Newham Labour - Deadline tomorrow (Friday 13.8.21) at 12 noon "We're hiring a Campaign Organiser"

Reminder

Role: Newham Labour Group Campaign Organiser 

Working For: Newham Labour Group

Salary range: £36,108.99 - £40,000 per annum subject to experience (gross and inclusive of London Weighting. Full-time and based on national Labour Party pay scale range 26 – 28)

Duration: Fixed term to October 2022

Application deadline: Midday, Friday 13th August 2021

Check out https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/7356156/newham-labour-group-campaign-organiser/ for further details 

We're hiring a Campaign Organiser - Newham Labour

Role: Newham Labour Group Campaign Organiser 

Working For: Newham Labour Group

Salary range: £36,108.99 - £40,000 per annum subject to experience (gross and inclusive of London Weighting. Full-time and based on national Labour Party pay scale range 26 – 28)

Duration: Fixed term to October 2022

Application deadline: Midday, Friday 13th August 2021

Check out https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/7356156/newham-labour-group-campaign-organiser/ for further details 

 

Using the Labour Party doorstep app to stay safe & speak to voters (about squirrels in attics?)

 

On Saturday morning we had a training event for Newham Labour Councillors on campaigning in general and also on the Party doorstep app. Instead of printing out sheets of names and addresses of residents for canvassing teams to knock on doors and speak to voters, this information is down loaded onto a mobile smart phone. The results of these conversations can then also be uploaded automatically (a great advantage since quite often such data collected on sheets is not inputted). 

During the recent East Ham Central by election we used doorstep and while it is not perfect it was much better than the traditional method. While mobile phones batteries can die in the middle of a session so could pens run out of ink. 

There are a number of very informative videos on the Labour Party website at the Webinar Library "Using Campaign Technology Tools". 

After the training we had a "dialogue" telecanvassing session in our target wards. During which I spoke to one life long Labour supporter who is (quite rightly) refusing to support us locally until we sort out the squirrels who are  apparently running riot are in the communal attic above her. I will ask local ward councillors to intervene. 

Newham Voting for Change

 Hat tip One Bangla News "Newham Voting for Change is the campaign set up in October 2020 to campaign for change in the local governance referendum which will take place on 6 May 2021.

The group, formed of Newham residents and councillors, believes that the committee structure is a more open, democratic and accountable way for Newham Council to make decisions.

The referendum on the 6 May 2021 offers Newham residents a choice between the current Democratically Elected Mayoral system, or the committee system, where decisions are made not by one person (the Mayor) but by committees formed of elected councillors.

Cllr Anamul Islam, Chief Whip for the Newham Labour Group of councillors, said: “The committee structure is a more democratic, inclusive and open way of making decisions in the local council. It allows much more participation from community groups in council decision making and ensures that local councillors are more accountable to the people who elect them.”

Josephine Grahl, Newham resident and campaigner for the committee structure, said: “The vote on the 6 May 2021 is binding for ten years, so it’s really important that Newham residents have their say. We’ve had a directly elected Mayor for nearly twenty years, but now is the time for a change to a fairer, more democratic system.”

Contact details
newhamvotingforchange@gmail.com"

https://newhamforchange.org/

https://twitter.com/ForNewham

https://www.facebook.com/newhamvotingforchange

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/newham-for-change

Newham Labour Family at Unity Anti-Racist & Anti-Fascist March

This picture collage is from today's March and Rally in Central London. Newham Labour Councillors, Party members & supporters met in the morning outside Stratford Station in order to travel down together to the march.

While we were gathering there was a series of speeches including our London Assembly member Unmesh Desai and a young person, 10 year old Unais, who reminded us that the same hearts beat under our skins regardless of race or colour.

I also gave a short speech reminding everyone that only last Sunday many of us had attended ceremonies remembering those who died defending us against fascists and in November 1940 fascists bombers had rained bombs on London including Stratford, killing thousands of Londoners. We must never forget this and always fight fascism and racism in all its forms.

The march formed in Portland Place near the BBC headquarters. I helped carry the West Ham Labour Party banner with my ward Councillor John Whitworth (and others). At the end of the march there was a rally in Whitehall (near Downing Street) and a number of speeches including that of our Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, who passionately attacked all supporters of hate in our society. 

"Oh What A Lovely War"

I am just back from watching a performance of "Oh What A Lovely War" at the Theatre Royal in Stratford East. The show was first performed at this theatre in 1963.

The theatre tonight had been fully booked by Newham Labour Group as a fund raiser/social.

I really enjoyed the performance and thought it was much better than the 1969 film.

Most of the songs in the show originated from the musical hall era and it just seemed to suit the snug and traditional Theatre Royal which was first built in 1884.  I suspect many of them were actually song on that stage at patriotic performances during the war.

Other songs from the show I remember singing (badly) during various route marches in my youth when I was a cadet and a member of the Territorials.

Tory Education minister Michael Gove has attacked this show and others for "peddling left wing myths" about the first world war which he describes as a "noble...and just cause". Which is just nonsense. While the show was not a BBC History production about the rights or wrongs of the war, it accurately reflects the humour and heroism of the British Tommies amongst the senseless and often futile mass slaughter.

According to family folklore, my maternal Grandfather (or Taid in Welsh) who served on the front line during the first world war from 1915-1918 use to go on his leave to London and blow all his pay on "entertainment" including theatres and music halls. I wonder if he ever came down to a East End sing-a-long in Stratford? 

Support TUC March 20 October 2012 for a Future that Works

 This motion below was passed unanimously last night by West Ham Ward Labour Party branch. 

Support TUC March 20 October 2012 for a Future that Works

"West Ham Ward Labour Party branch welcome the call from the TUC to help organise a National March for A Future That Works on Saturday 20th October 2012.

We agree to work together to maximise the participation of Newham Residents, employees, Labour Party members and affiliates to this event as we did for the 26th March 2011 TUC march for the alternative.

We welcome the TUC publication “Austerity is Failing. We Need A Future That Works” and recognise the need to ensure that in the next General Election a government is elected that will implement an alternative economic policy, to deliver that Future that Works".

It is to be submitted to the CLP, Newham Labour Group, Mayor Robin Wales, Lyn Brown MP, John Biggs AM and Claude Moraes EMP.

 

Similar motions will be sent in by UNISON affiliates to the CLP.

 

I hope that all trade union branches will pass such motions and the Labour Movement family will not only come out in force on 20 October as they did in March last year but also that we make the political argument that Austerity is not working and we desperately need an alternative economic policy.