West Ham Municipal Elections 1897: Now and then.

On General election day May 7, a London UNISON colleauge was representing Labour outside a polling station in Ilford North, when an elderly man bought photocopies of an election leaflet, featuring his Grandfather and gave her a copy. She knew that I was a West Ham Labour Councillor and would be interested in this, so she sent me a scan.

It is a remarkable document. Plasitow ward in 1897 also incorporated my ward, West Ham.  At the time West Ham Country borough was the first Council to be controlled by Labour. In 1892 Keir Hardie had been elected in West Ham South as the first Labour Member of Parliament. Even though the Labour Party itself was not formed until 1906.

I could only find out more information on the internet about J. J Terrett and nothing on G. Bissell or G. Coe.

Joseph Terrett was elected as a Councillor at some point and wrote a pamphlet called "Municipal Socialism” in West Ham: A Reply to ‘The Times,’ and Others (London: Twentieth Century Press, 1902). Which was in response to an attack on Labour Councils for spending too much by the London Times newspaper. Terrett argued that any extra expenditure was necessary due to poverty and disease. This argument is still live today.

He also wrote a book "The Right Hon. H.H. Asquith, M.P., and the Featherstone massacre" 1906. Which was about the shooting dead by troops of 2 striking coal miners in Burnley in 1893.

In early 1893, Terrett, was a 20 year gas worker and Social Democratic Federation League activist in Burnley. He also called himself "A. G. Wolfe" for some reason. He was however attacked by Keir Hardie for being too aggressive and sectarian.

The last reference I could find on Terrett was standing in a Parliamentary by election in South London 1916 as "Independent Labour". "London Trades Union Protest Committee selected Joe Terrett to stand on a platform of opposition to the recently introduced drink orders introduced on liquor traffic by the Central Control Board.[5] Terrett promptly began his campaign with literature carrying slogans such as "Smash the control board. No more government by secretly-appointed non-representative bodies".

It is surprising how many of the issues mentioned in the pamphlet are still relevant now. Much of which (not all) I would agree with. Click on pictures to bring up details.

If you look at their "Programme" (Page 3) you will see calls for a minimum wage, paid holidays, pensions and sick pay for Council workers. They also call for the council to build homes at low rents.

They want strict enforcement of what we would call nowadays "environmental health" and municipalisation of utilities and other monopolies. As well as making sure Landlords pay their taxes.

The municipalisation of pubs and off licences is not a particularly live issue anymore.

Page 4 of the manifesto calls for free further education and the provision of sufficient toilets for both sexes. I would still agree with the call for evening meetings of all Council committees.

There is "green agenda" (planting of trees) and a cultural call for a municipal theatre.

Finally, I am not that keen on the municipal control of Police but would fully support the final demand that the Council puts pressure to bear on the railway companies to prevent "the scandalous overcrowding that occurs daily".

Some things never change.

Many thanks for sending me the pamphlet. If anyone has any further information on it, please let me know.

UPDATE: Check this post about the grave of George Coe (G.Coe)  https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2020/10/socialist-labour-west-ham-cllr-george.html 

and comments by his family

Co-op Votes to Keep Political Link with Labour Movement

As a Co-op shopper and Party member this is great news. I was out canvassing in Tower Hamlets yesterday afternoon for John Biggs as Labour mayor.

When I got a text from one of the "Keep It Co-op" organisers that the Co-operative Group had just voted to keep its link with the Co-operative Party.

In the face of the General Election defeat is was even more important than ever that the Labour movement family (The Labour Party, the Co-operative Party, the affiliated trade unions and socialist societies) - keeps together.

I think that this has been a bit of a "wake up" call for the Co-operative Party to better assert its voice and distinctive cooperative message in the wider Labour Party. While the financial disaster that the Co-operative Banking arm got itself into reminds us that we also need effective as well as democratic governance in co-operatives and mutuals.

Picture of West Ham Labour activists outside the Co-op in Forest Gate, Newham. 

Newham Council AGM 2015

Picture collage from the Annual General Meeting of Newham Council (and 50th anniversary of the London Borough of Newham) at Stratford Town Hall.

The meeting started with music and song from local primary school pupils. At the meeting I was re-elected to Investment and Accounts Committee; Regeneration & Employment Scrutiny Commission and Housing Tenants' Scrutiny Commission.

The Newham Young Mayor's gave fantastic speeches and the Executive Mayor, Sir Robin Wales explained about his work programme for the year in the face of £91 million of cuts.

Afterwards, there was yet another picture of all Councillors on the Town Hall stairway followed by drinks and nibbles in the old Council Chamber.

(hat tip to Facebook friends who I have "borrowed" some of their pictures)

AMNT stall at Workplace Pensions Live 2015

On Thursday I went for a flying visit to Edgbaston, Birmingham to take part in a panel on the second day of Workplace Pensions conference.

The theme of the panel was "View from the coalfield - This session will explore the role of unions on trustee boards, and the conflicts union members may face in their interactions with employers and members".

I was speaking with Bill Trythall (see on right of picture), a trade union appointed director, of the massive university pension fund USS.

The session went okay I think and afterwards Bill and I joined our colleagues at the Association of Member Nominated Trustees (AMNT) stall.

I had to rush back to London for the Newham Council AGM. 

Back To The '80s

Great music (mostly).

Greater London UNISON international Committee and Greece Solidarity Campaign

Picture is from yesterday's AGM of Greater London UNISON International and Europe Committee. Kim Silver was re-elected Chair and I was  re-elected Vice Chair. 

Below is the draft report on this part of the meeting. I hope to also post later the presentation by the VSC.

"Paul Mackney and Isidoros Diakides from the Greece Solidarity Campaign‎ (GSC) spoke on the current situation in Greece following the election of the Syrzia government earlier this year. Greek workers are fighting back against EU-imposed austerity measures, with 32 general strikes having taken place. GSC encourages 'solidarity tourism'! The prominence of women both suffering the effects of EU austerity and in resistance to them was emphasised.

Isidoros explained that there is no debt; it is an instrument of the EU and the IMF to impose neo-liberal policies onto Greece, as previously they have done with 'developing' countries. The German-inspired stereotype of 'lazy Greeks' is belied by Greek workers working the longest hours in Europe. A key component of the EU's policies is to dismantle employment protection and the welfare state, both of which have been fought for by generations of Greek Unions. When British and other Unions ask what they can do to assist, the answer Greek Unions give is that they should fight the austerity policies in their own countries. Without social solidarity in Greece the country would have collapsed.

Although the German government wants to impose cuts, it doesn't want Greece to cut its’ (mainly arms) contracts with Siemens.

John Gray asked why the Greek government isn't planning to leave the eurozone? Ensuing disruption is the answer offered. Membership of the EU is associated with prosperity, not austerity. Developing events may lead the Greek people to the opposite conclusion, and conclude that the only future lies outside the EU, but that is not their current view".

London Loop Walk Section 3: "Petts Wood to West Wickham Common"

The General Election is finally over, for good or bad (and I think it is very bad). Yesterday I had my first free Sunday for ages and went off and walked section 3 of the London Loop Walk "Petts Wood to West Wickham".

The weather was warm and mostly sunny. It felt almost but not quiet like a summers day. The first part of the walk was rather built up and suburbia but the last part after Farnborough village was mostly in beautiful and stunning open countryside. Just what my soul needed.

There was great views from the historic site of Wilberforce Oak, where Prime minister William Pitt the Younger and his friend, William Wilberforce, are reputed to have discussed the abolition of the slave trade in 1788.

The walk was supposed to be 9 miles but we got a little lost just after Keston ponds and probably nearer 10 by the end. 

Why we lost and what are we going to do about it?

) 

Labour have a mountain to climb (see very subtle picture left) but we should not in my view be totally beating ourselves up over our performance on Thursday.

Everyone has an opinion nowadays and these are my views for better or for worse. 

Firstly, I don't think we can condemn voters for exercising their democratic choice no matter how wrong we feel that choice was. 

Labour was well beaten nationally and we need to accept this and move on. 

In my view and with of course the benefit of hindsight, it was clear that we would never win this time. Only once in 100 years (Feb 1974) has the UK had a one term government voted out. Voters nearly always give our governments a second chance. There is also most importantly  "It's the economy stupid" factor. Wages are now eventually rising, prices are low, fuel and energy costs in particular have crashed, mortgage interest rates also at record lows and house prices are rising. So people thought "Why risk all this?"

I think we should stress that things are not all doom and gloom and that a Tory majority of 12 does not mean they will be able to do anything they want. We should celebrate our successes locally in Newham (thumping big majorities for both MP's) and in Ilford North.

We should all plan to argue, campaign and resist whenever possible and practical. We will win on some things and for those things we will lose, we must be able to lay the blame squarely on the Tories.

We must also point out that next year London must lead the way for an alternative set of economic and political values by electing a progressive Labour Mayor and Assembly. This must be our priority.

On a wider point I also think that Labour needs to win the battle of ideas with the public on centre left politics. It is no use saying we will make the NHS better or build more housing without asking those who can afford it for more money in taxes.  People know this and unless they know where the money is coming from then you run the risk of someone claiming this doesn't really add up.  

The West Ham Count 2015 at the Olympic Velopark

I have mixed emotions looking at this collage. On the one hand we had a fantastic victory in West Ham that night with our Labour MP, Lyn Brown, being re-elected with a majority of 27,986 and 68.4% (increase of 5.8% from 2010) share of the vote.  Charlene McLean was also re-elected as a Stratford & New Town Labour Councillor with the highest ever vote in the history of Newham Council.

Yet we clearly lost the national General election.

This morning I had my Councillor surgery in my ward and a young mum with her son came to see me. She has an eviction notice since she cannot afford the rent on her privately rented 2 bedroom flat. She has always worked for the NHS but due to benefit caps, she now cannot afford to live in one of the least expensive parts of London. She has even been refused access to so called "intermediate Social Housing" since she does not earn £40k per year.

What on earth will happen to her and her son under a future Tory government committed to billions of pounds of further spending cuts? 

Ilford North snapshot - May 7th

There was loads of Labour Party and trade union supporters in Ilford North on Thursday, so this is only a limited snapshot of what went on that day.

Westhammers were there at 5am to deliver reminder leaflets (followed by a well deserved breakfast in the Fairlop Oak) and out "on the knocker" and tele-canvassing for the rest of the day until 9.30pm. I was in West Ham in the morning and later went out with a number of Ilford North teams during the day and early evening. I put a £10 bet on for Wes Streeting to win at Ilford North (and now look forward to the winnings).

At one house I called at an elderly man answered the door and told me that this was the first time he had ever voted Labour. I asked if he minded telling me why? He said that it was because the Tories had said that they would force housing charities to sell their homes. This was unforgivable since it would bankrupt them and further reduce the supply of affordable homes.

On Barkingside High Street, a young woman stopped us and told us she was homeless and would we build more Council homes if elected? I told her that Labour is committed to building a million new homes including Council, Housing association and Private if elected.

I was pleased that I was with fellow UNISON members in every team I went on.

There was even a  direct West Ham connection since at one polling station, an elderly man bought along a copy of his grandfather's manifesto, who had stood as a Labour & trade union candidate for Plaistow ward in the 1897 West Ham municipal election. I have been sent a scan of this manifesto by a UNISON organiser and will post on it soon.

Wes Streeting overturned a 5,000 Tory majority to be elected as the Labour MP for Ilford North. It was thrilling news when we heard it at the West Ham Count.

In the collage there is a great picture of Wes and his agent (aka indie rock star) Matt Goddin, who is a top organiser (whose much better half Simian was also an excellent if somewhat reluctant canvass team leader on the day)