Call for Action: West Ham Labour Xmas Campaigning & Events Update

Dear Member

West Ham Labour Party Xmas update

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Looking forward to an early general election and a Labour Government in 2018 with Jeremy Corbyn as our Prime Minister.

As well as the usual campaigning and political events there are also surveys and petitions that you are being asked to participate in and support.

Councillor Candidate’s selection meeting postponed until New Year. 
Firstly, apologies to members who had reserved last weekend for the chance to elect candidates to be our Labour Party candidates in the local elections in May 2018. Due to a number of appeals outstanding for applicants who did not pass the initial interview the Regional Labour Party has postponed the selections until the New Year. We will let you know the new date ASAP

“Bookmakers target people who can’t afford to lose their money on these machines” 
Our MP Lyn Brown asks you to support her call to curb the blight being caused to our community by Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT) and take part in the government consultation. Check out further information https://westhamlabour.org/2017/12/11/west-ham-clp-member-fixed-odd-betting-terminal-fobt-consultation-call-for-action/

“In response to years of Newham’s campaigning the Government has now launched a consultation survey which might lead to these terrible FOBT machine stakes being reduced.  But we need to make sure that gambling industry lobby don’t dominate the responses, which is why we would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to respond to the survey online by clicking this link.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3XGGFP7

Newham Council: More Social Housing in Plaistow Petition
West Ham Ward ask you to support their online petition on a controversial planning application. See stall on 14 December. So please share with all your Newham friends and family: http://chn.ge/2iq4UKb

If you are interested in planning policy then Newham Council is also undergoing a review of its #LocalPlan Proposed Submission is open until the 16th January, so have your say! www.newham.gov.uk/planningconsultations” (warning this is heavy going but important)

West Ham CLP General Committee motion was passed calling on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner: To Suspend police officers under investigation for deaths of Edson da Costa & Rashan Charles. You can read more and sign the petition here: http://chn.ge/2zmfXa9

Zero Tolerance
Also please read the article on our website by our CLP Women’s officer, Seyi Akiwowo, about our zero tolerance of Sexual Harassment in our Partyhttps://westhamlabour.org/2017/11/29/west-ham-clps-zero-tolerance-approach-to-sexual-harassment/

Marked Register data inputting
If you have some time to spare before the New Year then contact our CLP secretary alangriffiths_per@yahoo.co.uk to volunteer to help us input the “Marked Register” data from the General Election into Labour Party records. He will explain if contacted.

Future Dates

Thursday 14th December – 6-7.30pm Street staff on West Ham ward petition for social housing outside Plaistow Station E13 organiser

Thursday 14th December – Newham Compass debate: “What should the Left be doing about Brexit?” at East Ham Working Men’s Club, Boleyn Road E6 1QE at 7.30 pm. Stephen Timms MP & Gordon Murray of the SNP are the speakers. Contact owenseaster@gmail.com for details.

Saturday 16th December – 1030hrs CTS Corner Tarling and Radland Road, E16 Organiser Terry Paul

Saturday 16th December, 11.00am, Stratford International DLR Station. Leafleting in E20. Contact: Clive Troubman,

Wednesday 20 December – 7.30pm to late Newham Co-operative Party Crimbo Social. Westbridge Hotel, High Street Stratford, E15. John Gray/Neil Wilson organising

Thursday 4 January 6.30pm FGN Canvass meet outside Forest Gate Tavern E7(before ward meeting) John Gray organiser

Saturday 13th January at 11am Plaistow North  canvassing session on meeting at Plaistow station E13 contact Daniel or Mehmood.

Saturday 13th January 11-1pm Custom House Canvass check CLP website for meeting point and organiser)

Sunday 14 January 11.30 FGN Canvass (check CLP website for meeting point and organiser)

Saturday January 20th – 1100 am to 1 pm. PS Meeting at Plaistow  Library  E13 9HL
Contact Neil Wilson

Thursday 25th January – West Ham CLP GC, 306 High Street, Stratford E15 – Visiting Speaker Nia Griffths, Shadow Defence Secretary

Saturday 27 January 11.30am FGN Canvass meet outside Hibiscus Community Centre E15 1SP organiser John Gray 

Sunday 28 January 11-1pm Custom House Canvass check CLP website for meeting point and organiser)

Sunday January 28th 2.00pm to 4.00 pm PS Meeting at Plaistow Library E13 9HL Contact Neil Wilson

Monday 26 February 7pm Newham Full Council Meeting, East Ham Town Hall E6

We look forward to seeing you at future events and campaigns!

Regards

John Gray
Vice Chair (Campaigns and Comms) West Ham CLP
e westhamlabour@gmail.com
t @westhamlabour
f westhamlabour
w westhamlabour.org

Fixed Odd Betting Terminal (FOBT) Consultation – Call for Action

Dear West Ham Labour Party Member

Newham has one of the highest number of betting shops of any London borough with 81 currently in operation, with 12 on one street alone.

Each betting outlet can provide four FOBT machines which offer casino style content including games such as roulette at up to £100 a spin, which can be wagered every 20 seconds.

It is in response to the cap that bookmakers have opened multiple premises in clusters to facilitate more machines as a fixed margin product guarantees bookmakers a return. As a result, FOBTs have become a significant part of their business operations which has led to betting shops proliferating on high streets, but they add little to the local economy, contribute to crime and anti-social behaviour on high streets.

And the bookmakers target people who can’t afford to lose their money on these machines, like too many Newham residents – that’s why there are more than twice as many betting shops in the poorest 55 boroughs compared with the most affluent 115, which are equivalent by population.

That’s why, since 2014, Newham’s Labour Council has been leading the way in calling for the stakes on FOBTs to be reduced to £2, bringing them in line with the limits on gambling machines in other easily accessible locations, such as bingo halls, amusement arcades and adult gaming centres.

In response to years of Newham’s campaigning the Government has now launched a consultation survey which might at lead to these terrible FOBT machine stakes being reduced. But we need to make sure that gambling industry lobby don’t dominate the responses, which is why we would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to respond to the survey online by clicking this link.

 Newham’s anti-FOBT campaign is now supported by Labour nationally, which is something else we can be proud of.

Let’s help make West Ham and all of Newham a better place to live and protect some of the most vulnerable people in our community by ensuring your voice is heard and the campaign to tackle the scourge of FOBTs and betting shop clustering is won!

The consultation survey closes at midday on 23rd January, but we urge to you to take a few minutes to complete it now.

I hope to see you out campaigning or at a social event soon.

Yours as ever,

Lyn Brown

Member of Parliament for West Ham