UNISON "We stand in solidarity with our sister trade unions and all workers across Ukraine"

 "As we witness shocking reports today of more suffering in Ukraine, we think of the public service workers - the first responders to devastating scenes, doing all they can to save lives.
We stand in solidarity with our sister trade unions and all workers across Ukraine - Christina McAnea, general secretary of UNISON, UK’s largest trade union for public service workers" UNISON Facebook

Well said Christina. Who would have thought in 2022 we would have again in Europe, fascists invading independent democracies. 

The best way to respond...Donate to "Help for Heroes".

Everyone will be shocked by the reports about the cowardly and savage murder today in London of a unarmed soldier by brain washed moronic animals pretending to be people of faith.

I think at this time our thoughts are firstly with the victim and his family.

While it is too soon to know exactly what happened and why - I suspect that they are doppelgangers
of Norwegian fascist mass murderer Anders Breivik. These extremists are all the same - ignorant, selfish, vain, cowardly bigots and should be treated with the contempt that they deserve. 

I think the best way to respond is to click here and donate whatever you can to "Help for Heroes" http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/donate/. Pass this on.

London Marathon 2012 training Wk 3: The Grotto, useless watch and useless dog owners

I’ve felt this week wasn’t as tough as last. Probably because there was only one run involving “maximum effort” reps. I bought a Timex “Ironman 30 lap” watch from Sweatshop for £50 to help me time the reps and recovery walks. It came with the most useless set of instructions I have ever come across. Despite being told by the assistant that this watch could programme reps I have no idea how to do it. So I’m taking it back.

“Run of the week” was on Sunday. The weather was marvellous for the time of year. I started off walking at Angel Pond in Wanstead flats, past the site of the old bandstand where Mosley and his fascist thugs use to try and hold open air meetings in the late 1930’s. Then started warm up jogging past the amateur footballers until I reached the pub “The Golden Fleece”. One of the better pubs in Newham. After stretches I started the 35 minute run towards the City of London Cemetery which is one of the largest in Europe. I ran in between the Cemetery and the Railway line. Turned left, past the allotments and along the Roding Way for a little while then into Wanstead Park. Then I got chased by a dog which nipped my left ankle. It didn’t break the skin and was more of a shock than painful. After many years of jogging I don’t think I have ever actually been nipped or bitten before even thought there has been a few close calls. Anyway I don’t blame the dog, rather the completely useless owners who just stood there with their mouths open like goldfish and didn’t even have the grace to apologise.

I carried on along the Ornamental Water and went past the Grotto (see painting) built 1761 and the site of a Roman-British temple. Up the Long Walk to Warren Road then down and past the ponds (where a German V1 landed in 1944 killing a solider and his girlfriend) into the flats again. The 35 minutes finished a few minutes from Angle pond and I jogged the rest of the way home. 

I am running the London marathon next year using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London".

Message to Breivik and his kind

I posted this last year.  It is quite apt. Apologies for the language if not the sentiment.

Iran keeps on murdering its children

The Iranian fascits have now decided to move on from gunning down kids on demos to murdering trade unionists in cold blood.  Check out and send protest at Labourstart, the TUC protest here and this report below from Iran Solidarity. 

"‘Today, my work has just begun,’ mother of executed political prisoner, Farzad Kamangar


‘If we stay silent, these executions will continue,’ Mohammad Amin Kamangar, brother of executed political prisoner Farzad Kamangar

In the early hours of Sunday 9 May 2010, the Islamic regime of Iran executed political prisoners Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heydarian, Farhad Vakili, Shirin Alam-Houli and Mehdi Eslamian. The four young men and one woman were executed for their political opposition to the regime. Farzad Kamangar was a teacher and human rights activist who was arrested in 2006 and charged with ‘enmity against God’ in a ‘trial’ that lasted seven minutes. Mehdi Islamian was arrested on May 4, 2009 and spent six months in solitary confinement; his brother has also been executed. Shirin Alam Hooli was arrested in May 2008 in Tehran and sentenced to death in November 2009. Ali Heydarian and Farhad Vakili were imprisoned since 2006/2007.

The sentences were carried out in secret, without their families or lawyers being informed, and despite the fact that three of the cases were under review. The Islamic regime has refused to hand over the bodies of the dead unless their families guarantee that there will be no protests in Iran and abroad.

Since yesterday, thousands have gathered in protests at the Islamic Republic’s embassies and consulates in various cities across the globe. In London, Paris and Frankfurt angry demonstrators pelted the buildings with eggs, red paint and stones. The families of the five had called for a demonstration outside Tehran University in Iran on Monday 10 May, which was attacked by the regime’s security forces. On May 13 a general strike has been called in Iranian Kurdistan and elsewhere. Many are expected to join this day of protest.

Iran Solidarity is outraged at the executions of the five political prisoners as well as the recent execution of 45 Afghan immigrants in Iran and calls on people everywhere to stand in protest against executions in Iran and everywhere by joining the May 13 general strike and ongoing protests at the regime’s embassies or consulates or by carrying out acts of solidarity against executions wherever they are. Another 27 political prisoners are at imminent risk of execution and need public support.

Farzad Kamangar’s mother recently said: ‘If anyone can do anything, please do. Do not let them execute youngsters en masse. You and the world shall be my defence. Please let the world hear my plea.’

A mythical Balearic Island

I’m just back from a great break in warm and sunny Mallorca. Or rather according to The Rough Guide the mythical fifth Balearic Island called “Majorca” (the English spelling for Mallorca). Since this is apparently a long standing Spanish joke (there are only four Islands).

As much as I enjoy The Rough Guides and have been using them to get the most out of holidays for years they are extremely patronising about the typical holidays enjoyed by ordinary working people. Now I have flown into countries and used The Rough Guide to take public transport or to hire a car and tour around the countryside while staying at small hotels or camp sites and eating at local restaurants. Which they seem to think is the only "proper tourism".

However, I also from time to time enjoy staying put for a week at a well run inexpensive “all inclusive” resort favoured by the masses. Last week I still went walking and touring most days but I mainly just wanted to indulge, crash out, read and enjoy the sea and sunshine. Some of the huge sprawling resorts are pretty awful but just rubbishing anything that doesn’t appeal to a middle aged middle class graduate reminiscing about his gap year is just toffee-nosed nonsense. I would recommend the resort Calas de Mallorca on the East Coast to most folk - it was very pretty, there was lovely walks along the cliffs and beaches, there was even (God forbid) a small but compact and lively commercial centre of bars and shops - but to The Rough Guide it is simply just awful and charmless - not even really worth a mention.

On a more serious note the picture is of a memorial “to all the victims of the civil war” (in Spanish on base) just under the Santuari de Sant Salvador in Artá (well worth a visit for the views). I do not know who erected this memorial or why (The Rough Guide did not mention it!). During the War Mallorca was occupied by the Fascists while Menorca was held by the Republicans. By co-incidence last week was also the 39th anniversary of the end of the Franco regime.

There is nothing British about the BNP

It’s not often that you will find me praising a website set up by Tim Montgomerie of Conservativehome. NothingBritish.com is different. While it is not quite in the same league of “Hope not Hate” I for one am really pleased that Tories are also attacking the BNP.

“Nothing British” is a campaign against the politics of discrimination, segregation and racial supremacy.

We need to get the message out that the BNP is not at all a "patriotic" or “law and order” party worthy of any protest vote. It is after all - irony of ironies- a Party that believes in completely foreign and alien ideologies – Nazism and Fascism.

Tomorrow morning on my usual jog across “Wanstead flats” I will run across the impact site of a German Nazi V2 rocket attack which killed young British soldiers stationed there in 1944.

No matter how angry or disillusioned, you may feel at the moment about all mainstream Parties, to vote for the BNP would be a betrayal to the memory of all those who fought and died to keep Hitler and Nazism from these shores.

Union Friday - Take a Stand against the BNP

Griffinism for Dummies

I’ve just joined the facebook Group "Vote AGAINST the BNP in the 2009 council and EU elections!".

A worthy cause of course.

Then I came across this photo and could not resist posting it.

Spread the good word!

Hat tip thingy to Mark Bull from the Facebook group.

BNP Nightmare

I received this email tonight via I think this blog:-

“Hi, I've just joined the campaign to stop the BNP - you should do the same.While the BNP pretend to be a "legitimate" political party, once you scratch the surface they're the same old racist organisation that they've always been.

But scarily, people don't know the truth - and this year the BNP are running candidates in the elections in June - and their leader Nick Griffin is standing for the European Parliament.

I remember people saying they wouldnt get a seat in the London Assembly.We can stop them if enough people sign up and join the campaign. action.hopenothate.org.uk/defeatthebnp

It is really serious - can you imagine Nick Griffin earning £50plus grand out of the public purse.We can't let this happen. Please get involved by signing up here:action.hopenothate.org.uk/defeatthebnp

Thanks!”

(I have removed the name)

Just imagine it ...“Nick Griffin – British Member of the European Parliament” – if this doesn’t get you out campaigning against the Nazis this year what will?

Check out also the main Hope Not Hate (searchlight) website.

Newham “Total out of Burma” pickets

On route this morning to Lyn’s T Party I stopped off at the East Ham “Total out of Burma” picket outside the "Total" Petrol garage in High Street North. Today there has been a national day of action outside the French oil company “Total” Headquarters and their petrol garages across the UK.

"Total" is simply a dreadful and unethical organisation, which despite being the 5th biggest oil company in the world, is one of the very few that insists on investing in Burma and gives the military junta hundreds of millions of dollars each year in taxes and kick backs.

This money is used to buy guns and bullets to shoot and kill monks and other unarmed peaceful protesters who just want democracy and freedom for their country.

After the “T Party” I went to the picket outside the "Total" garage in Romford Road, Manor Park with another Labour Party colleague, former Councillor and UCL branch Chair, John Whitworth (seen wearing the placard “Total-ly out of order”).

There were 9 of us on this picket, 5 of which were Burmese. This is very good for an overseas solidarity picket. (There were 12 picket lines across London alone). We were carrying placards and leafleting motorists who were caught up in the usual very heavy traffic along that stretch of Romford Road.

I was on the entrance to the petrol station speaking to motorists who had pulled over for fuel. I must admit that this was one of the most successful pickets that I have ever been on. Nearly all vehicles pulled over allowed us to speak to them. They remembered the awful scenes of soldiers shooting unarmed monks in Burma. Most agreed to drive away to Tesco’s at Barking (I also told then that it was cheaper!).

Nearly everyone was pretty horrified at the connection of "Total" with the murderous regime in Burma. They did not know that their money was being used to profit a company that condoned mass murder.

Many were dismayed that they would in anyway at all be supporting the Burmese junta and insisted that I look at their petrol gauges, which were near empty and that they had to get fuel in case they ran out. We agreed that maybe they could get a gallon of petrol to get them out of trouble.

Lyn Brown MP had asked if she could attend however after the T Party she had to go to a service for a new church in Stratford. The protest had to finish before she could get to us, but she will send the Burma campaign a message of support.

I’m not going to romanticise this protest too much. However, I have been on a fair number of pickets over the years. It was firstly good to be out numbered by Burmese members of the picket (even though I suppose we should have been able to get more non-Burmese protesters out).

It was also encouraging to speak to ordinary people about something “political” and get what I thought to be a thoughtful and positive reaction. I don’t think that I have ever been on a picket line were we have ever turned back so many people. People also understood the argument and agreed that boycotting was an appropriate and legitimate response to what has gone on in Burma.

It was something that all East End Brits regardless of race, religion, nationality or class wanted to support. Chauffeur driven Rolls Royce’s and Citroen 2CVs were all turned back when we spoke to them about why we were picketing.

We had loads of cars “hooting” in support and people shouting supportive remarks as they went by. OK, as you can imagine not all remarks were 100% supportive, especially as traffic was held up at times when motorists stopped to talk to us. But overall the protest was very successful. As you can see from the pictures, we persuaded lots of people to boycott Total, this is normally their most busy day. I suspect that this will contribute towards the long term "reputational risk" that "Total" faces for its policy towards Burma.

I couldn’t make it to the final picket tonight at the "Total" HQ in Baker Street. Hope it went OK. Will speak to Labour Party comrades about organising further pickets at these garages in the future. Maybe monthly? Next week I am due to go to a Local Government Pension Union trustee conference. I will try and bring this issue up here as well. Watch this space.