West Ham MP Lyn Brown (with badly broken elbow)

Picture is of Lyn Brown our West Ham Labour MP  who suffered a very bad fall on the steps of the House of Commons early this month.  She has broken her elbow in several places and has been warned that she may never recover the full use of her left arm.

Check out Lyn's column in the Newham Recorder here.

As Lyn herself admits it could have been a lot worse.  I am sure that she enjoyed the supportive text I sent her as West Ham CLP agent saying she should take more care of herself in the future and not rush about.  As Agent I am far too busy at the moment for a by-election!

 :)

It was a shame that some local Newham Tories posted a typically sneering, misogynist and unpleasant post on their blog.  But there you go - same old Tories, same old Nasty Party.

(Hat tip Picture - Newham Recorder)

Friday Frippery: Militant John and the Labour Attack Puppies

You couldn't make this up but the Newham toryminitrue site run by thin-skinned Tory, Neil "Skinhead" Pearce, is accusing moi of being a Labour "attack dog".  As if.

Apparently "Militant John" has "orchestrated" a letter writing "crusade" against this 'orrible ConDem government in the letter pages of the Newham Recorder.  To think I would do such a thing while being West Ham Labour Party agent! How completely outrageous a suggestion!

What stuff and nonsense.  As agent maybe I should have organised a campaign but the truth of the matter is that I have sent one letter to the Newham Recorder complaining about an abusive one that Pearce had sent them about our West Ham MP, Lyn Brown and his hypocritical attempts to score political points at the expense of Remembrance Day services. I have not had any knowledge or involvement in any other letters to the Newham Recorder.  These letters I think actually reflect genuine anger by local residents about this silly Tory attempt to make political capital out of the sacrifice of our armed forces and how they detest this government. Nothing to do with me - Guv.

Apparently, according to Minitrue, some Labour Party bods also don't like me being so 'orrible about Pearce and his Newham Tories! tut, tut..come off it - how stupid does Pearce and Toryminitrue think people are?  What planet do these Tory numpties actually live on?  People expect Labour to attack the Tories.  Especially when they leave such open goals.

BTW I think Newham Tories will do very well in Planet United Left - their natural home :)

(picture is of young Militant John launching one of his Labour attack puppies at somebody's ankle)

Letter to Newham Recorder

Dear Editor

East Ham Tory Chair, Neil Pearce,  is entitled to criticise our West Ham MP, Lyn Brown, for what he apparently believes to be her “politicising” of Remembrance Sunday (letters 1 Dec).  But does he really have to use such personal language?  He describes her comments as  being “disgusting”  and “really sickening” and then makes a series of partisan political points himself? 

Let us remember that Lyn was suggesting very gently in her column that those who choose to wear the poppy in a very political way - in China of all places (The Prime Minster David Cameron during his recent visit) should at very least pay the war widows what they deserve - because war widows and the rest of us are going to suffer for the cuts they are imposing on benefits and public services. She was adding her voice to a campaign to protect the vulnerable, those who have already lost so much, and get the Government to pull back from their policy of below inflation increases for war widows and others in receipt of pensions. Mr Pearce would be better engaged in assisting in that campaign.

Can I suggest that if in the future he or anyone thinks that Lyn has got something wrong that they write to her first pointing out their concerns.  If they are not satisfied with her response then by all means they could bring it to the attention of a wider audience without hopefully making Remembrance Sunday itself a focus for petty political abuse and a failed exercise of point scoring

Your faithfully

John Gray

West Ham Labour Party Agent

(published 15 December 2010)

CONDEMS axes 14 school construction projects in Newham

Well, don't say you were not warned. 

Check out the Newham Recorder - we are facing a "predicted 25 per cent increase in the number of four and five years needing a school place in the next three years. 

Executive member for children and young people, Cllr Quintin Peppiatt said: "The coalition government's decision to put a stop to 14 projects in Newham means that thousands of a students will miss out on the better education facilities they were promised.

This was a chance to improve educational attainment. After already seeing their free school meals and free swims under threat, we're deeply disappointed to see another blow to the young people of Newham."

I just hope that the David Cameron's "useful idiots" who poured such bile and hatred on the last (imperfect) Labour Government are feeling very proud of themselves.