Stop the Millionaire Gangsters Massacring our Services

LONDON DOWNING STREET TWILIGHT  RALLY – 14 FEBRUARY 5-8pm.

"It would be great if you could make a brief outdoor contribution at the ‘Stop the Valentine’s Day Massacre of Our Services’ Rally, opposite Downing Street 5 – 8 pm on Monday 14 February (along the lines of the budget day 20 October event).  This event is supported by SERTUC, UNITE (London & Eastern Region").

Hat tip Unite

"What is it about this obsession with Leaders?"

Good post by Ian

"I reckon the left groups are the worst here.

How often do you hear left groups supporting this candidate for leader or that while at the same time championing rank and file power or lay member democracy?...."

(I suppose I should ask you to ignore for the moment that most of my recent posts have been about "leadership elections" :)

Unite nominates Ed Miliband as Labour Party Leader.

No surprise to anyone that I was very pleased to hear yesterday that the Unite Executive confirmed that they had overwhelmingly agreed to support Ed Miliband as the new Labour Party leader.  This followed a similar "overwhelming" vote by its national political committee. 

What matters now of course is turning this commitment (and that of UNISON and GMB) to "urge its one million members eligible to vote in the Labour leadership contest to make Ed Miliband their choice for leader of the Labour party" into actual votes. 

Ed Miliband has received the endorsement of the "big 3" affiliated trade unions. The press seem here to be trying to make out that there is some sort of smoke filled room deal by so called "union barons" to make Ed the their choice.  This is complete rubbish.  Now I accept that I have openly supported Ed for a while so what I am about to say could be a bit suspect but I have been pleased at the degree of genuine grass roots support for Ed Miliband amongst trade union activists. The reason is I think because being activists they have either seen him at a hustings, read interviews about him or even checked out his website.

We want someone who has the passion, personality and politics who can change the Party and still defeat Cameron and his CONDEMS.  Ed is the best candidate to do this.

What needs to be done is firstly get Ed in front of as many non-activist members as possible - get him talking to them and answering their questions either in person or via our media. Secondly to encourage activists to talk to their members about the election and about Ed.  Finally the unions must support turnout and encourage members to vote. Simple endorsements by union national political committees will not be enough.

(picture credit Dan McCurry at the West Ham CLP hustings)

Labour Housing Group AGM

On Saturday I went to the Labour Housing Group AGM at Camden Town Hall. I have only recently joined the LHG but I have been to their well attended fringe events at Labour Party conferences in the past.

The group is about “developing and promoting effective housing policy" and was formed in 1981. It is one of the Socialist Societies affiliated to the Labour Party. I think membership will give me another vote in the forthcoming leadership elections?

I had just missed the main speaker Karen Buck MP (Westminster North) due to my Council surgery which was a shame. Due to the very high rents vulnerable and unemployed tenants in her constituency will be amongst the first to be forced out or evicted if the CONDEM housing benefits restrictions are brought in as planned. London Assembly member Nicky Gavron was there, a number of Councillors and resident reps from up and down the country and also Rachael Maskell, national officer for housing in Unite.

Despite the recent general election defeat and the general doom and gloom in housing the LHG members seemed remarkable upbeat and positive. It was refreshing to be amongst people who are really, really interested in housing policy – theory and practice. The “round robin” workshop at the end of the meeting was excellent. It was supposed to be about ways of increasing the supply of housing but turned into a wide ranging discussion about housing in general. My pennyworth was about encouraging and supporting “like minded” people to join the boards of Housing Associations and how we should plan to campaign against the regressive CONDEM housing policies and make sure there is “clear red water” between them and us.

The LHG encourages local or regional branches to be set up. There was a number of us from London present and we had some interesting conversations about having a meeting after the summer to discuss possibly setting up a London branch. So watch this space.