West Ham Women's Forum with Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Seema Malthora MP

 Picture collage from West Ham Women’s Forum open discussion meeting with Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Seema Malthora MP.

The theme of the meeting was:-

• How does Labour gain economic credibility with the British public and by when?
•  What is Corbynomics and could it work? How radical is it in reality, and does it stack up as a practical plan for creating economic growth?
• How will we encourage economic empowerment of women entrepreneurship?
• How are we as a party developing our policies and policy positions for a very important Party Conference in 2018?
• What is the Labour Party’s vision of a 21st Century Welfare State?
• What is the Labour Party’s vision of UK Technology and digital infrastructure?
• What is Labour’s response to local government budget cuts?

This event was organised by our Women's Officer, Seyi Akiwowo and was open to men and women. Seema got held up with London Underground problems, so our local MP, Lyn Brown stepped in for a Q&A until Seema arrived.

When she did arrive she pointed out that the awful delayed 2 hour journey she had experienced showed the need to get a London Labour Mayor in charge of transport!

Seema spoke about Labour values and directions. Labour in a future government would think differently and be long term. There is an alternative economic policy. The Tory cuts are the wrong type of cuts and what we want is to see the economy growing and the government getting more taxes in. Women had paid the biggest price from this governments cuts. She also supported small businesses as the backbone of the economy and had herself grown up in a flat above a small family business.

Seema is a "safe pair of hands" as Shadow Chief Secretary - sensible, confident, quiet but firm. Afterwards we went off to Jerrys, a local cafe for some drinks and snacks.

A West Ham evening with Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Seema Malhotra MP

"West Ham Women's Forum Open Discussion evening with the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra MP: 

• How does Labour gain economic credibility with the British public and by when?
• What is Corbynomics and could it work? How radical is it in reality, and does it stack up as a practical plan for creating economic growth?
• How will we encourage economic empowerment of women entrepreneurship?
• How are we as a party developing our policies and policy positions for a very important Party Conference in 2018?
• What is the Labour Party’s vision of a 21st Century Welfare State?
• What is the Labour Party’s vision of UK Technology and digital infrastructure?
• What is Labour’s response to local government budget cuts.

The discussion evening will be an open event to ALL members of the Labour party, supporters and friends in East London. The aim of the event is to hear from a senior member of the party, what Labour’s plan are to build economic credibility among the British public before 2020 election campaign begins". 

Hat tip  West Ham CLP Women's Officer, Seyi Akiwowo.

#Lab13 - Responsible Capitalism and Workplace democracy. Giving workers a real voice

This interesting lunctime fringe had been sponsored by the Fabians, TUC and PIRC. Chaired by Seema Malhotra MP.

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady started off by saying some of her members think that "responsible capitalism" is an Oxymoron! But her main point was why is corporate governance in the UK so peculiar and out of step with the rest of Europe?  Where employee representation on company boards is common place.

We need to rebalance Labour and Capital. Frances quoted a terribly condescending and even insulting comment (which she described as "patronising twaddle") from the CBI about why in the UK British employees aren't good enough to being represented on boards.  Workers keep being told that they are the organisations "greatest assets". Yet the arguments being made against employee representation remind her of those made in 19th century against getting rid of the property qualification in order to vote.

Chuka Umunna MP believes that it is all about balance. Do we want a mixed or a laissez faire economy? Leading businesses started talking about this debate before we did in Parliament. Things have got to change. Need to promote the long term. Value investment in people and skill up. Look at the damage done to BP reputation and profitability after the oil disaster. It is in companies self interest to have good governance models. 

Tom Powdrill from PIRC thought that the governance mascot was Lord Myners. Why did shareholders not stop the banks from destroying themselves? Excessive executive pay levels are being driven to the levels found in financial markets. Since oversight is not by shareholders but by fund managers and hedge funds who naturally will think such levels are appropriate. Need a dose of reality. Tackle the problem up stream before a decision is made.  UK Companies already invest in Europe where employee representatives are widely accepted -so why don't they support similar models over here?

Nita Clare from the IPA (see previous post here) was Tony Blair's advisor on trade unions and before that a national officer for unison for 17 years. Good businesses know the value of stakeholders. The CBI quote is now quite old fashioned.  She stressed the importance of the supply chain to business. If there is a fire in a Bangladeshi factory it is no use saying "nothing to do with us".

There has been a death of deference and trust at work. 60% of employees surveyed said they don't trust managers. Management style is critical. If you have a culture of fear in any organisation, private or public, then it will fail. The Social partnership approach in Germany will be difficult to adopt in UK

My question to the panel was similar to the one I made before was how is it that I am an employee representation on a £900 million pension scheme and I sit on a joint committee on health and safety that looks after the safety of thousands of workers but I cannot sit on the management board or remuneration committee of my organisation?

Help Seema Malhotra be the next Labour & Co-op MP for Feltham & Heston

Dear friend, I have been a member of the Co-operative Party for almost ten years and I’m proud to be standing to be the Labour & Co-operative Member of Parliament for Feltham & Heston, the area where I grew up.

Labour Party members selected me last weekend to be their candidate in the by-election on 15 December. It would be an honour to follow the work of Alan Keen, one of the first MPs I ever knew, who sadly passed away earlier this month and gave many years of service to Hounslow, to the Labour and co-operative movements and the world of sport.

[ Read the tribute to Alan Keen by Martin O’Donovan, Director of the Parliamentary Labour Party ]

But to win I need your help.

Make no mistake, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will be targeting this seat hard. Vince Cable will be wanting to shore up his political future after boundary changes and Boris Johnson will be looking to boost his mayoral campaign with the last test of Londoners’ opinion before May’s elections.

For Feltham & Heston to continue to have a Labour & Co-operative Member of Parliament we need Co-operative Party members to support us – on the doorstep and on the phone.

The Co-operative Party will be holding a campaign weekend on 10/11 December from 11am each day – join the team at Feltham railway station on Saturday and Sunday. Or come along to the by-election phonebank at Co-operative Party HQ, 77 Weston St SE1 3SD from 6pm on the 6th and 13th of December to help us speak to local residents.

You can also help my campaign at any time by coming along to the campaign centre at Feltham Labour Hall, Manor Place TW14 9BT. Email with your contact details today to mailto:felthamandheston@labour.org.uk?subject=Co-operative%20Party%20help or call the volunteer hotline on 07872 417252. You can follow me on Twitter at @SeemaMalhotra1.

Yours in co-operation,

Seema

UPDATE: Seema Wins with an increased Labour Majority.