Abbey Gardens Summer Fair - Saturday 9 June 2-5pm

On Saturday 9 June there will be the Abbey Gardens Summer Fair in  Bakers Row, West Ham, E15 3NF. Abbey Gardens is a fantastic community garden project in West Ham Ward on the site of a 12th Century Abbey.

Wild about Spring: Abbey Gardens

This "Wild about Spring" event will take place on Saturday 14 April 2-5pm at Abbey Gardens, Bakers Row, West Ham, E15 3NF. Abbey Gardens is a fantastic community garden project in West Ham Ward on the site of a 12th Century Abbey.

Council Speech on Income Inequality (and some other stuff)

This is my speech on Monday evening at the Newham Council meeting. "Chair, Council, John Gray, West Ham Ward, speaking tonight on my personal views, about why greater income equality is better for everyone in our society and the evidence from the Book “The Spirit Level” to back up this assertion.

While I am sure that all of us in this chamber share a belief in progressive politics, in making our borough and our country a more equal and more just society, often we cannot agree on the way to build Jerusalem, in our green & pleasant Newham. We would all like to see greater income equality, especially for those living in poverty but we need to have a wider understanding on the causes and impact of poverty before we decide how best to tackle it.

A major problem for those who see themselves on the Left of politics is that that many think that socialism generally was discredited by the failure of Marxist states such as the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Not only their economic failure but also by the repression and the loss of personal freedoms.

Although the Labour Party itself has always been shaped more by Methodism than Marx, in my view and others, the Left has indeed lost its way and it has also been losing the all important Battle of Ideas to the Right.

This retreat by the Left and the resulting rise of the Neo-liberal Right was the main reason for the disastrous Financial services and Banking collapse in 2008. Which we are still paying the price for today and for the foreseeable future. 

However it is no use for the Left just simply wanting or wishing an alternative economy. It must be based on rigorous economic and empirical research. If the old socialist certainties of nationalisation and control of the means of production, distribution and exchange are no longer - what can take its place? 

The book "The Spirit Level" is I believe an important contribution to a new research based economic alterative. It was written by respected academics Professor Richard Wilkinson and Professor Kate Pickett and was first published in 2009 and an updated version in November 2010. They examined 30 years of national and international research. It is not a “theory of everything” which they are sometimes accused.

What this research found was that there was a clear statistical link in the developed countries of the world between income inequality, health and social problems. The smaller the gap between rich and poor, the more successful society was in terms of health and social problems. Based on this research, if the UK reduced the levels of inequality in our country, we could find increase in life expectancy, decrease in infant mortality; reduced crime (including murder), less mental illness and ill-health, less drug abuse and better educational attainment for our children. 

To me one of the great ironies coming out of the research was that they found that not only was greater income equality better for the poor, but it was also better for the rich to live in a more equal society. The health and social benefits of the rich as well as the poor improve. 

Once you identify the more equal and more successful societies you can then examine what you can do to change our society and make it more equal and more successful for all.  There are two main ways of reducing income inequality:-

1. Smaller differences in pay between the top and bottom earners before tax (like in Japan)

2. Redistribution through taxes and benefits from richer to the poor (like in Sweden)

I won’t go into the remedies since this is a topic in itself but it does seem to me that politically the pay of top executives in the private and the public sector is in the news and being discussed while the idea that we should actively redistribute by higher taxes and benefits is not currently on the agenda. Yet I think that there must be a combination of restraint at the top and support for the vulnerable at the bottom. 

The Right have of course attacked the Spirit Level research because they say it interferes “in the Market”, and that the “Market knows best”. As 2008 showed us, the market is not always right, it does need at times, regulating and moderating in the interests of a better society. A society which again, I stress benefits everyone, the rich and the poor. So let us go on now to win the Battle of Ideas. The Banking crisis for the Right should be the equivalent of the fall of the Soviet Union to the Left. Let us create a new society, a New Jerusalem based on statistical evidence of what works and what doesn’t, not the outdated dogma or wishful thinking of the past. Thank you.

London Marathon 2012 Training Wk 6: East London Cemetery

The Pension strike on Wednesday and the LAPFF Pension conference on Thursday meant that I missed two days marathon training. I have also swapped my weekly “long run” from Sunday to Saturday, since I want to keep up with going for country walks on a Sunday whenever possible.

This week I was supposed to either take part in a 10k race or go for a 60 minute run. I was too disorganised to find a race so instead I went for the run. First a warm up walk and then jog through Forest Gate backstreets. Followed by stretches near Romford Road. I then started running through West Ham Park, down to Plaistow Road, then across West Ham ward to join the Greenway via Canning Road. I turned left at the Greenway and ran along what will be a major route into the Olympic Park next year.

I then decided to turn right and go down to the East London Cemetery. Near to the gates of the cemetery there is a memorial to two mass graves of civilian air raid victims from Hackney during World War Two. Also buried in the cemetery are Elizabeth "Long Liz" Stride who was the 3rd victim of Jack the Ripper and Carl Hans Lody the 1st German spy to be executed by firing squad at the Tower of London during the World War One.

After the cemetery I went into Newham memorial Park, back on the Greenway then home. On way back I said “hello” very briefly to two of my ward constituents in West Road who I had met on a Street surgery last month.

This 60 minute run had been pretty tough but I was pleased that I had managed to keep going at a somewhat respectable rate. Even though my thigh muscles are giving some gip and I find it a little difficult to walk up stairs.

I am running the London marathon next year using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.

(picture of WW2 bomb victims buried in East London Cemetery and poster board with long list of "West Ham Air Raid Casualties")

West Ham Ward Street Surgery (and getting the Vote Out for Ken)

After my offical surgery yesterday in the Rokeby Community Centre (where apparently Katie, the Duchess of Cambridge, made a very successful private visit to the centre last week and had lunch with staff and users) I went on a Street Surgery with fellow West Ham Councillor Ron Manley (left of centre picture) and top ward secretary John Whitworth (right).

We knocked on doors and introduced ourselves to local residents and asked if they had any issues that they wanted to speak to us about.  It may have been the blue skies and warm sunshine but we had a really good reception.  We obviously reminded everyone about the GLA election next year and the importance of getting rid of Johnson as the Coalition Tory London Mayor. 

The only clear "Against" I came across had a poor opinion of all politicians and spoke highly of Arthur Lewis (former Labour MP for the area until deselected in 1983) as a "man of the people...who you could stop in the street and talk to...".  I did not live in Newham at the time and understand that many who did, had a somewhat alternative view of Arthur.  However, Mr Against, also had let me say, an extremely poor opinion (expressed in fluent east end), of Mayor Johnson, so Ken may still be in with a chance. 

Other residents expressed concern about anti-social behaviour by local youths (a tiny, tiny minority of all young people) and rogue "Rachman" private sector landlords who do not care about the state of their properties and do nothing about the bad behaviour of some of their residents.  There are a number of initiatives that the Council and West Ham Police Safer Neighbourhood team are carrying out at the moment against ASB in this area which I expect to make a big difference.  While the Council's pioneering initiative to try and licence all private landlords is I think potentially brilliant.  Protecting tenants and their neighbours, encouraging good landlords and attacking the bad. Great stuff.

Across Newham yesterday and today there has been similar door knocking by Councillors and local Labour Party members.  We are also carrying out telephone surveys of West Ham residents. 

One other story I came across yesterday was from an Newham resident about how she was complaining bitterly about this rotten Tory Coalition government when her daughter interrupted her to say "Mum, you can't complain about this government...you don't bother to vote at the election last year"... and to be fair to Mum, she accepted this and just grinned somewhat sheepishly.   Lesson learnt.

West Ham CLP Social with Diane Abbott MP: 27 October 2011

(An offer you cannot refuse....and it's in West Ham ward! See attached leaflet from West Ham Constituency Labour Party) 

Open event

All Labour Party members and affiliates are welcome

Guest Speaker

Diane Abbott MP

Thursday 27^th October

7.30pm start

Vicarage Lane Community, Centre, Govier Close E15 4HW, Raffle & Food at moderate price, Keep this evening free and join us.

London Labour Housing Group at Tower Hamlets Federal Branch meeting

This evening I was at the Tower Hamlets Labour Party Federal branch meeting of Bethnal Green North, Mile End and Globe Town and Weaver wards. On  behalf of the new London Labour Housing Group to talk about the LHG and its new London branch.  I use to work as a housing officer in Weavers and Globe Town.

I was a little late (apologies) because a City and East GLA 2012 campaign meeting beforehand took longer than expected.

It took place in St Margaret's House, Bethnal Green and was well attended (and chaired by Jemima Olchawski). There was a bit of a mix up about what I was to say, since the branch were expecting me to speak on their Housing and Affordable Rents debate while I was expecting to speak about the London Labour Housing Group.  However, I think it went okay.  Housing is a huge issue in Tower Hamlets, even more than the rest of the London.

I explained how progressives need to win the "Battle of Ideas" in Housing and that if you are interested in fighting this battle you ought to consider joining the LHG.  I had to rush off after 30 minutes to go to my West Ham ward meeting to give my Councillor report.  Speakers are available from the branch to attend Labour Party meetings and explain more about the Labour Housing Group.  You can join here.

At my ward meeting we discussed the future ballot of public service workers over possible strike action to save decent pension schemes. We hope to get the West Ham Labour Party banner to the planned March and Rally on November 30th. (picture of Tower Hamlets LP banner at 75th Cable Street rally last Sunday)

Abbey Gardens Harvest Festival 2011: What will the Harvest be?

Yesterday afternoon I was judging the "best vegetable sculpture" and the "best sport themed cake competition" with my fellow West Ham Ward Councillor, Freda Bourne.  We were at the Abbey Gardens Harvest Festival.

In the best traditions of any British outdoor event, it of course poured down with rain, then cleared up with sunshine, before pouring down with rain again. No one seemed that bothered. The children seemed to relish the weather.

Check out the remarkable history of Abbey Gardens "a community garden in West Ham surrounding part of the ruins of a 12th century abbey" and the "Plaistow Landgrabbers" here, here and photo here.

(double click photo to bring up details)

Good News for Newham

Yesterday I went for the first time on the new Docklands Light Railway line from Canning Town to Stratford International Station.  It opened last week and is a great step forward for the whole area.  The 6km £211 million route has 4 brand new fully accessible stations which also connect five London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic venues.  In is particularly good news for West Ham ward since two of the stations are right next to the ward boundaries.  From Stratford International you can be in St Pancras in under 10 minutes. Eventually (fingers crossed) you will be able to pick up the Eurostar from Stratford.

Also, last week I went on another tour of  Westfield Stratford City.  Only a few weeks ago it was a building site and we had to wear safety helmets and boots.  Now the shops are being fitted out and you could walk around in normal clothing.  The new shopping centre (the biggest in Europe with 300 stores) opens this Tuesday.  Today, by coincidence, I had to go to Ilford to visit the nearest Marks and Sparks.  The Shopping centre in Ilford is a fairly pleasant enough location and I wish it well, but I really pleased that Newham will now have a world class shopping and leisure facility which will also provide thousands of jobs and careers for local people. Double click photos to bring up detail.

(Oh yes, isn't there is some sort of sporting event going on in Stratford next year as well? :)

Ham Park Village Residents Group

This is a picture from last weeks inaugural meeting of a new Residents
Group in my ward that I helped out at as a  facilitator.
 
This photo image is my London. A local community coming together and working with their Council, the Police and Voluntary Groups to improve the locality.  This image is the real London and the other one of the recent ignorant selfish London mob is the false one.

Residents, the local Police Safer Neighbourhood team and CleanUp UK volunteers met up to discuss tough community problems and possible solutions.  Big and small. As an icebreaker everyone lined up from left to right, according to how long they had lived or served the local community.  The residents on the right of the picture had been amongst the first to move into the estate which was built by Newham Council specifically for young couples on their waiting lists to bring up families 37 years ago. 

(Many thanks to the council community engagement officer, the West Ham SNT and CleanupUK for their help - and of course local resident and now Chair of Group Zac).