London Labour Party Biennial Conference 2010 (part 2)

Check out my previous post here - I spoke on the main housing debate. As the Unison Branch Secretary of the London Housing Association whose 3500 members are terrified of picking up the pieces resulting from the Coalition cuts.

I referred to Karen Buck MP point about imposition of near market rents. This means the death of social housing. For nearly 100 years governments of all political persuasions have provided subsidy to make homes affordable to the low pay. Now - all new tenancies according to Inside Housing magazine, not the Labour Party, will have to pay £130 per week extra - I repeat £130 per week extra for an average 3 bed property. This is a national average, so this is not a London thing. This affects all new tenancies up and down the Country. This is not social housing anymore. If you are on a low income, unemployed or elderly you cannot afford to live in such homes.

Next was a well deserved Merit award to London Labour and trade union loyalist Maggie Cosin. Who gave a cracking acceptance speech. Many of us well remember meeting Maggie at by-elections across London.

Clive Efford MP led on the Public Services debate. He reminded everyone that it was former West Ham Labour MP, Tony Banks, who first christened Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, as “Mr Spud-u-like”. Unite Regional secretary, Steve Hart, spoke about winning this war requires cold strategic planning. The ConDems lie machine is in overdrive. On the doorstep this has some support. We must address these arguments. Public spending under Labour was lower than under Thatcher. Look over the water to Ireland to see our future under ConDems. There are 4 things we can do - defeat Boris and elect Ken in 2012; Labour councils and Labour MPs work with the labour movement to oppose cuts. Work with Labour Councils not fight them to build a movement of unions and councils. Build the march next year on March 26. Not just the trade unions on this march but the Labour Party as well. Labour and trade unions - our movement, united fighting for London. Together we can win.

Then lunch (in local cafe across road – lovely all day breakfast)

Next was a panel chaired by Linda Perks. Patrick Henegan gave a detailed presentation on “London 2012 Winning across the Capital” (Yes, we can). Tessa Jowell MP spoke about how being a member of the Labour Party use to be about a way of life. Being a Councillor, a trade unionist, educating yourself at the WEA, using the Co-op or even being a member of a brass band. For many in this Coalition the reason why they came into politics is purely to privatise and to reduce the state.

Labour London Mayor Candidate, Ken Livingstone, gave a simply blinding speech. Even those who are fed up with Ken at this moment agreed. He warned about those people who say to him about the London mayoral election in 2012 that “you will walk it”. If we do that we will lose. If Boris wins against me despite this being during the midterm of an unpopular government, it will be all about him to succeed Cameron.  Labour needs a machine to win. The old London Labour machine of Herbert Morrison (grandfather of Peter Mandelson). For 40 years this machine mobilised Politics. We need to build such a machine. Get the politics right and if we build the machine it will deliver and save Britain from Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

In 1979 he stood as MP for Hamstead. For the previous 3 years they had built a Labour machine there. We lost in 1979 but had built such a strong machine that when the tide changed, Glenda Jackson, got in as MP. The election in 2012 is different. There are Labour voters everywhere. Every single vote counts. In safe labour seats there are labour supporters who think it doesn’t matter if they vote. At the moment Boris is on 44%, me 42% and 14% for other parties. We are fishing in a small pool. The Tories have a big machine. It will be stupid to have all the right polices and not win. Boris has recently scuttled to the left like a crab. In last election he said transport fares are very high in London. He didn’t say “but I will make it higher”

Ken grew up in a London where there was always a local copper around. Putting Police in cars was a disaster. Safer Neighbour Teams (SNT) are the biggest advance in policing. A huge reason why crime has been cut. SNT offer reassurance and safety to the whole community.

Growing up in the 1960s he never met a unemployed person. When he became an MP, people who lost their jobs went onto sickness benefits. They were encouraged to go on the sick even when not sick. If you were not sick, 20 years of watching daytime TV would make you ill. The state subsides bad employers. We need a Living wage not just a minimum wage. If we build 100k new homes per year it would create 750k jobs. Get people into jobs and paying tax - not claiming benefits.

Ken described his first meeting with new Labour Leader, Ed Miliband. He had not felt so comfortable with a Labour Leader since John Smith. Ed is aware of mistakes made in past. When Herbert Morrison won the London County Council Elections for the first time it was to demonstrate what a Labour Council could do. This is what we must do. Then show the rest of country what Labour can do.

“Winning the argument” - no one will vote unless we will run the economy better and fairer. Ken has seen economy policy unravel in an election. Current National debt is 1/3 debt that of 1945. Despite this we then went on to enjoy the best quality of life in 1000 years of our history. A Vote for Ken will not save you from the pain. He will do everything to protect Londoners but it also needs a Labour government. There are 800k on London council waiting lists and how many other don’t even bother to register.

London’s biggest international selling point is our tolerance. Unlike France with its ban on scarves and the Swiss ban on minarets. The aftermath of the London bombing showed our tolerance. We can say to countries like Brazil bring your investment and you don’t need to leave your culture behind.

Labour’s greatest times are still to come.

(next was workshops). Picture credit Deirdre Costigan.

London Labour Party Biennial Conference 2010 (Morning speeches)

On Saturday at the Old Town Hall in Stratford there was the 2010 London Labour Party Biennial conference. 

This is now the 2nd London Biennial conference that I have posted upon. Check out 2008 here. I was again a member of the UNISON affiliate trade union delegation.  However, before the meeting I was helping out with the distribution of flyer's to all delegates about the impending launch of a London Branch of the Labour Housing Group (which was sponsored by UNISON Labour Link).

Usual health warning on the accuracy of my hurried notes. London Labour Party Regional Director Ken Clark opened the conference.  The first speaker was the the borough host, Newham Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, who happily reminded all delegates to sniff and enjoy the "Tory free" air in Newham.  Even better, in next door Barking and Dagenham, they enjoy the air being totally fascist free after the May elections! (loud applause).

Robin points out the sheer inequity and political gerrymandering of the "cuts" which has meant Newham will suffer £71 in cuts while Coalition run Richmond upon Thames, will only suffer £5 million.

Next was GLA Labour Assembly and London Pary leader, Len Duvall. I'll concentrate on the interesting bits of his speech (to me).  He condemned the Henz 57 model of community and personality politics.  Where elections are decided not on the basis of transparent London issues but on what is happening elsewhere.  The London Labour Party does want to have local parties (Tower Hamlets) in special measures, its not that we don't like someone or their politics but we are genuinely worried about what would happen.

Len spoke about the importance of London Labour Councils, not being too managerial and technical.  We need to be political and show there is a difference between us and them.  Between Labour and Brian Coleman.  We are different.  We want to genuinely negotiate and consult meaningfully.  If we look at terms and conditions of staff we need to think very carefully and make sure that everyone knows there is a difference.

Finally, never forget that Boris is an "anti-politician" who can make people laugh.  But the Tories fear Ken.  Because they know that Ken at his best is so superb.

Next was Barking MP Margaret Hodge.  Not only were the BNP in Barking and Dagenham "smashed" in May but their local defeat has contributed to their national destruction. Since May their BNP group leader has emigrated to Australia; BNP Assembly member Richard Barnsbrook has been expelled from their Party; their national leader Nick Griffin has agreed to resign and the BNP is also facing bankruptcy (shame). But we cannot take things for granted - such as the growth of the EDL. 

In London in May we won control of 10 new councils and 200 new Labour councillors. But this was still the 2nd worse defeat nationally in our history.  The Coalition policies are based on ideology not deficit. They are doing this because they believe in a small state, and "private good; public bad". This is worse than Shirley Porter in Westminster who only affected 1000 residents.  This policy will try and create middle class ghettos cleaned of anyone working class.

Remember always that Boris is at heart an enthusiastic right wing slasher.

Karen Bucks MP was warmly welcomed not least when she announced that dispute Tory predictions she was still the Labour MP for Westminster North!  Karen asked whether London stopped the Tories getting an overall majority? What will happen to waiting lists when the budget for new build is slashed by 50%?  Housing benefit may be a issue that makes ears bleed but even Boris is aware that if the housing benefits cuts go ahead then 20,000 children could lose their homes.

Finally, Labour should accept that they did not built enough houses while in power but instead did spend billions on much needed refurbishment and decent homes. However, we should agree that we did not spend enough time and money on new building new homes.

Note the recent comments by Tories that they only lost Westminister and Hammersmith seats to Labour because there are "too many poor people" living in these boroughs.

(I'll hopefully post on rest of conference later UPDATE: here)

London Labour Party Biennial Conference 2008

The conference was in the historical Old Town Hall in Stratford, Newham, E15 so I was able to walk there from home this morning enjoying the blue skies, cold fresh air and winter sunshine.

I was there as a member of the UNISON Labour Link delegation. We had a delegation meeting first where we discussed motions and whether we should support them or not and who should try and speak on motions from the conference floor.

The morning session of the conference was dominated by speakers, reports and Q&A’s. The afternoon had workshops, “our Ken” and Resolution debates, finishing up with the internal regional election results.

I’m not going to try and give a “full report” on the conference. Rather, a snapshot of some of the stuff I personally found interesting, usually from my own particular trade union perspective. A health warning is that this post is based on my hurried and often illegible scribbled notes.

Ken Clark, London regional director of the Labour Party brought us all into order (eventually, a Labour Party meeting of any kind is loath to start on time). The main hall of the Town Hall was pretty full with delegates. I assume about 300 plus people? Len Duvall, Chair of London Labour Party (and GLA Labour leader) chaired the conference. He had been re-elected Chair unopposed. From my hurried squiggles I note that he pointed out that this was not a time for the London Party to be sending out mixed messages; Labour in power makes a huge difference to people’s lives and we should never forget this; in the recent GLA elections despite the loss of the mayor we actually polled more votes than in the past and we had support in inner and outer London. Labour represents all of London.

The first main speaker was Sir Robin Wales, the directly elected Mayor of Newham who welcomed delegates to smell the fresh air of a Tory free Newham (there are no Tory or Liberal Democrat opposition councillors in Newham). He reminded everyone of the Labour history of Newham and this very Town Hall. It was at this very place that Keir Hardy was elected as the first ever Labour MP in 1892. The balcony overlooking the High Street that we had all walked past to get in the hall was were Keir gave his victory speech.

The first ever Labour Council was elected in West Ham, Newham has the largest Labour majority in the Country. London as well as the “North”, has its Labour heartlands. Robin was very, very direct about his opinion about Galloway’s Respect (no comment). He also warned the conference about Boris and that we should judge him on what he does rather than what he says. This was a common theme from the day.

Harriet Harman MP (and deputy leader), reminded the conference that the Labour Government had indeed paid off debt in the past so now was in a better position to deal with present problems. While in the past you had to believe in prudence, now it is prudent to be bold. Labour in the current economic difficulties will not be saying unlike the Tories “if it isn’t hurting, it isn’t working” or that unemployment is “a price worth paying”. Traditional Labour values are about fairness and equality. She also noted that all London Tory MPs are white.

Next was an unopposed Conference Arrangements report (standing orders committee) followed by Guest speakers.

First was Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, who started her speech by mentioning that on route to Stratford today, the Jubilee Line had been partly closed. If Ken had still been in charge of Transport of London, this of course would never have happened! (Joke) She also said that the last time she had been at a London Biennial conference in 2006 she never thought that she would be present when Labour had nationalised the commanding heights of the British economy! (Joke – if somewhat true). Tessa pointed out that 75p in every £ spent on the Olympics would be spent on regeneration. 8,000 jobs will be created in the newly built Stratford Olympic shopping centre alone while 10% of the current 3,000 construction jobs are recruited locally from the unemployed.

Tony McNulty MP, Minister for London, Employment and Welfare Reform was next. He argued that some were overdoing the “doom and gloom”. The Tories are proving themselves not to be serious politicians. Cameron is very like “Strictly Come Dancing” Star, John Sergeant, (I can’t remember exactly why but it seemed applicable at the time and got a good cheer from conference). Tony reminded everyone about a fundamental difference between the Labour Party and the Tories – you would not get anyone in Labour “singing in the bath” about market cruelty. He also accused Boris of imitating disgraced Tory Westminster Politician Shirley Porter, for trying to use housing policy to gerrymander elections. Finally, he reminded everyone that if the election of Barack Obama taught us anything the last thing this country needed is an Old Etonion as our Prime Minister.

Good stuff - I’ll post on the rest of conference tomorrow.