Hatfield Heath, Essex Walk (& The Great British Bake Off )

For various reasons I haven't posted any walks lately. I know some say they enjoy my posts on walking more than the ones on politics or trade unions! To me, my walking or running (very slowly) in the countryside is my "hinterland". 

This walk last month was a delight. A bit overcast but quiet and peaceful. Started off with a coffee in local village cafe and a pint in a local pub at end.

I found this 5.9 mile circular walk in the Ordinance Survey website (subscription) and it was provided by Country Walking magazine (which also a subscription but is free for certain walks if you subscribe to OS but you only get very limited details - see below).

Description

Gently sloping fields, streamside paths and small woods make up the quintessentially English landscapes around Down Hall, the hotel where this year's The Great British Bake Off was filmed. The cross-country Stort Valley Way and Forest Way meet to form a circuit that passes Down Hall (where you could have a fancy tea on the terrace) and runs through the pretty village of Hatfield Heath with its bakery, pubs and cafés. By Phoebe Taplin ROUTE Start/parking: Holy Trinity church, Hatfield Heath/roadside parking, grid ref TL523150, CM22 7EU Is it for me? Easy country paths and tracks, but mud all year. Seriously muddy in winter. Steps can be slippy. Some road walking Stiles: 3 PLANNING Nearest town: Sawbridgeworth Refreshments: Two pubs, several cafés, takeaways, good bakery and shops in Hatfield Heath, including Tea on the Heath. Down Hall serves afternoon tea (01279 731441) Public toilets: In Marriage Feast Hall, Matching Public transport: Buses 5 from Bishops Stortford to Stansted Airport and 59 Harlow-Chelmsford stop hourly near start/end Maps: OS Explorer 183; Landranger 167

Dare To Dream: Shape the Future of London

On Tuesday evening I went to the launch of  #Daretodream in South London with fellow Newham Cllr, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE. This was an amazing networking event for young people on how to shape the future of London. The theme was that politics matters to young Londoners and how they can make a difference by engaging and voting in the Mayoral elections 2016.

There was a series of informal speakers followed by London Labour Mayoral Candidate, Sadiq Khan MP.

The event had been organised over social media and over 200 people had registered. The room was  full of confident and articulate young Londoners aged 14-24. A number of whom were invited to tell their story and what they wanted out of politics and politicians for their city.

One young man described himself as lucky since many of his inner city childhood friends were now in prison but that the difference between him and them, was that he was a dreamer but a dreamer with his eyes wide open. Another described himself as the 17 year old son of Iraq refugees. To him politics is not something that other people do  but he believed that politics must adapt to make itself relevant to the young.

Another argued that it was vital for there to be on line voting to engage young people in politics. While the next wanted to dare the Mayor candidates on what they will do if elected to challenge the 2.1 million Londoners who live in poverty?

The last speaker was Sadiq Khan, who spoke about the modern day broken promise that each generation would be better off than the previous. To tackle poverty if he was elected as Mayor, he would make sure that 50% of new homes would be genuinely affordable; that Londoners should have first choice for homes; no more "poor doors", there to be a real living wage and he would cut transport fares. He also wants policing by consent in London and would follow the successful Northern Ireland model of expecting 50% of new Met recruits to be black.

Sadiq finished by saying anyone of you here tonight could be the next great business leader, or could find the cure for cancer or even be the next Mayor of London (but he quickly added - not for the next 8 years).

This was a hugely impressive event, organised predominantly by and for young people, who tend so often nowadays to get a negative press. I don't think that no one who attended this event could be anything but positive about the current generation of young Londoners and the future of our capital in their hands.

Update: Sadiq has written about the event here  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sadiq-khan/sadiq-khan-london_b_7946508.html

"Dear Pissed off Voter...why I am going to Vote"

The right to vote is so precious. People have suffered and died for this right. Politics in this country is far from perfect but if you don't vote, then you betraying these democracy martyrs from the past and present and just giving the thumbs up to bigots, dictators and fascists.

Hat tip Bill Beedell on Facebook.

UNISON Housing Association Branch Secretary Report 2014 "A tale of two Cities"

This is a tale of two Cities. On the right there is a picture of London investment bankers jeering and taunting "Save our NHS" protesters with bank notes who were in the street below. 

While left is a picture from the crime scene in Lambeth last year when 3 Housing Association workers and a Court official were shot at and 2 seriously wounded while carrying out their duties. 

This was my contribution to our branch annual report as Branch Secretary. 

"UNISON branch Housing management and Social Care members live and work in one city called London. 

Their London is now feeling the full blast of austerity.  They have to deal with the real life consequences of the bedroom tax, benefit caps, massive rents increases and coalition cuts.  At the same time suffering yet another year of either pay reductions or below average pay awards (or in some cases – both).

In their London overcrowding and homelessness grows. We see more and more dependent on food banks for basic survival.

Our London Housing workers have seen attacks on their employment conditions and safety. They  have to pay huge tribunal fees if they are bullied or treated unfairly at work.  TUPE protection is under further attack. 

Yet there is another City also called London. This is a London of the rich and the powerful. Of millionaires who now pay less tax than those who clean their offices. Of financiers who by their recklessness and fraud brought about this recession.   We have executives in our own sector whose mates decide how much they earn and who can earn more in a year than our London low paid members earn in a life time. Who have lucrative bonuses, 12 month severance packages and luxury status cars.

The first step to challenge this tale of two cities is via your union. UNISON is already by far the largest union in our sectors but we must grow. We must organise new stewards and recruit more members. We must get more recognition agreements and facility time. We must train stewards and activists, hold regular shop meetings, communicate and listen to our members and work with residents. We need to re-balance power in the workplace in order to get a better deal.

The next step is political. There will be elections in London and Europe next year. The year after that there will be a General election. For the first time in a generation housing, in nearly all its forms seems to be near the top of the political agenda. People are worried about the cost of living but also  what will happen to their elderly relatives as well as their sons and daughters who cannot afford to leave home. While scandals in schemes run by poorly paid and trained staff such as Winterbourne are I think also beginning to change attitudes.

2014 will see more yet misery for our residents, clients and our members but it can also be the beginning of the end of Two Cities called London".

Ed Miliband & How to overcome distrust in British Politics

Yesterday evening I went to the Coin Street Community Centre in South London with fellow UNISON Labour Link activists to take part in a Q&A with the Labour Leader.

The room was packed with affiliated trade unionists and Labour Party activists with some media also present. It was stiflingly hot due to the current heatwave.

Ed came in and explained to the audience that he is not going to speak long since he wants to have a conversation.

He wants to start a conversion with trade union members and activists that will lead to a Special Conference in the spring next year to agree changes (only allow affiliations from union members who actively choose to support the Labour Party rather than block affiliations - see my initial thoughts here on subject). 

Politics should be powered by ordinary people. He has 4 points to make: Politics is dominated by the wealthy and powerful. You can see Big Tobacco at Downing Street. Is this about a break with the links with the unions? No, the unions founded the Labour Party.  The unions are the voice of  working people.  This is not about removing this voice but how that voice is exercised.  

The problem is that many people think that the Tories write them off and Labour takes them for granted? We need to persuade people to join the Party. Not just Trade unionists but small business people as well. The excellent experience of the French socialists in their recent Presidential election is what he hopes for the London Mayor Primary with registered Labour supporters.  If we want to change we need to hear the voices of the people.  Leadership of the Party is essential but we need a genuine movement rooted in every community.

There then followed quite a far reaching debate. Ed repeatedly said it was "open house". He was asked questions on whether the purpose of a primary is to stop "left" candidates in London? (answer "No"). The lack of Labour Parliamentary candidates who are women, BME or working class (answer "agreed" and he will do something about this).  "Jack" a 92 Year trade unionist in the audience took Ed to task for the failure of the Party to recruit more union members to the Party. Ed asked him how long he had been in the Party. Jack replied he first voted for Labour in 1945 while in the Army in Egypt. He joined the Party later after he left the Communist Party. 

There was some support for Ed's proposals about trade unions from activists but most contributions on this subject were more cautious or frankly sceptical. Ed made it clear that he could not understand why a trade union member who did not support Labour could be affiliated to the Party. He thought that things had changed in recent years and that sense of collectivism amongst working people was not as strong as it use to be.

I got the opportunity to ask him a question. I introduced myself and pointed I am an activist in  UNISON and we have always allowed members to opt in to pay the Labour Levy but I respect the rights of other unions who have gone through internal democratic processes to affiliate all or part of their membership. I didn't think that things had changed that much since there had always been significant numbers of working class Tories in the union movement.

My main point was why are we doing this less than 2 years before a general election when the Tories will out spend us as usual and we will need every penny we can get to defeat them? Why not allow all affiliates to become full Party members, lets then have 3,200,000 members and if a Tory gets a membership card in the post he doesn't like - he can resign.

Ed responded by saying he understood the risks to funding and as Leader was taking responsibility for this decision.

After probably 25 or so questions (including a 12 and 14 year old from Tower Hamlets) Ed called the meeting to a close since it was so hot. No one made the obvious joke about the cause being all that "hot air"!

A very competent performance by Ed but I do hope first and foremost if the changes go ahead that he is right and that we will have enough money in 2015 to defeat the Tories and overcome their extremely "wealthy and powerful" donors.

Secondly, while I suspect UNISON influence in the Party will probably be strengthened by his proposals, the Party itself needs to change as well as any changes to union affiliation. Unless you give individual members more meaningful influence in the running of the Party then you are simply not going to get a new mass "movement rooted in every community". 

Afterwards we went off to a local pub to continue to put the world to rights and rehydrate (medicinal reasons only).

(Hat tip picture of me asking Ed question to James Beckles)

Unions Together Political School - apply now for Sept 2013 course

This video is from the organisation representing trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party called "Unions Together". Who have been leading a campaign to make politics more representative and encourage more working people to become Councillors and MP's. You may recognise one or two of the folk mentioned. I posted previously on this excellent course here.

"Our politics needs to change.

Of the MPs in Parliament at the moment:
a quarter went to Oxford or Cambridge
86 MPs used to be lawyers
156 MPs used to work in business
90 MPs used to work in politics
only 25 MPs used to work in manual jobs
fewer than 1 in 4 MPs are women.

That's why unionstogether is working to make our politicians more representative.

We are running a political school to open up politics to more people.

The unionstogether political school ran for the first time in 2012. It was set up to strengthen the link between union members and the Labour Party. If you want to use your skills as a union activist – skills like campaigning, negotiating and representing people – in your community, then this is the course for you.

The political school is an important part of making sure trade unionists are at the heart of the Party, making sure that the voices of working people continue to be heard in the Party that was founded out of the trade union movement.

The course is designed for people who are looking at different ways they could get substantially more involved.

It’s not an entry-level course about how politics and the Labour Party works. But it is for people who want to get politically involved in different ways. We’ll show you different ways you could use your union rep skills to represent your community now or in the future – as a Councillor, or even a Member of Parliament.

The next political school will begin in September 2013, with a residential weekend course, and applications are open until June 10th.

The course is primarily for people who are members of one of the affiliated trade unions that are part of unionstogether. If you are unsure if your union is affiliated to the Labour Party then you can check here. If you are a member of a union, but not a unionstogether union, and you want to apply for this course, then please do contact us".

We don't do politics in this house...

I remember last year canvassing for the Labour Party and being told by one person when I knocked at their door "we don't do politics in this house".  Even though she had young children playing in her garden. I'm afraid I made a rather flippant response "that's OK its not compulsory" to which she made no response but was unlikely to have made her change her mind about the importance of "politics".

Last night I spoke to an old friend who had recently been rushed into hospital following a suspected heart attack. He spent 2 days at the hospital before being discharged and whilst he praised the clinical care and support he received from staff, he was in a mixed sex ward which made him feel very uncomfortable. Also some patients in the ward were suffering from dementia and kept him awake for the entire stay because they were constantly calling out for help and crying.

To me, having a health service that is inadequately resourced is "political". Elected governments can choose how much they spend on health services, what outcomes they want and how they pay for it.

How do we get this message over to those who don't "get" this is politics?

Picture is the flag of German Pirate Party (I suppose that I could have used UKIP flag).

The Iron Lady

I watched tonight for the first time the film "The Iron Lady" which is about the life of former Tory Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

It was an historical drama and not a documentary. While I would certainly not agree with all the political interpretations it made, I enjoyed watching it.

Thatcher today is very much still a divisive  figure: a hero to some and a hate figure to others.

Under Margaret Thatcher, male unemployment in my part of North East Wales, following closures in the local Steel works and textile factories reached 33%. It was an horrendous time and she seemed to give the impression as PM that she didn't care and just a price worth paying!

So I should really hate her, but I have always preferred to dislike rather than hate. The key thing in politics is to attack what politicians do and say rather than their personalities.

Forgetting the politics (if you can) I was pretty uncomfortable with the scenes in the film around her current  supposed mental health and the involvement of her children, grown up or otherwise. It was more than a bit off I thought and it was simply wrong in my view of the film to bring this up.

The actual acting by Meryl Streep was simply superb and incredible. She was Margaret Thatcher.

As regards to any lessons we can learn from this film for the "left"? Well, yes there is. We all know that there are many working class Tories such as Thatcher and we cannot just ignore them and pretend they do not exist.  It is no use just knocking people who share these beliefs we have to find ways to win them over.

The real lesson from the film is that the "left" needs to learn from Thatcher (of all people) that if you have real self-belief and self-confidence in your arguments it is possible to succeed and bring about fundamental change.  

UNISON London Labour Link Training

Picture is from the recent London UNISON Labour Link training event. Branch officers and activists came together from all over Greater London and all UNISON service groups.

We are here holding literature supporting the TUC anti-austerity March on Saturday 20 October.

The training event itself was excellent. It was a pilot and designed to equip Branch Labour Officers with the skills needed to further the Union within the Party. It was also how to use our access and influence to get a better deal for our members.

The first session was on "Why Politics?".  We need to be able to explain to our member's why politics matters. Politics is not about speeches in Parliament but its about their pay, its about building schools and running hospitals. Other sessions were on "tackling arguments about Labour Link"; "role of Labour Link Officer"; "Building a Branch network"; "Strategic Campaigning and lobbying MP's".

During a role play session I took on the part of a Conservative MP being lobbied by Labour Link activists...and yes, people did say I was very convincing :)

Feedback from all present was very positive and further sessions are being planned. Many thanks to National and Regional staff for putting on such a good event.

Photo by KW.

Babylon in Belfast

Check out Red Maria and her account of the incredible downfall of Iris Robinson. Who can now claim that fiction is stranger than fact in Northern Ireland?

Don’t forget that we also had recently “hard man” Gerry Adams, very public and emotional TV interview about his abusive father and his own brother. Then “no surrender” Peter Robinson’s equally poignant initial interview about his wife.

I’ve never beforehand seen an ounce of humanity or introspection in either man.

Maybe, just maybe this is not only just a personal tragedy for the individuals involved but potentially a good thing for Northern Irelands still embattled and divided communities. Since their leaders are for the first time fully united in their feet of clay.

Hat-tip Red Maria for post Title as well.

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!)

What is it with “Sport”?

At work I am astonished that colleagues are getting up every day at 3am in order to watch live Olympic events. Others race off home at night in order to spend their entire evenings watching “wall to wall” sport.

People have come to work genuinely excited and pleased at the British sporting successes to date.

Personally, I am only vaguely interested in watching the actual races and competitions. I am more concerned with China and its human rights record, while fascinated with the interaction of the female Russian soldier who won gold in the shooting event (of all things) and the Georgian who gained silver.

I am somewhat pleased when Brits do well but the prospect of actually watching the stuff fills me with horror.

I live within walking distance of the London Olympic site and have volunteered to “help out” at the 2012 games. But this support is really because of the massive regeneration benefits that I hope East London will gain from hosting the Olympics.

Perhaps this is genetic? My lovely eldest sister is a professional gymnastics coach who I know to my cost will be glued to her telly for the next few weeks. Amongst my earliest memories are of fighting with her to turn off tennis on the TV in order to try and watch cartoons (she won). She happens to be my half-sister since her biological Mum died when she was a toddler.

Or is it “environment”? At school it was definitely an advantage to be “good at sports”. I have also come across many people who when you first meet them will ask as a matter of course which football team do I support. When I reply, “none” they are genuinely flustered about what to say next. Why do certain countries with small populations such as Austrialia do so relatively well?

Is the love of sports the new “opium of the people”? I have come across arguments from the “left” attacking sports because of this. However, many seriously religious folk and loads of “far left” are equally in awe of “Sport”.

I was put in my place this morning by a work colleague who had been up since 3am to watch the live Olympics. She responded to my stated incomprehension on “why” by stating “John it must be very similar to your love of trade unions – when you go on about such things I just don’t get it. But I just love watching the Olympics as much as you love your unions”.

So maybe it’s not genetic or environmental perhaps it’s just me?