Nominate John Gray for UNISON Community General seat on NEC

Dear Branch Secretary

I am writing to ask your branch to consider nominating me for the Community general seat on the National Executive Council.

I am a lifelong trade unionist and have been a member of UNISON for 17 years. 

I am Branch Secretary of the UNISON Housing Associations Branch and also Health & Safety and Labour Link Officer.

For the first time Community members will be represented on the National Executive Council. I want to represent Community members in all branches across the organisation, those in other service group branches, in geographical branches and those that are in the dedicated Community branches.

I want to ensure that all members are aware of what UNISON is doing for them and encourage them to become active themselves. I also want to support branches that have Community membership by ensuring that we have adequate and fair resources to enable us to support our members in these volatile and uncertain times. 

I have attached a copy of my election address (double click to bring up details) and I would be grateful if you could discuss this with your branch committee. If you would like to talk about this statement please ring or email me.

Yours faithfully

John Gray

ps - Most large Local Government and Health branches will also be eligible to nominate.  Nominations need to be made at a quorate meeting of your branch or branch committee during the nomination period. The nomination period will open on 11 January 2011 and close at 5pm on Friday 18 February 2011. Copies of the nomination forms will be available on UNISON's website here.  My UNISON number is 3083288

Lutfur Rahman removed as Labour Candidate for Tower Hamlet's Mayor

I once got myself into a little bit of bother over a post that included the words "However, this being Tower Hamlets the story developed"...

Well, my "inbox" this afternoon has been flooded with emails referring to this statement from the Labour Party NEC. 

"Having received a number of serious allegations concerning both the eligibility of participating voters and the conduct of Lutfur Rahman, the NEC has decided to investigate the allegations made. As a result, administrative action has been taken to remove Lutfur Rahman as a candidate pending the investigation. Nominations for Tower Hamlets mayor close this week and in the circumstances the NEC had no option but to impose another candidate. The NEC has voted to select Helal Abbas Uddin as Labour's candidate".

I understand that John Biggs has stood down as a candidate and is supporting Helal.

Hat-tip Dave Hill's London blog.  Neither Marsha or Andy are best pleased! (neither of whom like me are members of Tower Hamlets Labour Party).  While Ted missed a scoop by going to the Gym.