Labour E20 Canvass & #HappyBirthdayHardie

This morning there was a physical "Labour doorstep" canvass in Stratford, Newham followed by a celebration of Keir Hardie's Birthday (tomorrow 15 August) and his links with the borough. The Keir Hardie Society encourage supporters to post pictures to show his legacy as one of the most influential people in British politics. 

Keir was elected as the first Labour MP in 1892 for what was then called the West Ham South Parliamentary seat. 

The main picture shows activists holding copies of one of his election leaflets outside Stratford Town Hall where the election count in 1892 took place. Keir is reputed to have made his acceptance speech from the balcony to cheering crowds below. 

Bottom right is a picture of activists outside the Theatre Royal in Stratford. In 1992 it premiered a production of "A Better Life" which was based on the life of Keir.

Many people commented on his election manifesto leaflet on how many similar problems face us nowadays such as the need for "Healthy Homes", Fair rents", "Work for the Unemployed" etc. 

Emeli Sandé - You Are Not Alone

The highlight performer at this evening's launch of Labour's "Art for All" charter at the Stratford Theatre Royal must be Emeli Sande "You are not alone". A beautiful song sung wonderfully.

Jeremy Corbyn recited some of its lyrics in his speech at the end of the launch.

Labour Arts for All launch in Theatre Royal

Hat tip Mayor Roksana Fiaz. "Thrilled that @jeremycorbyn  is in Stratford, Newham for the launch of @UKLabour  ‘Arts for All’ - a charter for the Arts and cultural sector with @lynbrownmp  & @grayee  at @stratfordeast . A jam packed evening of creativity as we set out our Arts for All’ #VoteLabourDecember12

"Stand Up For Labour" at Theatre Royal Stratford East: Laughter and Politics

Hat tip to West Ham Labour blog for most of the above pictures from last nights hugely successful "Stand Up For Labour" comedy fund raiser. The event was sponsored by Greater London UNISON Link and raised money for the Ilford North and West Ham General Election campaigns.

West Ham MP, Lyn Brown, started the evening by welcoming everyone to the packed theatre. Brilliant acts, Arthur Smith, Sara Pascoe and Patrick Monahan were compered by Paul Rickets.

It was a shame that Labour Stalwart, Harry Leslie Smith, was not well enough to attend. West Ham Labour Treasurer, the quiet and retiring, John Saunders, received a bottle of wine from Paul Rickets for being the longest serving Party member present (he joined the Labour Party in 1959 when Hugh Gaitskill was the leader)

At the finish, Ilford North Labour candidate, Wes Streeting, gave a passionate speech about the absolute importance of getting rid of the Tories on May 7th.

Many thanks to the organisers in West Ham Labour Party and "Stand Up for Labour" for all their work. The staff at the Theatre Royal were as usual, absolutely fantastic - polite, helpful and totally professional.

I understand that this was one of the biggest ever "Stand Up For Labour" events and let us see if we can make this an annual show in West Ham.

(see middle picture of Lyn Brown MP, West Streeting, Stephen Timms MP and Mike Gapes MP with West Ham CLP Chair, Charlene McLean)

Stand Up For Labour: 9 March - Theatre Royal, Stratford East

Only one week to go before the West Ham and Ilford North CLP "Stand Up For Labour" comedy event taking place at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East on Monday 9 March. Most tickets have now gone so click here to reserve your place on line before it is too late.

"Stand Up For Labour" Theatre Royal Stratford East Monday 9 March

West Ham and Ilford North CLPs are hosting that biggest ever Stand Up for Labour event at Stratford’s famous Theatre Royal on 9 March. You can book your seats here to attend a fantastic night of comedy to raise money for Labour.

Top comedians Sarah Pascoe and Arthur Smith, famous for both stand-up and TV and radio panel shows including QI, are already confirmed, along with Live from the Apollo compere Stephen K Amos. And we’ll soon be able to reveal our very famous headline act…

The night is hosted by Lyn Brown, MP for West Ham, and Labour’s candidate for Ilford North Wes Streeting. We also have a special guest speaker, NHS campaigner Harry Leslie Smith, who received a standing ovation at last year’s Labour conference talking about his life and childhood before the welfare state.

This fantastic night of comedy is all about raising money for Labour’s election campaigns in West Ham and Ilford North (our key battleground in East London).

It’s going to be a brilliant sell-out event. Book your seats NOW online or by calling the box office on 020 8534 0310. Tickets are £20/£12.50 (with concessions).

Friends and family and non Labour members are very welcome – although the content might not be suitable for the right leaning…

Hope to see you raising a laugh to raise money for Labour on Monday 9 March.

hat tip West Ham Labour

Stand Up for Labour: Theatre Royal, Stratford, 9 March 2015

Reserve the evening of 9 March in your diary. It was agreed at tonights West Ham Labour Party Executive to go ahead with a fund raising event at the historic Theatre Royal, Stratford East, West Ham, East London.

Lyn Brown MP is helping to organise the event and proceeds will be shared with our West Ham Labour Party "Twin" (and Labour target seat) Ilford North to help them get Wes Streeting elected as their MP in May. 

"Stand up for Labour" have arranged for 3 very special comedians to perform (including one secret star appearance).

Booking details to follow. Watch this space.

"The Infidel - The Musical" at Theatre Royal

Yesterday I went to this fantastic musical at the  Theatre Royal in Stratford East for its final matinée showing.

I wasn't that sure what to expect since I hadn't seen the original film and was a little sceptical how the subject matter (a British Muslim finds out he was born a Jew) could be funny or a musical.

Well, it was funny and the acting, music, songs and dancing was marvellous. A great live event.

The audience was pretty exclusively white which was a bit worrying but I know a group of Muslim Labour Party colleagues went to the show last week and thought it was "hilarious".

The show is now finished but in the theatre bar I did overhear someone say that they had heard a whisper that it was going to the West End. If so thoroughly recommended.

"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? 

Oh What a Lovely War! Stratford Theatre Royal Thurs 6 March

The theatre production "Oh What a lovely War" is returning to its original roots at the Stratford Theatre Royal, for the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. Newham Labour Party has booked the theatre on Thursday the 6th of March.

If you want to see the show that night please contact Allan Davies on 07938223014 or email newhamlabourATgmailDOTcom. Tickets £35 each (£25 restricted viewing)

Newham First Mondays - Free advice at Stratford East

What a great idea by Stratford East.

Free professional advice to Newham residents on developing creative ideas, writing a business plan, organising, fund raising, design, jobs in theatre and arts, marketing and press.

First Monday of every Month starts 2 September 2013 - 5pm to 7pm. No booking required. 

(double click picture to bring up detail)

Keir Hardie: First Labour MP 120th Anniversary Event

Last Wednesday 4th July was the 120th anniversary of the election of Keir Hardie as the first Labour MP.

He was elected as MP for West Ham South in the 1892 General Election.

The modern day West Ham Consistency Labour Party and Newham TULO organised a commemorative tour to mark the occasion. 25 people from Newham and East London turned up.

We started with a tour of the Old Town Hall in Stratford where the election count took place in 1892 and where Keir was announced the winner. We went onto the balcony overlooking the High Street where Keir made his acceptance speech in front of 15-20,000 people. Keir then led a march back through the borough to Canning Town.

We also went into the Bell Tower of the Town Hall and the basement Police cells. There use to be a Magistrate court next door. (Off message - but tradition states that these were the very cells that Mick Jagger and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones rock group were held in the 1960's for minor public order offences).

We underestimated how long it would take to complete the tour of the Town Hall so we didn't manage to visit the other sites which included historic locations of the radical and suffragette clubs from Hardie's time. 

We stopped off at the Martyrs Memorial in the Church yard of St John.  Which is not about Hardie but is a symbol remembering religious persecution and bigotry down the ages. We finished up outside the famous Theatre Royal built in 1882. Then in the bar for a quick drink followed by a curry in West Ham Lane.

Following the success of this event we are aiming to carry out further Labour movement tours in the future. Details to follow.

Picture outside the Old Town Hall by Dan McCurry. I'll post more pictures of Facebook. Finally, many, many thanks to the Old Town Hall staff for the tour and their enthusiasm: Update see tour photo's here

Why the 4th July is special to the Labour Movement

Trying to find a training room at the UNISON Centre recently I came across a historical display on the 3rd floor. In a cabinet there is this flyer celebrating the the election on Monday 4 July 1892 of Keir Hardie for South West Ham as the first Independent Labour MP. 

Click on picture to bring up details.

West Ham Labour Party is planning to mark the event (see post)

I didn't realise that a performance called "A Better Day" about this event had been performed in the local Stratford Theatre Royal to mark the NALGO (one of the unions that joined to form UNISON) Presidency of Rita Donaghy in 1989/90.

When it is finalised on how we will be marking the event I will post further.

Ken in Newham

This evening I joined Labour Candidate for London Mayor, Ken Livingstone and his team as they visited the historic Theatre Royal in

Stratford.

Ken had been in Newham all day and had already gone on a Housing enforcement visit with Council officers and Newham Mayor Robin Wales in the morning. He then had a briefing with local Councillors and a Q&A with students at Newham College, as well as a “walkabout” in Green Street.

With Ken was Assembly member Val Shawcross (who is standing for Deputy Mayor) local Assembly member John Biggs and Newham’s finest, GLA Candidate, Councillor Unmesh Desai (who is also East Ham Labour Party Agent).

At the Theatre Royal there was firstly an informal meeting with staff and local actors (whose first break had been in the Theatre) in the “Green Room” followed by a brief tour of the theatre and a visit to a Performing Arts class to observe a lesson on “improvisations”. Which was simply enormous fun to watch. Afterwards there was a very relaxed discussion between staff, the young people and Ken, Val and John about the future of performing arts, dance and further education generally. I think the photo above is great. 

Afterwards we went off to the Didsbury Centre in East Ham for the Newham “Tell Ken” event (sponsored by London UNISON Labour Link) which I will post upon soon.