Jessie Jackson 70th Birthday Party in UNISON HQ

Last night UNISON hosted a 70th Birthday Party in honour of Rev Jessie Jackson at the UNISON Centre in Euston, London. Our President Eleanor Smith introduced Rev Jackson and Keith Vas MP. Labour Leader Ed Miliband was the keynote speaker.  This fantastic song was sung live by the Rev Jackson's daughter Santita. In the video background are my fellow London UNISON Regional Council colleagues Gloria, Monica and Conroy (and a few other UNISON faces).

Update: if you have trouble opening video check youtube

Rev. Jessie Jackson – A London trade union reception.

I’m still playing catch up with last week. A highlight of which was attending a reception in the Washington Hotel in Mayfair for the American civil rights activist and Baptist minister, the Rev Jessie Jackson.

It was pretty informal but crowded with people eager to see Rev Jackson. Labour Party MP Keith Vaz chaired the reception with his usual eloquent good humour. UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis welcomed Rev. Jackson and spoke about the successful UNISON campaign “Show Racism the Red Card”.

The Rev. Jackson himself was very impressive with the traditional grand and formal US church style of oratory which us Brits tend to be very sniffy towards. Frankly, in person he knocks spots off the vast majority of our public speakers.

He was very, very supportive of the importance of joining trade unions and collective action to fight for fairness. He also reminded everyone while there may be far less direct and overt racism nowadays (thankfully) you still need to concentrate how many young black people go to college and become doctors, school teachers, professors or senior business executives.

I was with the newly re-elected London UNISON Convenor Gloria Hanson, Deputy Convenor, Conroy Lawrence and Publicity officer Lynn Bentley. There were also a number of other leading UNISON activists present.

Conroy (bottom left) works as an electrician for a NHS Hospital Trust. He is standing in next month’s UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) elections for the “sensible left”.

Vote Steve Brayshaw - Vote Labour in Royal Docks By-Election 26 March

Tomorrow (Thursday 26 March) is the big day - it is polling day for the Royal Docks By-Election in E16, Newham, London. If you are available to help out please contact 8 Constable Avenue E16 (Bus 474, DLR West Silvertown or across the footbridge from Custom House DLR). Text 07772 723 765.

Picture above includes pics of Government Minister, Tessa Jowell, who went out canvassing for Steve (centre) on Tuesday.

Today was pretty busy, I’ll post on it another time - UNISON London Labour Link/APF Forum in House of Commons, Reception for Rev Jessie Jackson in Washington Hotel and this evening a “Chatham House rules” meeting on Capital Stewardship also in House of Commons.

Looking forward to 6.45am report in for polling station duty.

It Looks Just Right...President Obama and family.

I was sent this picture today by a British colleague of African origin who was pleased as punch with the election result “across the pond”.

He wasn’t the only one. I’ve mentioned before in previous posts that I tend to get a bit of stick and good natured ribbing from work colleagues when I bring up matters which could be construed as “p-o-l-i-t-i-c-s”.

The election of Barack Obama, as President elect of the United States of America has changed this attitude. At least for today, maybe much longer, maybe not, but there is a change.

Black and white workers I thought were genuinely interested in the result; they were pleased, touched and at least a little inspired by his election. Over lunch someone mentioned that he never, ever expected that a Black man would become the most powerful person on the earth.

People were also realistic about the problems ahead and that now he is in power, poetry is not enough and he needs to deliver on economic bread and butter issues.

I listened this morning on the “Today” radio 4 news programme, while jogging around muddy Wanstead flats, a report about the controversial Black American civil rights leader, Rev Jessie Jackson, sobbing his heart out while holding an American flag and listening to Obama’s acceptance speech in Chicago. Someone else (sorry, I forget who) said that this election wiped out the original sin of America since many of its constitutional founder fathers had declared that all men are equal, while remaining slave owners. Powerful stuff.

It seems that America retains its revolutionary ardour when compared to “old Country”. While I think that this election result is also part of an international realignment of progressive forces following the failure of unregulated capitalism (which will benefit the British Labour Party). How realistic is it to imagine a Black British politician becoming Prime Minister?

I suppose that 4 years ago most people would have said the same about the prospect of a Black American President. In his autobiography, Colin Powell, the former Black head of the American Armed forces said that if his family had emigrated to Britain rather than America (from the West Indies) and he joined the British Army he would have been a non-commissioned Warrant officer at best. I don’t think that this is necessarily true nowadays but statistically it would have been true in the past and probably today.

There are a number of really talented and capable young political activists that I have met across all political parties (mostly Labour I will say) who happen to be black. I think there is at least one future Prime minister amongst them.

Of course I knew that Obama would win last week when I received a text from top Tower Hamlets Councillor (and UNISON member), Bill Turner, while he was on route to the States to help out with the Democratic campaign. As I know to my cost, Bill is a super enthusiastic election campaigner and will have no doubt spent every single waking hour (23.5/7) “fighting the good fight”. Bill being Bill, he of course also gave me an errand to do on his behalf back in “blighty”, but such is life and he obviously deserves it for his good work (on this occasion!)