Exclusive Pictures of Justin Bieber being chased by Police on allegations of DUI...

Off message and I know it is really not a laughing matter but it made me....:)

Hat tip Comrade Rayner

Local Government under Labour - Setting the Agenda

On Wednesday evening I went to the Local Government Association (LGA) headquarters in central London for the launch of a new report on the future of Councils under a Labour Government.

Paul Hackett from the Smith Institute opened the meeting and noted that we were in Bevin Hall in what use to be "Transport House", the former national offices of the T&G union.  There must be various labour movement ghosts of the past in this room and building.

Paul hoped that this report will help bring together Labour Councils and the Parliamentary Labour Party. 

Clive Betts MP was first speaker. He thought that after the the fundamental attack on local government by this present government we cannot just go back to the way things use to be. There is also a disconnect between the political class and those we serve that has to be addressed. 

Labour needs to think in opposition now since we will be too busy when in government.

 

Next speaker was Hilary Benn MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Hilary thought that there is a struggle between local and central government. In the NHS we need national standards but there is an appetite for change for what local government provides. 

Interestingly he thought that the referendum on independence in Scotland will settle the Scottish Question but then the English Question on decentralisation will have to be answered. 

He talked about the crisis of confidence in our politics and the failure of consumerism, where far too many people think they can just sit back and do nothing but moan about the way things are run and don't realise they need to contribute. 

He ended by stating his belief that the tide is flowing towards real localism.

Cllr Lib Peck, the leader of Lambeth Council spoke about canvassing and speaking to people who said they "don't do voting". She wanted to ask them "what bit of voting do you not get?". 

The next Labour government needs to be bold. Emphasis the core values of public service. Councils need greater income raising powers, the ability to borrow and planning powers to get rid of too many payday loan and betting shops.

Final speaker was Cllr Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council. He asked what Labour authorities wanted to do? They want to encourage economic growth and jobs. End social determination but not by the tools of the past. Instead of national programmes there should be  devolved economic development.

I asked a question to the panel that a future Labour government needs to trust Local Authorities with taxation and spend. I appreciate there is a battle with our Treasury team over expenditure but times have changed and in the Party we have largely got rid of out trot head bangers who wrecked local government in the 1980s. We can only get rid of the centralised nanny state if you trust the people to hold councils to account for their money.

Hilary responded by saying that while he wished that there was a political consensus on income raising for local authorities there is currently not one.

There followed a wide range of interesting questions and answers. I think that it is fair to say that there was a consensus about the need to devolve real power from the centre and a wish that Labour made its mind up quickly before 2015 and if elected, took no prisoners and got on with things from get go. 

Check out of course, the excellent Chapter 10 of the report: "Troubled families in troubling times" which just happens to be written by my local MP, Lyn Brown, Shadow Fire and Communities Minister :)

Learning and organising in Greater London UNISON 2014

UNISON Branches in London Region should have got plenty of hard copies of the latest guide to our trade union courses for 2014. You can also access it at our website here. There is a wide range of great courses for new and old activists alike held in local collages across the region.

I need myself to book one of the 2 day "Stewards Refresher Course" (which is a Employment Rights Act requirement) since it is over 5 years (and the rest) since I did my last steward training.

(The front cover of the guide above has nothing to do with my recent decision to get fit and lose weight by entering the London Triathlon. Honest Guv).

UKIP Shipping Forecast

Enjoy. I did hear it on Radio 4 "The Today" on Monday morning but was reminded at UNISON NEC Policy committee meeting today. 

UKIP is an extremist right wing Tory protest front run by millionaires who want to destroy employment rights and protections for all workers. Never forget this.

Vote UKIP and you not only get the "mad, swivel-eyed loons" as your representative but your your job and wages will be put at risk.

West Ham Labour Education Debate

Check on this report on last week's West Ham Labour Party debate on Education. This was hosted by the Women's Forum and took place at the Old Town Hall in Stratford.

The author, Rania Ramli is a student and Young Labour member of West Ham ward.

"The speakers were Lord Andrew Adonis (the driver of the Academy program in the UK), Sharon Hodgson MP (Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities and Former Minister for Children and Families), Professor Becky Francis (Professor of Education and Social justice at Kings College University), and Dianne Walls (who has taught in the East end for over 40 years and who is currently a school governor for Chobham Academy). 

The main objective of the event was to reflect on Labour’s legacy with regards to education, and discuss the stance that the party should take in developing a new policy".  Chaired by
CLP Women Officer, Seyi Akiwowo (also West Ham ward).

Also bookmark our West Ham Labour blog here. 

The Red Vicar of Thaxted

Another lovely Sunday walk and another history lesson. The walk was a circular 6.5 mile route starting from historic Thaxted in Essex. Very muddy but lots of sunshine.

In Thaxted there is a magnificent Church dating back to the 14th Century. For over 30 years (1910-1942) its Church of England priest was
Conrad Noel the "Red Vicar of Thaxted. He had been appointed to the parish  by Lady Warwick a left wing landowner who apparently was the former mistress of King Edward VII.


 In 1911 he became a founding member of the British Socialist Party and in 1920 hung the Red flag and the flag of Sinn Fein alongside the flag of St George inside the Church. This led to the infamous "Battle of the Flags". Which resulted in disturbances and even fist fights.

According to this account Posters in the town declared "No Bolshevism for Thaxted" while the Church defence was headed by a small party of former policemen who had been dismissed for striking in 1919 (described as ‘Lansbury’s Lambs’)!

Noel also once wrote "Some Cork Black and Tans say they are on their way to England to murder me at night. About murdering, I will put it in the hands of the police, but of course they could not protect so open a place as the vicarage. It may be bluff, but...".

Ironically Noel was a friend of the "patriotic" English Composer Gustav Holst who also lived in the Village (I vow to thee my country)

Eventually he was forced by a Church Court to remove the flags.

Today inside the Church there is a bronze head of Noel and a simple plaque alongside that states "He loved justice and hated oppression".

Other pictures of the walk are here on Facebook. 

West Ham Street Surgery: Devenay Road, E15

Picture collage from yesterday's door knock in my ward at Devenay Road, London, E15.

Picture on top left is of me, top local community activist Bill and West Ham Labour candidate, John Whitworth.

Devenay Road and the surrounding streets are very interesting. It was a estate built by Newham Council 30 (ish?) years ago especially for local young couples on the waiting list who wanted to stay in the borough and buy its family sized homes. The Council at the time was able to arrange mortgages.

The houses are very attractive terrace or semi detached with garages and gardens next to West Ham Park.

I don't know if the house prices were subsidised or if the purpose was an early attempt to create mixed tenure communities in the area? Does anyone know?

Other pictures in collage show two beautiful chihuahuas puppies whose owner came to the door when I knocked; one of the gates that have sealed off part of Aileen Walk due to ASB, a rather mangy but curious ginger cat that followed us around the road and overgrown tree roots which are causing a pavement tripping hazard that I will be raising a Newham members enquiry about to the Council tomorrow (and various other environmental issues).

Hat tip to West Hammer Julianne Marriott for photos.

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)

What have the Unions ever done for the Labour Party?

I will be attending the special Labour Party Constitution Conference on 1 March as a delegate of an affiliated Trade Union.

While I don't think that unions are perfect nor that we should be scared of any debate about our role or influence on the Party. I do wonder why there is such a negative image about the relationship between the Labour Party and the trade unions?

It makes me think - what exactly have the (affiliated) trade unions ever done for the Labour Party?

Well, apart from the bleeding obvious (trade unions formed the Party, supply most of its money and many of its leaders and activists) the union block vote has also saved the Party from destruction on a number of occasions in its history.

Rows about the union role in the Party are as old as the Party itself. The trade union candidate for Leader of the Party, John Robert Clynes, was defeated as far back as 1922 by the non trade union candidate Ramsay MacDonald (and we all know what happened to him!)

In 1935 at its Conference, the unions saved the Party (and maybe the Country?) by voting against pacifism and in favour of the UK rearming against Nazi and fascist aggression. The Party Leader at the time was a local hero of mine, George Lansbury, who was a true London east end principled socialist. However, he also unfortunately believed that the way to deal with the Nazi threat was to try and convert Adolf Hitler to Christianity. The unions thought otherwise.

t Ermin’s Group

In 1983 the Labour Party Conference upheld the decision of the National Executive Committee to expel from membership the leadership of the ultra left entryists, Militant Tendency. Two thirds of constituency delegates voted against the expulsions but the unions cast their block votes in a card vote and kicked them out.

While not denying there has been own goals (1978/9) I could go on and on about what the unions have done for the Party. The union influence in the Labour Party is its anchor to working people and while this relationship will evolve and change, we meddle with it at our peril. 

I hope and expect that the unions and the Party will come to an agreement about the latest development in our common future and we can put this matter to bed. We can then all concentrate on the real enemy and get rid of this vile right wing Tory Coalition Government. .

Personal views as always. Check out my favourite video on what the unions has ever done for all of us.

Illegal immigration began in 1492

Now I don't know if this story is really true (see caption) but it made me smile (and I hope it is).

I was once told in London that I should go back to Wales and  stop stealing an English born person's job (it was intended to be "funny").

I replied only when he goes back to his German Forest.

Hat tip Facebook.