our very own Newham Cllr, Anamul Islam, who gave a nicely presented speech about how the Labour movement should unite and join the Labour Party.

I am not sure that democratic Parliamentary reformism is everyone's cup of tea but if it is, then they are more than welcome in the political branch of our movement. 

Newham Councillor Selection Meetings - East Ham 17/18 Feb & West Ham 24/25 Feb

East Ham 17/18 February at East Ham Town Hall, 328 Barking Road, London E6 2RP

Ward Name	AWS	Day	Date	Time
Manor Park	1	Saturday	17-Feb-18	10.30am
Little Ilford	1	Saturday	17-Feb-18	12.00pm
Boleyn	2	Saturday	17-Feb-18	1.00pm
East Ham South	2	Saturday	17-Feb-18	2.30pm
East Ham Central	2	Saturday	17-Feb-18	3.30pm
Beckton	2	Sunday	18-Feb-18	10.30pm
Green Street East	1	Sunday	18-Feb-18	12.00pm
Royal Docks	tbc	Sunday	18-Feb-18	1.00pm
Wall End	2	Sunday	18-Feb-18	2.30pm
East Ham North	1	Sunday	18-Feb-18	3.30pm

West Ham 24/25 February at Stratford Old Town Hall, 29 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ

Ward Name	AWS	Day	Date	Time
Stratford & New Town	1	Saturday	24 Feb	10am
Plaistow North	1	Saturday	24 Feb	12pm
Green Street West	1	Saturday	24 Feb	2pm
West Ham	1	Saturday	24 Feb	4pm
Forest Gate North	2	Saturday	24 Feb	6pm
Canning Town North	2	Sunday	25 Feb	10am
Custom House	2	Sunday	25 Feb	12pm
Forest Gate South	1	Sunday	25 Feb	2pm
Canning Town South	1	Sunday	25 Feb	4pm
Plaistow South	2	Sunday	25 Feb	6pm

Meeting process

Just to briefly outline the process for each meeting:

·         After preliminary business, trigger ballots will be held on each sitting councillor seeking reselection, without speeches. Any councillor not automatically reselected will be shortlisted.

·         There will then be shortlisting, with the size and composition of the shortlist determined by the number of vacancies and how many AWS places remain to be filled, plus members’ choice. Members will need to nominate people for the shortlist. They will have the names of those who have expressed an interest in the ward in front of them but can nominate any longlisted candidate if they wish, and will have access to all statements. If more candidates are nominated for the shortlist than places available there will be a ballot to determine the shortlist.

·         Once the shortlist is agreed, candidates will then be asked to draw lots for the order to speak. You will in turn address the meeting with a speech of up to THREE minutes, then have FIVE minutes to answer questions. The questions will be the same to all candidates at that meeting.

·         Members will vote by eliminating ballot for their candidates, first for any AWS positions, then for remaining vacancies.

(This is an attempt to concisely convey how meetings work rather than provide an exhaustive guide.)

A reminder that only eligible members will be able to attend the meetings – they are fully paid-up members who are registered to vote, have lived in the relevant ward since 1 January 2017 and have been a continuous party member since 1 July 2016.

Hat tip London Labour. #AWS minimum number of women on shortlist. Picture collage from 2014

Veronica Oakeshott: Labour Candidate in Boleyn Ward By Election, Newham, London

Congratulations to Veronica Oakeshott for being selected as the Labour Candidate in Boleyn ward in East Ham for the by-election on 3 December 2015.  Commiserations to the other excellent candidates.

The by-election was caused by the sad and unexpected death of local Councillor, Charity Fiberesima.

If elected Veronica will make an excellent Labour Councillor.

 Seen here campaigning for Labour with her baby daughter outside Newham polling station during 2014 Council election. 

East Ham and Ilford North Election fund raiser

After the Stratford By Election candidate selection and West Ham Labour General Committee some of us went to support this fund raiser.

It took place in the Royal Regency in Manor Park. Which is a magnificent former cinema restored as a plush function venue.

We missed the speeches but met up with our MP Lyn Brown and East Ham MP Stephen Timms. Seen in picture with former MP Sarah Mccarthy_Fry, Redbridge Councillor Shelia Bain and the newly elected West Ham delegate to Labour Party Conference (and PCS activist) Anamul Islam.