London Labour Conference - Day 2 West Ham CLP & UNISON

Day 2 of conference started for me with a UNISON delegation meeting at 9.30 which was confusing since we did not know the order of business for the day.  So we agreed to meet up again at lunchtime by which we expected that any controversial matter to be explained so we could make a collective decision.

Then we found out that that the proposed rule changes were to be heard first thing that morning. So it was all rather confusing and messy.

Both UNISON and West Ham CLP had a good day I think with a number of us making speeches in conference debates and contributions during fringes.

I moved the Housing motion on the private rental sector on behalf of UNISON and Joshu moved the motion on Youth Safety on behalf of West Ham CLP. Both were passed unanimously.

During the merit awards retired former UNISON Regional Secretary Linda Perks (and Labour Councillor candidate 2018) was given a lifelong service award.

Dawn Butler MP closed conference with a lovely personal but powerful political speech about overcoming and rising above racism and sexism.

While the conference was a little grumpy and even bad tempered at times I thought it was on the whole a success and that we were united about the importance of winning both the next General Election and local elections in London 2018.

I was really pleased to end the day with singing (however badly) "The Red Flag" and posing with UNISON comrades for the traditional delegation conference picture.  

West Ham CLP Crime and Policing Motion to Greater London Labour Conference 2017

Motion to London Labour Party Conference from West Ham CLP

"Conference notes that Metropolitan Police statistics show that gun crime in London increased by 42% in 2016/17.

Conference also notes that the same statistics show knife crime in our city jumped by 24% in the same period.

Conference further notes that in 2017 in Newham alone, by 23rd October, 24 young people have been shot or stabbed so far in 2017, resulting in five deaths. In addition, one young man has died in police custody.

Conference believes that the impact of the £1.7 billion cuts in police funding that the Mayor of London estimates has occurred over the last 10 years has had a major impact on the Metropolitan Police’s ability to combat crime, as have the unprecedented cuts on youth services.

Conference calls upon Labour to campaign to have these cuts reversed.

Conference also calls for London Labour to push for the next Labour Government commit to investing in the future of our young people by resourcing councils and the voluntary sector to deliver high quality youth provision, non-formal education programmes and anti-gang diversion programmes, as well as providing the resources the police need to deliver proactive community engagement work".