West Ham "Sing Along" & Forest Gate North "Labor Day" BBQ's

Proving that politics is not just about campaigning, debating and organising (as vital as this is) but also occasionally about having a bit of fun. Picture above from last Thursday BBQ at West Ham Labour Branch in Vicarage Lane Community Centre. They even had a guitar player and sung "protest songs".

While yesterday, Forest Gate North had a "Labor Day" BBQ/Picnic in Wanstead Flats. Our West Ham MP, Lyn Brown (with Cara, her Labour attack dog) joined us and thankfully the rain held off. 

Of course the fun must stop and the hard work of winning the next General Election (happening sometime soon we hope) and the local Council elections next year restarts this week :- 

Campaigning in Canning Town South Canvassing with on Tuesday, 5th September at 18:30 outside Keir Hardie Church

While helping get rid of IDS in Chingford & Woodford Green Saturday, 9th September at 11am - Hatch Lane, Meeting on the corner of the Avenue and Castle Avenue, E4 9RF. (Highams Park station, bses 275, 212, W16, by Hale End Library)

More details to follow. 

To the Memory of Levellers Private Biggs & Piggen - Shot 18 September 1649

I was recently sightseeing in historic Oxford when I came across this plaque in Gloucester Green. I have heard of the execution by Cromwell of Levellers at Burford and have long meant to visit the church but I have never heard of this incident nor can I find much further information on it. 

I wonder if Private Biggs is any relation of Tower Hamlets Mayor, John Biggs? Anyone know?

Newham Woodcraft 2017

Check out new video about Newham Woodcraft folk

"Youth is not wasted on the young

Woodcraft Folk is a progressive organisation for young people led by young people.

Newham Watersmeet Woodcraft Folk is based in the Forest Gate area. We have groups for all ages from toddlers to late teens.

We meet every week and our members enjoy co-operative, campaigning and environmental activities with trips, camps and challenges as well.

We believe in equality and friendship. Woodcraft is for all genders. We do not advocate any religion though we respect people’s faith. We welcome young people of all abilities and pride ourselves on our inclusive nature.

Any child or young person is welcome to join us, you do not have to live in Newham to be a member.

If you are interested please contact  us via newham@woodcraft.org.uk

Education for Social Change".

Tony Green's UNISON NEC blog

A welcome to new UNISON NEC member Tony Green on his excellent new blog. I shall look forward to some friendly blogging competition in the coming months!

"In June I was elected as the Yorkshire and Humberside male seat representative on UNISON’s National Executive Council (NEC). This is the first time I have stood to be a member of our NEC, so I am sure you can understand when I say I am quite proud to have won the election! I am extremely grateful to those members who voted for me and to those branches who nominated me. I hope I can increase both next time.

This election saw a big shake up of the NEC with a lot of new members being elected, replacing some experienced members of our union such as our own Wendy Nichols who has been a formidable voice for our members on the NEC for some time.

Elected Presidential Team 2017-19

The first meeting of the 2017-2019 NEC was immediately following the National Delegate Conference in Brighton in June. This meeting was to elect our lay presidential team for the next two years. I was pleased that Margaret McKee was elected President, Gordon McKay was elected Senior Vice-President and Josie Bird was elected Junior Vice-President.

Margaret has been a catering assistant at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for 38 years. She has been an activist for most of that time as well as Joint Chair of her branch for the past 10 years. She was also awarded the TUC women’s gold badge at the 2016 Congress in recognition of her union and community work. Gordon is from UNISON’s Ayrshire and Arran Health Branch and has worked as a Mental Health Nurse for 30 years. Josie is Branch Secretary of the Newcastle City Branch and has been employed as an administrative officer in Newcastle for 16 years. You may also know her from her work on the Finance Committee.

First NEC Meeting

The first full NEC meeting was on Tuesday 4th July at the UNISON Centre in London. The first part of the day was made up of appointing members of the NEC to a number of strategic and functional committee’s. I was selected by the Presidential Team to serve on the Staffing Committee and Development and Organisation Committee.



The second and last part of the day was to hear the General Secretary report, which was presented by Dave Prentis. He spoke about how members have been suffering under the public sector pay cap and how the public debate should not only be framed around our uniformed emergency services, but around all public sector workers; many of whom are often not seen.

You can see more details here: Union gears up for a summer of campaigning

The General Secretary took a number of questions from members of the NEC, although some were statements rather than questions. I do hope to see less personal statements and more focus from some NEC members next time so we can concentrate on representing our 1.3 million members.

I am in the process of writing to UNISON branches across Yorkshire and Humberside to let them know how I intend to communicate with members over the next two years to keep them updated on my NEC activities. I also welcome invitations from branch committees to speak and take questions.

Tony Green".

Forest Gate North "Labor Day" Picnic/BBQ Sunday 3 September

Just a quick reminder that Forest Gate North Labour Party will be holding a Summer Picnic/BBQ on Sunday 3rd September on Wanstead Flats opposite the Golden Fleece pub from 3 to 6 p.m. Come along and bring a dish to share. Don't forget to bring your family, children are especially welcome. Put the date in your diary and look forward to seeing you there.

(Our next branch meeting is on Thursday 7th September at Durning Hall).

Carel Buxton, Secretary Forest Gate North Labour
email: forestgatenorth@gmail.com

Ride to the Somme, Passchendaele & Arras 2017

The Battle of Passchendaele in the First World War took place from 31 July 1917 to 10 November 1917. There were an estimated 250,000 British causalities, killed or wounded during this battle.

The picture above on the left is of my maternal Grandfather (Taid in Welsh) Captain Frederick John Matthews MC who served in the First World War in the Royal Naval Division (a land based unit which fought in the trenches at Gallipoli, France and Belgium).

I believe he fought in this Battle and it may have been where he won his Military Cross.

After the war he served again in the Royal Welch Regiment as a Warrant officer which included fighting in Afghanistan in 1919.

My second Cousin Becky is also a warrant officer in the British Army. She also served recently in Afghanistan and has her Great Grandfather's Service medal and now her own.  Her husband John is also in the Army and is taking part in sponsored cycle ride on Wednesday from the UK to the Somme Battlefields to raise money for the  Armed Forces Charity SSAFA.

Please consider sponsoring John online here for a worthy cause that helps 50,000 people every year.

UNISON NEC 2017 at NDC

Great picture of elected UNISON National Executive Council members at our National Delegate Conference in Brighton in 2017.  

UNISON's African Migrant Workers Seminar 14 October 2017

I will circulate amongst Branch members. Monica is a top union organiser and it is really great that UNISON provides such support for members.

West Ham Labour August e-newsletter - Future campaigns, political and social events

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Dear Comrades Just a quick summer update on recent local and future events. Since the General election we have continued campaigning including holding high street stalls in Forest Gate, Canning Town and Stratford as well as door knocking and speaking to residents in Canning Town South and delivering ward newsletters in Forest Gate North. West Ham Women’s forum have recently held a stall at Stratford Station and a BBQ. Our newly elected MP, Lyn Brown held a “thank you” party at the Eat 16 (see picture above). There was a well-attended Memorial organised by Forest Gate North remembering the anniversary of the deaths of at least 34 residents killed in 1944 by a Nazi V1 flying bomb. Some activists have also continued to campaign in Ilford North Constituency and in the newly “marginal” seat, Chingford and Wood Green, trying to get rid of Ian Duncan Smith MP. The closing date for applications to be a Newham Councillor candidate in 2018 has now passed. Applicants and sitting Councillors will be interviewed in the autumn and branches will be given the chance to select their candidates in hustings. Watch this space for further details. Future campaigning & events West Ham branch are having a BBQ open to all on Thursday 31 August from 7-9pm at Vicarage Lane community centre, E15. Please advise members interested in going to RSVP 'John Whitworth'jhnwhitworth@yahoo.co.uk because of concern over space. Forest Gate North Branch are also having a BBQ on Sunday 3rd September on Wanstead Flats opposite the Golden Fleece pub from 3 to 6 p.m. Come along and bring a dish to share. Newham Fabians 20 Sept 2017 at Eat 16 are holding an important event on “Grenfell Tower: The anatomy of a disaster & the future of social housing in London”. While Newham Co-operative Party will be holding an event to mark the centenary of the Party and also to encourage Newham Labour Councillor Candidates in 2018 to stand jointly as Co-op candidates. Please send me news of events and photos for future newsletters and to place on our website. Regards John Gray West Ham Labour Party Vice Chair Campaigns and Communications e westhamlabour@gmail.com  t @westhamlabour  f westhamlabour  w westhamlabour.org Copyright © 2017 West Ham Labour party, All rights reserved.

68% of votes wasted in General Election

(NB. Below is why our election system in this country is nuts). Picture BBC 68% of votes had no impact on election result: Electoral Reform Society publish definitive report on June vote EMBARGOED: ‘The 2017 General Election: Volatile Voting – Random Results’ report also shows 6.5m estimated to have voted tactically, and models result under different voting systems using YouGov survey of 13,000+ voters Strictly embargoed for Monday 21st August 2017, 00:01 Final report here: https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017-UK-General-Election-Report.pdf For more information or to arrange and interview with a spokesperson, contact mediaoffice@electoral-reform.org.uk or 020 3714 4079 The instability of Westminster’s supposedly ‘strong and stable’ voting system has been laid bare, according to extensive new research by the Electoral Reform Society. The Society’s landmark General Election report, ‘The 2017 General Election: Volatile Voting, Random Results’, reveals: Volatile voting: This election saw the second highest electoral volatility (the movement of votes between parties) since 1931. People are switching sides and shopping around at ‘astonishing’ levels Wasted votes: 68% of votes had no impact on the result – 22 million votes were wasted this election [1] Tiny margins: 0.0016% of voters choosing differently would have given the Conservatives a majority, while the election saw rise in very marginal seats: eleven seats were won by fewer than 100 votes  The ‘hold your nose’ election: ERS estimate 6.5 million people voted tactically, alongside surge in smaller parties standing aside  A divisive system: First Past the Post is exaggerating divisions in the UK – Labour secured 29% of South East vote but got just 10% of seats, while Conservatives won 34% of the North East vote but got just 9% of seats. Meanwhile, the SNP continue to be over-represented in Scotland, as is Labour in Wales, while Northern Ireland voters are forced into two camps  Seats not matching votes: The Conservatives largely benefited from the discrepancy between votes and seats, winning 56% of English seats on 46% of the vote – while losing out significantly in Wales. The voting system is struggling to keep up with huge changes in partisan alignment [2] The results under PR: Labour would have emerged as largest party under Scotland and Northern Ireland’s Single Transferable Vote system, according to huge YouGov survey of voters’ party preferences [3] Darren Hughes, newly-appointed Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “For the third time in a row, Westminster’s voting system has failed to do what it says on the tin – produce a ‘strong and stable’ government. “June’s election has shown First Past the Post is unable to cope with people’s changing voting habits – forcing citizens and parties to try and game the system. With an estimated 6.5 million people ‘holding their nose’ at the ballot box, voters have been denied real choice and representation. “This surge in tactical voting – double the rate of 2015 – meant voters shifted their party allegiances at unprecedented rates, with the second highest level of voter volatility since the inter-war years. A system designed for two parties cannot accommodate these complex electoral swings. “In the nations and regions of the UK, elections now feel more like lottery than a real choice. As we’ve shown, tiny shifts in the vote result in drastically different outcomes. Having results hinge on a few hundred voters is no way to run a modern democracy. “The vast majority of votes are going to waste, with millions still stuck in the electoral black hole of winner-takes-all. A diverse and shifting public having to work around a broken two-party system. The result is volatile voting, and random results in the different parts of the UK. “There are a wide range of systems where votes are not thrown on the electoral scrapheap. We need to move towards a means of electing our MPs where all voices are heard and where people don’t feel forced to hold their nose at the ballot box. “2017 was the third strike for First Past the Post. It’s out.” Embargoed report link: https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017-UK-General-Election-Report.pdf Read the ERS’ 2015 General Election report here: https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2015-UK-General-Election.pdf [1] Number of wasted votes by region  [2] Seats don't match votes (Conservatives in blue, Labour in red) [3] The results projected under different voting systems (based on YouGov survey of 13,000 voters)   Party FPTP AV AMS STV Conservative 317 303 273 283 Labour 262 286 260 297 Liberal Democrats 12 11 39 29 UKIP 0 0 11 1 Green Party 1 1 7 1 SNP 35 27 21 18 Plaid Cymru 4 2 4 3