Guru Nanak 550 - Green Street Sikh Community Centre

Before the Peace march our Mayor, @RokhsanaFiaz visited the Green Street #Sikh community centre to an event to mark #GuruNanak550. Afterwards @WestHamLabour Candidate @lynbrownmp also made visit. Both were accompanied by @NewhamLondon  Cllr Harvinder Virdee Singh

Muslim, Hindu & Sikh Spitfire Pilots defended Britain from the Nazis..It's their Poppy too!

100% agree. As well as the West Indian, Africans, South Asian and other Empire and Commonwealth heroes who saved us from German conquest in the First and also the Second World War.  

Ken Livingstone in Green Street as Sikh's celebrate New Year

Yesterday afternoon Labour Mayor Candidate Ken Livingstone was in Newham for the annual march by Sikh's to celebrate "Vaisakhi" their New Year.

Ken seen here (centre) with East Ham MP Stephen Timms was also accompanied by  Assembly candidate John Biggs and Unmesh Desai. Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales and West Ham MP Lyn Brown were also present.

There were thousands of people in the procession and lining the streets. The rain held off and there was even sunshine. It was very colourful with drums and music. Food and drink given out for free. Ken was mobbed by well wishers and supporters.

The Union Jack flies proudly in Upton Lane

On route to canvass for the Labour Party in Plaistow this morning, I got caught up behind a Sikh Charity Bike ride in Upton Lane, London E7. There were about 150 riders escorted by what looked like NHS medics on quad bikes. The ride was raising funds for the Richard House Children’s Hospice in Becton, E16.

The event was also to celebrate Vaisakhi (which I understand is a Sikh harvest holiday and the start of the solar year). It was started that morning in Ilford by the mayors of Redbridge, Newham and Barking and Dagenham.

On route there were people handing sweets to drivers and passer-bys, which were most appreciated by those of us who had to try and deal with “the morning after the night before hangovers”.

Especially when you are about to go door knocking and asking the great British public for their votes.

Although of course I am Welsh/Scots, I felt it was good to see the emphasis that the organisers had made on promoting the Union Jack and the Cross of St George (the National flags of Britain and England – see photo). Stick this in your pipe and smoke it Barnbrook.