The John Smith Memorial Lecture: Gordon Brown - The future of public life

 

Last Wednesday, after a long day at a UNISON NEC meeting, I was lucky to get a ticket to a packed lecture by former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It was held in Cadogan Hall in West London. 

Gordon was introduced by former Labour Leader Neil Kinnock who was on form. Gordon came on the stage and just stood in the front and without notes gave a comprehensive and compelling analysis of the big political and social issues facing the world. Interweaved with personal remanences, historical contest and at times, great humour. A "tour de force". 

Check out this report on the lecture "WE NEED TO REBUILD THE PUBLIC SQUARE": GORDON BROWN DELIVERS INAUGURAL JOHN SMITH MEMORIAL LECTURE - John Smith Centre

"Remembering Irene Stacey – a stalwart of our union, and a friend"

A fitting tribute from our General Secretary, Dave Prentis to Irene.

Throughout her time in UNISON – and through her illness – Irene’s bravery was clear to everyone who knew her, and an inspiration to all of us who worked and campaigned alongside her. She will be a huge loss to our NEC, her branch and our union.

Irene Stacey, a long-standing member of our NEC representing low-paid members in London, died earlier today after a long illness.

Irene was a stalwart of our union. Someone universally admired and respected by members, activists and staff alike. Formerly the branch secretary of UNISON’s local government branch in Newham, Irene served with the dedication and passion for which she was famous.

Her enthusiasm for our union was infectious. A passionate recruiter of new members, Irene was rewarded by the TUC for her efforts, and never stopped encouraging people to join UNISON – even when she was being treated in hospital. Yet if she was passionate about getting new members into the union, she was equally as strident when it came to standing up for them. To Irene, our members were amazing people who needed all the support they could get, and who deserved the best – and she saw it as her role to ensure that was the case.

The Labour Party was another organisation through which Irene fought diligently for better public services, better rights at work and better pay for all those who work for our communities. Irene sat on our Labour Link committee, always keeping conversations grounded in the realities of our members experiences, and represented UNISON at many Labour conferences, including in 2017. Irene was undergoing treatment at that time, but she would not let that stop her from playing a full role in the delegation.

Yet her dedication to the Labour Party never stopped her from holding the party to account. I will never forget Irene, about to be awarded a gold badge by the TUC for her recruitment work by Gordon Brown, taking the opportunity to upbraid the then Prime Minister over widow’s pensions.

That was typical of Irene. Throughout her time in UNISON – and through her illness – Irene’s bravery was clear to everyone who knew her, and an inspiration to all of us who worked and campaigned alongside her. She will be a huge loss to our NEC, her branch and our union.

Our thoughts today are with her beloved daughters Jo and Mandy, and her wider family.

RIP Irene – our friend.

Redbridge Schools Fairness Conference

On Thursday I went to Beal High School in Clayhall to observe a conference run by Redbridge Schools on "Fairness".

I am a member of the Redbridge Council Fairness Commission which has been set up to investigate poverty and inequality in the Borough and what the Council and its partners can do about it. 

set up to investigate poverty and inequality in Redbridge and look at how the Council and its partners are taking action to address it. - See more at: http://www2.redbridge.gov.uk/cms/the_council/public_meetings/fairness_commission.aspx#sthash.Fob7WwQK.dpuf

set up to investigate poverty and inequality in Redbridge and look at how the Council and its partners are taking action to address it. - See more at: http://www2.redbridge.gov.uk/cms/the_council/public_meetings/fairness_commission.aspx#sthash.Fob7WwQK.dpuf

set up to investigate poverty and inequality in Redbridge and look at how the Council and its partners are taking action to address it. - See more at: http://www2.redbridge.gov.uk/cms/the_council/public_meetings/fairness_commission.aspx#sthash.Fob7WwQK.dpuf

The conference had around 100 pupils aged 14-17 and teachers from all over Redbridge. It was an opportunity for young people to discuss and debate "Fairness" and let us know what they think. Co-chair of the Commission, Cllr Mark Santos, opened the conference and told us that one of his favourite quotes was from former Prime Minster, Gordon Brown, that “Inequality should not be woven into the fabric of our lives". 

The main facilitators were Phoebe and Jake from the social justice group "The Spark", who were entertaining and informative. They led the activities, workshops and debates. I think everyone present enjoyed their enthusiasm and zeal for social justice even if I thought there could have been a little more balance and objectivity at times. 

I was very impressed by the young students present who were articulate and confident with a wide knowledge of current affairs. The most lively debate was actually about grammar schools with those for and against (there are 2 grammar schools still in Redbridge) passionate in their beliefts but still eloquent.

The final session was a brainstorming about "how can we make Redbridge fairer?" . The feedback was wide ranging: - a mass of analysis and ideas. I picked up "improve relations between different communities, promote a sense of unity, work experience hub, tackle age divide, teach practical financial skills, a swimming pool in Seven Kings, more youth clubs and greater community cohesion".

The full feedback will be fed back to all the Commissioners and at the end Cllr Santos thanked everyone for being part of such a great event and made it clear that the Commission will respond to all their ideas and suggestions.

(picture by Banksy used in photo activity)

Ed Miliband got more votes in England in 2015 than Tony Blair got in 2005.

Yes, I know about an increase in population and low turnout in 2005 but...

#justsaying.

Makes you think maybe it wasn't that bad...?

Hat tip Dr Éoin Clarke

Gordon saves the Union, Scotland says No...time now to move on

To be clear I am so relieved with the result today, yet people I know and respect are utterly desolate and devastated.  Democracy is noble and uplifting but it also can be very cruel and personal.

I don't care what the vile trolls of both camps think or say but I do think that everyone now needs to move on and do what is best for Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

While my preferred option at this moment would be a Federal Britain of democratic regions and nations, I want us all to decide it by "the Scottish way" - that is - openly argue and passionately debate our common future.  England and Wales please note!

Richard Howitt MEP speaks to Joint London & Eastern Regions UNISON Labour Link

Immediately after our London UNISON Labour Link forum last week there was a special joint meeting with London and Eastern region. The first speaker was Richard Howitt, Labour Member of European Parliament.The meeting was chaired by Link National officer, Keith Birch.

Richard began by pointing out that the long running UNISON campaign against the reduction in Meat hygiene inspectors had been proved right over the recent horse meat scandal.

He then spoke about Europe and contrasted the "left" in who want to inflate their economies in order to create growth and jobs with the "Right", who want cuts and austerity. While in the UK the only reason why the Tories are talking about leaving the EU is not really because of sovereignty but is all about rolling back Social Europe and reducing employment and health & safety protection for workers. He also reported on the recent victory in a recent EU judicial decision (Viking) in favour of labour rights above that of Capital.

I asked Richard in Q&A that the parts of Europe that seemed to being doing better in this recession were countries who have greater income equality and have greater public spending and progressive taxation. He replied that he tended to agree and said that countries such as Finland which have high taxes are amongst the most efficient and most productive economies in the world.

When he and other Labour MEPs were criticised by a London miserablist for apparently not standing up to the last Labour Government, Richard reminded him that they all refused to toe the line over the agency rights regulations and they were even sent letters threatening deselection.  While he had to say "No Prime Minister" over the issue in a very difficult telephone conversion with Gordon Brown.

He finished by reminding us all that 1 in 3 British jobs depend upon trade with EU and that the UK is a member of a number of international bodies such as the UN, ILO, IMF, World Bank etc. but no one says we should have a referendum on this. Next speaker was Chuka Umunna MP which I will post upon soon. 

My 2012 Olympic Highlights: George Osborne getting booed at the Paralympics:)

Just thinking of some of my highlights of the Olympic 2012 year.

 

nuff said.

London Paralympics Boos for Osborne & Cameron : Cheers for Brown & Robbins!

I got a message last night from a UNISON colleague who was at the Paralympic Games yesterday and witnessed Tory Chancellor George Osborne being booed by the crowd at the stadium.

It was also reported that Prime Minster Cameron was also booed while former PM Gordon Brown was cheered and clapped when he appeared.

Picture is of the stadium clapping Labour Leader of London Paralympic Borough Waltham Forest, Chris Robbins.

Son of Manse "exposed" as "Martyr of the Revolution"

I thought that I would cheer everybody up with this photo. An old friend is currently working in China and a couple of months ago he went for a walk in the local 'Martyrs of the Revolution Park'.

He swears his photo is real and this is what he saw.
Remind you of anyone?

(hint: "Red Gordon")

(hint: Mandy will be upset with him since he didn't have his tie on).

“The history books will be much kinder to this man...”

Tonight I was listening to the live coverage on Radio 4 of Conservative Leader, David Cameron, visiting the Queen in order to become our next Prime Minister. Labour minister (as then) Ben Bradshaw was being interviewed and I think that he spoke for many of us with these words in this post's title about how history will see former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

The media circus will now move on the Cameron coronation and its aftermath - then the future Labour Party leadership contest.

As for me? What I am thinking now about is what the imminent prospect of a Cameron/Clegg government means for my people?

I’m already starting to worry as a trade union rep about peoples jobs in our front line public services. As a Labour Councillor I’m worried about what will happen to my constituents who depend upon these front line services if there is no one to deliver them. As a brother I worry about my sister’s whose self employed husbands both depend upon Council and Government contracts for their families’ livelihood.

As a trade union rep I worry about Tory and Liberal manifesto commitments to cut pensions provision. As a Labour Councillor I worry about what will happen to my community if decent public pensions for already low paid local residents who work in schools and hospitals are slashed? As a son I worry about my old Mum who is dependent on pension credits for a livable income in her old age.

As a trade union rep I worry about Tory plans to cut workers pay, terms and conditions by letting the minimum wage “whither on the vine” and contracting out jobs to those who only pay poverty wages. As a Labour Councillor in a ward where pay is already relatively low this will be just disastrous. As an uncle I worry about my niece who works in retail who depends on the minimum wage being set at a level high enough keep her out of absolute poverty misery.

There are other thoughts and worries on similar lines.

But I am also thinking and talking to people about the future. We were beaten this time but neither did the Tories nor the Liberal Democrats win. We will have to go through the necessary post mortem and the new leadership election. However, we will then have to draw a line and plan for the next general election and make sure this time... we get a Labour victory.  Onwards and forwards comrades!

Bye, Bye Gordon

I had hoped to be drinking this bottle of “Gordon” Brown Ale obtained here while celebrating the re-election of a Labour government. It didn’t work out that way and tonight Gordon has quite properly and honourably fallen on his No. 10 sword and resigned as Party leader.

So I thought I might as well swig it down anyway.

Any excuse some would say.

I am reminded that “All political lives, unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture, end in failure, because that is the nature of politics and of human affairs". Enoch Powell, Joseph Chamberlain (Thames and Hudson, 1977), p. 151.

What a rough old business is politics.

This is the email he sent to Party members this afternoon.

“I wanted to explain to you the decision I have taken today.

I have said since Friday that it is crucial that this country, which I love so dearly, has a principled and strong government that can meet the challenge of securing the recovery and changing our politics.

As we know, the Liberal Democrats felt that they should first talk to the Conservative Party. Mr Clegg has just informed me this afternoon that he intends to continue those discussions and now wants to open up formal discussions with the Labour Party. I think it is sensible that we respond positively.

It is clear to me that there is a progressive majority in Britain and I believe it could be in the interests of the whole country to form a progressive coalition government. If the national interest can be served by such a coalition then I should discharge the duty to form that government.

But I have no desire to stay in my position longer than is needed to ensure that the path to progress is assured. The reason we have a hung Parliament is that no single party and no single leader was able to win the full support of the country. As the leader of this great party, I must accept that is a judgement on me.

Therefore I intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the process needed for a leadership election. I would hope for a leader to be in place by Labour Party conference. I will play no part in that contest and will back no individual candidate.

Once again can I thank you for your unstinting help and commitment to this wonderful party. Sarah and I appreciate the kindness you have shown us over the years.

I will of course stay in contact with you over the coming weeks and months.

Yours sincerely

Gordon Brown"

I still don't think the maths will work out for a Labour/Lib Dem coalition.  Not least since the Nats will not play ball and everyone knows that most of the Labour Party MP serial rebels will just carry on as usual.

Gordon says "Thank you" to Party members

"The past few days have seen us enter a political landscape not considered possible a few short weeks ago – with the outcome of the election leading to no single party able to form a majority government. My duty as Prime Minister has been to seek to resolve this situation, but I also have another important role.

As Leader of the Labour Party I am writing to you to thank you for answering my call. We entered this poll knowing there were an unprecedented number of undecided voters.

Over the course of the campaign you knocked on millions of doors, spoke to people in their homes, their workplaces and delivered tens of millions of leaflets. I could not have asked for a better or more dedicated team, but on polling day you excelled yourselves again - and the excellent results in so many of our most marginal seats are testament to that.

Make no mistake, the voters who heard the case for Labour and chose to trust us with their vote – they heard it from you. This truly was the word of mouth election - whether face to face, via their own communities or online, people heard our message above the roar of a hostile media and a very well funded opposition.

My resolve has not, and will not, change. I pledged to do everything in my power to fight for the people of this country – to secure the recovery, to protect their livelihoods and to continue to fight for a future fair for all.

Let us not forget the passion of the hundreds of thousands of activists who took pride in Labour’s record, and our vision for the future and then with unparalleled conviction acted upon it.

Thank you.

Gordon"

(In an email I have just received from Labour Party - Picture of Gordon addressing Newham Labour last year in Stratford Town Hall.  Well, "The Fightback" worked here!).

Gordon Brown's speech to London Citizens

"Gordon Brown has given a rousing speech to London Citizens with many critics saying it is his strongest of the campaign so far".

What fantastic passionate stuff reminding me "..the Labour Party is a moral crusade or it is nothing"

Go Gord Go (to a fourth term!)

Update: Check longer (and better I think) version of speech on Lukes blog

Left foot forward post

Yes We Khan!

Great picture of Tooting Labour Party Candidate (and UNISON member) Sadiq Khan with the Prime Minister and Sarah Brown in London yesterday.

Gordon Brown - the real message.

Check out the real message about Gordon Brown and the Labour achievements now at risk.  Love the music as well.

Patricia Hewlett’s tears over Brown

Well, after today’s events I think we all need cheering up at bit. So I’ll just play this clip on YouTube which shows Patricia’s reaction (she is referred to by her family nickname Zoey) in 2007 to the resignation of Tony Blair and the prospect of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister.

This obviously explains a lot!

(I won’t name and embarrass the person who originally showed me this clip in a very different context. But hat-tip thingy anon anyway)

"The more he talks, the less he says"

Brown on Cameron: Check out that PM Question time on Wednesday 2 Dec. Hat-tip thingy Dan McCurry.

Housing Matters 4 October 4 2009

I think that last week’s public housing news was dominated by the Labour Party conference. I will admit in advance that I will be drawn by issues I came across as a delegate.

Labour Investment v. Tory Cuts
Housing minister John Healey at a conference fringe event on Tuesday challenges the view that any new government elected next year would have to slash spending on public housing. It will happen under Tories but not Labour. Under Labour there was a medium term plan to increase capital expenditure.

CEO Excessive Pay: “Don’t Tar all of us with the same brush”
At another conference fringe in response to my question about the Housing Association sector's reputation being ruined by excessive CEO pay, David Eastgate Chief Executive Officer of Hyde Housing Association responded by saying that there were “several highly paid outliers” but “don’t tar us all with the same bush”.

I suspect that there are actually remarkably similar views of the RSL/RP sector shared by the blue rinse and pinstripe brigade currently gathering in Manchester.

Housing minister to look into HA Executive Pay.
At the “Communities” Policy Seminar (see picture above) I brought to Housing Minister, John Healey (right) attention that 2 years ago at the Labour Party conference I asked then minister Yvette Cooper about the soaring Pay of Housing Association CEO’s. I repeated the 2009 sorry tale of the Anchor Trust CEO pocketing just under £400k despite losing £35 million. When one of the panel heard that Anchor Trust had been originally set up by “Help the Aged” he said are you sure it was not set up by “Help yourself”. The Housing Minister said he would look into the issue and asked the housing trade unions to share any information they have about this issue with him. No problem with that methinks.

Housing issues in Prime Minster Gordon Browns conference speech
Another big push on anti-social behavior; more family intervention projects, help for 200,000 homeowners to stay in their home and supported accommodation for children with children.

Tory secret plans to triple rents and end security of tenure.
Labour Housing Minister John Healey (again) attacks Tory housing plans - which we all know will happen if they get in.

“My Mum gets shower fitted in Sheltered Housing Association Flat”
And she is really pleased...

John on Gordon’s Speech – a public housing perspective

Inside Housing has uploaded a vox pop video interview here of me yesterday on my reaction as a delegate with a housing background to Gordon’s speech.

This was just after the end of the speech and while I was waiting for the Communities Policy Seminar to begin.

I’ll try and get a copy and post on YouTube.

Operation Fight Back

I arrived at the end of Ed Miliband MP speech during the “General Election campaign” report but “Operation Fight back” is obviously on course.

Ed was followed by the co-ordinator Douglas Alexander MP. He noted the success that Hasting Labour Party had enjoyed by contacting a massive 16,000 voters. The national Party has done twice as well on voter contacts as last year.

Also that the Tories membership is down by 40,000 since Cameron took over as leader. He is still convinced that we can out organise and then out poll the Tories with 3 approaches.

1.Direct contact with public and earn the right for their support
2. Personal communication
3. Be rooted and reflect local communities.

He argued that new media is not so much a new medium but empowers traditional electioneering processes. For example “Virtual phone banks” get people to ring at home for the Party who simply would not do otherwise.

The General Secretary Ray Collins started his annual report to conference by promising that he has never knowingly kissed a Tory!

Conference finished with a “Candidates fighting to win presentation” which featured the Prime Minister amongst a backdrop of young Labour Prospective Parliamentary candidates. I thought this was quite clever but some “mature” delegates were complaining that this was ageist!

I thought that Gordon’s first speech and Q&A to conference was confident, comfortable and measured. A key theme seems to be to compare and contrast the Labour way of dealing with recession with that of Tories.

I will post next on the various fringes and events. Posting will be a little erratic not least that I hope to make a speech tomorrow.