Community Land Trusts - are they part of the answer? Compass in Newham debate 3rd July

This looks like a good event but I have clash that evening. 

Reminder: Newham Campass Thursday 26 October Adult Social Care "Quality Vs Cash"

I will be sorry to miss this event (at the new venue) but tomorrow is West Ham GC!

Shame, a really interesting topic. Hope someone mentions UNISON Ethical Care Charter. Which hopefully Newham Council will be considering signing soon. 

Newham Compass debate on Adult Social Care - Quality vs Cash?

Dear Compass Supporter,

Here with details of our event on Thursdsay October 26th at 7.30:

Adult Social Care - Quality vs Cash ?

with Anna Bailey-Bearfield

Lead Officer: Fix Dementia Care

The Alzheimer’s Society

Larry Sanders

Social Care Spokesperson: the Green Party

Jos Bell

Chair: London Socialist Health Association

Please note the new, fully accessible, venue: East Ham Workingmen's Club, Boleyn Road.

The Future of the Left in Britain: Newham Compass & Fabians event 21 Feb 2017

Should be interesting. 

The EU: in or out - Newham Compass debate 13 June

This should be interesting. I have not heard anyone yet speak on behalf of "Labour Leave". 

Newham Compass debate: Refugees and the EU - Wednesday 18 May

This looks like a really interesting debate tomorrow evening but I have a clash so I don't think I will be able to make it.

Newham Compass debate on "Devolution London" 7.30pm Wednesday 7 October

This should be interesting. "Devolution London". Former leader of Southwark Counicl Jeremy Frazer, Co-author of "Changing London" David Robinson, Co-author of London Devolution Prospectus and Tessa Jowell former Minster. Chaired by Julianne Marriott.

Free parking nearby (check spot first for restrictions) and only 10 minustes walk from Upton Park underground. Right next door to a rather well known football stadium.

 All members of the progressive left are welcome!

Voting Systems: Newham Compass debate 1 July 2015

A topical subject again after May 7. I suspect that those of us who support a change in "first past the post" missed the boat during the AV referendum and we are now stuck with the current system for at least the next 5 years.

Yet it is important that the debate continues. One of the many difficulties is getting people who support change to agree what is the best (or least worse) alternative. Party lists system for example, are in my view, worse than FPTP.

I will have to give my apologies due to clash with UNISON event. It would be interesting to hear Francis and Rachel speak but it's a pity that there is no speaker who supports FPTP (is Red Tel available?)

A UK Foreign Policy for the Middle East - Newham Compass 17 Feb 2015

This is going to be a really interesting event. It clashes with my UNISON branch AGM. Which is a real shame as Mike is always an entertaining speaker and was the former chair of the foreign affairs select committee.

British Foreign Policy in the Middle East - Newham Compass

Advance notice of the next Newham Compass event on Tuesday 17th February

"British Foreign Policy in the Middle East"

with Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South.

I have a clash (my UNISON branch AGM) so will not be able to make it. Which is a shame not least since Mike is a former chair of the foreign affairs select committee.

I'll post more details when I get them.

Reminder: A Manifesto for Labour 2015: Newham Compass Tuesday 28 October

Jon Cruddas MP and Steve Terry from UNISON Labour Link in a debate on the Labour Manifesto for 2015

Chaired by Lyn Brown MP.

Tuesday 28 October 2014 at 7.30pm in West Ham Supporters Club, East Ham.

A Manifesto for Labour 2015: Newham Compass with Jon Cruddas MP

This should be a great event which I am sorry to say that I will have to miss. The venue is really good and we have a private room with access to a bar.

"Women & Power In Europe" Newham Compass

Last week I went to this Newham Compass debate at West Ham Supporters club in Green Street. 

The Chair was supposed to be Newham Councillor and recent Labour MEP candidate Farah Nazeer. However she was unable to make it so former Newham Councillor (and author) Graham Lane stepped in. 

First speaker was Charlotte Minvielle (on left of panel) from the UK arm of the French "Parti Socialist". 

The French constitution in 2012 allowed for 11 Members of its National Parliament to represent citizens who live outside France. Charlotte has lived in the UK for the past 8 years and helped elect Axelle Lemaire as Northern Europe (including UK) representative in 2012. In April this year Axelle is now the French Government Secretary of State for Digital Affairs. 

As a young women, mother and now Minister, Axelle has received a lot media attention and questions. 

Interestingly, Charlotte explained that in France, political parties face fines if they do not have parity of political representation for women. Companies face audits as well on pay gaps between men and women which can also result in fines. Some organisations prefer to pay the fines rather than change.

She noted that in the UK Ed Miliband now has 33% of Labour MP's who are women compared in only 3% in 1982.  But in the UK women have been far more affected by austerity than men by 3:1.

The second speaker was Violeta Vajda who was a candidate for the Green Party in the recent European Elections. Violeta has a Romanian and Hungarian, part Roma background. She thought it was good to speak to so many men at this meeting about "Women and Power" (there were 9 men present and only 4 women I am afraid). 

Violeta thought that things had changed and every women she met during the recent Euro campaign regardless of Party was a feminist. However, she praises the men who stand behind women. Green MP Caroline Lucas who was arrested during a protest alongside her son. Parenting is a political activity. She is only here tonight because her mother is looking after her son.

In the Q&A I asked Charlotte for more details about the fines on political parties if they do not have gender parity. She said that it was a good principle but like in housing development in France, 20% of all new properties are supposed to be for social housing. Developers will only build 5% social housing and pay the fine. 

I challenged Violeta about her comment that all the women candidates she meet were "feminists" since I have come across a number of women in politics who express a very dismissive "Margaret Thatcher" style attitude to feminism? Violeta responded by saying that some women will indeed "sell their soul" to win political office but privately they will admit that they are feminists.

This was yet another great Newham Compass event with intelligent and thoughtful speakers who have challenging ideas and views that we may not always agree with but want to listen to and then debate. Many, many thanks to Christopher for organising these events and for Graham for chairing.

A breath of fresh air.

Reminder - Women & Power in Europe debate this evening

Dear Compass Supporter,

Just to remind you of our event (Tuesday) at 7.30 at the West Ham Supporters Club, Castle Street, off Green Street. Near the junction with Barking Road. Nearest tube Upton Lane E6:

 Charlotte Minvielle of the French Socialist Party

 Violeta Vajda, Green Party Euro Candidate

 Women & Power in Europe

Chaired by Graham Lane

Very sadly Farah Nazeer has been unable to shift a clinic appointment and is thus unable to be with us. 

I Look forward to seeing you all there.

Viva!

Christopher

"Women & Power in Europe" Compass in Newham debate 24 June 2014

This looks really good but I have a union clash in the evening so not sure if I can make it. I only know Newham Councillor Farah Nazeer, who is an intelligent and thoughtful speaker.

The meeting is being Chaired by former Newham Councillor Graham Lane, whose excellent book "How Different Governments Have Weakened Local Government and Democracy" I have recently finished reading and will post upon soon.

What should the next Labour Government do about Education? Newham Compass & Fabians

The next Great debate by Newham Compass and Fabians will be on Education and will take place on Tuesday 1 April (no comment) at the West Ham Supporters' Club Castle St, London, East Ham E6 1PP.

Newham Compass: "How could the House of Commons work better?"

(Guest post by Sue Masters on last weeks debate) "If the House Of Commons is a megaphone to broadcast the opinions of those who don’t have a voice – one brilliant metaphor to spring out of our night’s debate – it’s an instrument whose booming tones too often can falter – drowned out by the herd, detuned by the strains of adversarial politics and muffled by party whips.

These were just a number of the problems expounded on by tonight’s speakers at Newham Compass’ debate.

Chaired by South East MEP candidate and local councillor, Farah Nazeer, The night’s conversation ranged widely and soon revealed there was no shortage of areas ripe for improvement.

The Electoral Society’s CEO, Katie Ghose kicked off proceedings with the radical notion that to truly alter perceptions of the House Of Commons you’d need to tear it down and rebuild from scratch, as the institution’s problems are embedded in its very architecture.

She also talked about the need to reconnect politics with the people, reform the Lords and truly think about what it is we want from our MPS – whether they’re there to represent us, scrutinise the executive, develop legislation or handle local casework. For her, though, there were glimmers of hope in terms of the increased impact of select committees, improvement in terms of their selection and emergency questions as a means to bring a wider array of voices to bear on proceedings.

If Katie took the strategic approach to the night’s question, it was left to Lisa Nandy (as MP for Wigan, a resident of the house in question) to give us the bird’s eye view of the day-to-day challenges facing her in the Commons – issues that were seldom black and white.

If she agreed with the needs for Lords reform she equally conceded the high quality of debate provided by that institution and felt the frustratingly adversarial nature of sessions such as Prime Minister’s questions, were counterbalanced by opportunities to work together, cross-bench, on legislation to ensure all angles and opinions were considered.

We heard about the limitations of MPs’ resources when squaring up to private sector lobbyists and when juggling many different areas of legislation across their working days. And then there was the strain push-button protest platforms such as Avaaz and 38 degrees have put on a member’s working day. While we’d all agree the preservation of our forests is a worthy (and seemingly uncontentious issue) how quickly would we hit that “send” button to register our support if we knew a vote, taking less than a minutes on our part could force an MP to spend hours dealing with correspondence, leading them away from assisting elderly constituents unable to afford heating bills?

If the issues raised by our two brilliant speakers covered a wide range of areas, this was more than matched by the ensuing Q&A, in which an audience of local councillors, candidates and residents raised their own concerns.

Perhaps the real issue of the night, however, was how such questions would ever receive proper airtime in the very house under consideration - though it was felt that questions about self-governance raised by the Scottish question and the prospect of a new government in 2015 offered a few rays of hope".

Reminder: How could the House of Commons work better? Lisa Nandy MP & Katie Ghose Electoral Reform Society

Reminder about tomorrows debate on "How can the House of Commons work better" organised by Newham Compass and Fabians on Tuesday 10 December 2013 at 8pm in West Ham Supporter's Club, Castle St, London E6 1PP.

I have to go out of London tomorrow and may not be back in time. So can some kind soul take pictures and make notes for a guest blog? 

How could the House of Commons work better? Lisa Nandy MP & Katie Ghose Electoral Reform Society

This should be yet another interesting debate organised by Newham Compass and Fabians on Tuesday 10 December 2013 at 8pm in West Ham Supporter's Club, Castle St, London E6 1PP.

Reminder: Trident Debate tomorrow (Tuesday 14 May)

Tomorrow's Newham Compass/Fabians debate on Trident "What it for?".

Labour NEC member Luke Akehurst will be debating with Dr Kate Hudson from CND.

7.30pm Tuesday 14 May at the West Ham Supporters' Club (which is next door to the football stadium). Nearest tube Upton Park.

It is free to attend but a donation towards the cost of room would be appreciated.