UNISON London Labour Link Forum 2011

This photo is from the Annual London Labour Link (APF) Forum meeting held last month in the Grimond Room, Portcullis House, Houses of Parliament. I was jointly Chairing the meeting with our Regional Convener, Gloria Hanson.

The Forum is the annual meeting of UNISON London Region Labour Link (APF) branch delegates.
To my right (speaking)  is Joanne McCartney, GLA member for Enfield and Haringey and to my left is our keynote speaker Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, Shadow Lord Chancellor and Secretary State for Justice.

We also had as speakers Karen Buck MP, MP for Westminister North and Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform: Margret Hodge, MP for Barking and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (picture right)

Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North and our final speaker, Chuka Umunna, MP for Streatham, member of Treasury Select Committee and Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ed Miliband (picture below).

All the speakers were well received and there was a good Q&A debate afterwards.The Forum passed a motion from the Housing Association Branch on "the Death and Rebirth of Public Housing" and "Fighting the Tory Cuts" by Waltham Forest LG Branch (which attacks the wreckers who are trying to split the opposition to this Tory led ConDem government).  Both these motions have been sent to the national forum meeting.

The importance of the TUC March on the 26th was made clear by everyone who spoke.

We also got UNISON members from Ekaya Housing Association who are facing massive pay cuts to lobby the guest speakers.

London Labour Housing Group

I was reminded today that I haven't posted fully on the successful launch last month of the London branch of the Labour Housing Group (LHG). 

Steve at the LHG "Red Brick" blog has of course posted an excellent report.  Check out the comments at this post which gives an accurate flavour of this event.

It was (IMO of course) a pretty damn good Labour Movement Family event that drew together the best elements of our movement. Labour Party elected representatives, trade unions and grass roots Party campaigners and members working together and sharing ideas.

It was held at the Grand Committee Room in Westminster Hall and was packed to overflowing.  Standing room only. It was more like a rally than a meeting. 

It was Chaired by Nicky Gavron AM, guest speakers were Ken Livingstone, Karen Buck MP and London UNISON Regional Secretary, Linda Perks.   Labour Shadow Housing Minister, Alison Seabeck MP came in and opened the meeting.

I think that many people present were fairly shocked at how mean, destructive and sheer bloody minded nasty the Condems polices are on Housing. 

Afterward there was a reception sponsored by UNISON London Labour Link in St. Stephen's Tavern which also went down well.  You can see in the collage above Party members of UNISON Housing Association branch with London Assemby member, Murad Qureshi (who use to be a member of our branch). Double click collage to bring up detail.

I think we will all be looking forward to a future LLHG Policy and Campaigning day soon. 

Check out more photos of the event at Facebook here.