Archive for February, 2009

Wellcome to North London Fawcett Group

28 February, 2009 at 1:59 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , , ,

On Thursday night I was very pleased to be one of a large group of women meeting at the Wellcome Institute to launch the North London Fawcett Group.

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The Fawcett Society is actually based in Islington (its office is in Clerkenwell) so it’s about time we had a local group.

Fawcett campaigns for equality between women and men in the UK on pay, pensions, poverty, justice and politics. Not much to do there, then!

An early issue we’ll be taking up is the future of Rape Crisis Centres in London.

You can contact the North London Fawcett Group by emailing me or Matty.

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Sweet land of liberty

28 February, 2009 at 11:49 am · Filed under Campaigns, Liberal Democrats ·Tagged , , , , , ,

In many ways our social freedoms, the freedoms of particular groups, have made great leaps foward under Labour.

We now have comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, civil partnerships, paternity leave, among other initiatives – all supported by the Lib Dems. But at the same time our individual civil liberties have been undermined.

The Government monitors us to a greater extent than ever before, while refusing to tell us the information we most want to know about them. All sorts of longstanding British traditions – like the right to a jury trial or the right to protest at Parliament – are under threat. ID cards and the database state cost billions but make us no safer. The cold eyes of CCTV cameras have replaced real policemen on many of our streets.

So it’s timely that the Liberal Democrats are proposing a Freedom Bill which will tackle some of the worst threats to our freedom.

For example, the Bill aims to:
• Scrap ID cards for everyone.
• Restore the right to protest in Parliament Square.
• Scrap the ContactPoint database of all children in Britain.
• Remove innocent people from the DNA database.
• Reduce the maximum period of pre-charge detention to 14 days.

In an appropriate spirit of openness, the party is inviting comments on the Bill. What’s good, what’s bad, what’s missing: let’s have your views. And if you’re on Facebook and support the Bill, why not join the Facebook group here.

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Phones not flowers

28 February, 2009 at 11:13 am · Filed under Family & friends, Health ·Tagged ,

I’ve just been on the phone to an old friend about a mutual friend in hospital.

Me: How is she, is she ready for visits? If not I’ll send some flowers.

O.F.: Why not phone her?

Me: Phone her?

O.F.: Yes, she’s got her phone, you’re allowed them in hospital these days you know. But no flowers, they’re not allowed.

Me: no flowers?

O.F.: Yes, phones not flowers: it’s the modern way.

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Islington’s council tax debate debacle

27 February, 2009 at 11:41 pm · Filed under Campaigns, Neighbourhood ·Tagged , , , ,

The dramatic Islington council budget meeting – and shock council tax rise from Labour – continue to make the news.

There’s coverage in the Islington Gazette, the Tribune, the Evening Standard, and a thoughtful analysis on Jeremy Hargreaves’ blog.

Meanwhile I’ve received this message from Council leader James Kempton:

“I am writing to inform you that Labour councillors blocked our Liberal Democrat proposals to freeze the council tax this year. At last night’s council meeting to set Islington’s 2009 budget, they imposed a 2.5% rise on hard pressed Islington residents struggling through the recession, which is the highest council tax rise anywhere in inner London.

“My colleagues and I have been speaking to hundreds of local residents over the past few weeks who have backed our campaign against the council tax going up. Hundreds of people have signed our petition and written letters of support.

“I am very sorry that Labour cynically took advantage of the absence of one of our Liberal Democrat councillors who was rushed to hospital for an emergency procedure to push through this unwelcome tax rise.

“Liberal Democrats have kept our promise every year to keep council tax below the London average, and residents trust us to keep bills low whilst improving services. But Labour doesn’t care about residents except wanting to keep their hands on more of their hard earned cash.

“As if Gordon Brown hasn’t done enough damage, here we have Labour rubbing salt in the wound, squeezing more money out of hard pressed residents who are already suffering from the worst recession in 100 years

“In the council meeting last night, Labour councillors were calling each other “comrades.” It was just like ten years ago, when the then Labour council saddled residents with the highest council tax in London . Labour’s council tax hike shows what would happen if Labour ever took back control of the council again.

“If you haven’t done so already please sign our petition at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/dontraiseourcounciltax to show your support for this campaign, and to send a message to Labour that they are not listening to the wishes of the people of Islington.”

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Pink, perky and proud

27 February, 2009 at 10:49 pm · Filed under Local history, Movies, media, music & culture ·Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Tonight I was in the front row, cheering a fantastic musical evening in Finsbury Library.

We had Schubert lieder, Benjamin Britten songs and show tunes from William Sauerland with Erik Dippenaar. Then an unforgettable performance from the Pink Singers, who delivered two medleys – Bond songs and Tamla Motown – with unique style.

The event was the gala finish to LGBT History Month here in Islington, which is, as one of the speakers reminded us, the queerest borough in London.

Islington is home to London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard and Stonewall Housing (the latter based just down the corridor from Islington Lib Dems at Leroy House), and elected the first out gay MP, Chris Smith.

The first gay rights demo, triggered by the arrest of Young Liberal Louis Eakes, took place on Highbury Fields in 1970 (I attended the 30th anniversary event in 2000). More recently, Lib-Dem-led Islington Council has fought and won the argument that all citizens are entitled to be served equally by the council registrars; and has been recognised by Stonewall as a top employer. Our schools are helping fight homophobic bullying.

Some people are still on the offensive against LGBT History Month. They are wrong. To spend 4 short weeks a year celebrating gay and lesbian lives enriches our culture, celebrates freedom and diversity, and is good for everyone.

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Labour impose inner London’s highest council tax rise on Islington

27 February, 2009 at 1:18 pm · Filed under Campaigns, Liberal Democrats, Neighbourhood ·Tagged , , , , ,

So now we know.

As soon as they get the chance, Labour jack up our taxes.

Last night’s budget meeting in Islington was always going to be dramatic. With equal numbers of Labour and Lib Dem councillors, plus one independent and one Green, I hoped that a sensible majority would back the Lib Dem proposal to freeze the council tax. After all that’s clearly what local people wanted.

Then Cllr Donna Boffa – who was already poorly when I saw her last weekend – was hospitalised: and Labour seized their chance to hijack the budget.

When Labour ran Islington Council, we had the highest council tax in London. Last night, true to form, they gave us London’s highest council tax rise.

Labour councillors may be feeling jubilant that they’ve got their tax rise through; but it is ordinary Islington residents who will be paying the price.

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Fairer fuel bills campaign in the Gazette

26 February, 2009 at 8:55 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged ,

The Islington Gazette is covering my fairer fuel bills campaign.

The online petition is here.

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Potato parade

26 February, 2009 at 4:23 pm · Filed under Consumer, Movies, media, music & culture ·Tagged , ,

My Uncle Richard (honorary uncle – married to Mum’s best friend) has spent his life working in potato marketing.

No marketing needed where I’m concerned! However I don’t think he ever came up with anything quite like this.

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Private rents down, council rents up: another Gordon Brown triumph

26 February, 2009 at 12:55 pm · Filed under Campaigns, Consumer, Neighbourhood ·Tagged , , , , ,

The reviews of Islington’s property market confirms that rents in the borough are falling – for private tenants that is.

Under the heading ‘Tenants remain in strong position’, the February Primelocation price index report says that London lettings prices fell for the tenth successive month and were 9.3% (£89.47) lower than this time last year, with Islington, City & Docklands, recording the largest fall (2.5%).

That follows on January’s figures that showed rental values down 1% month-on-month and by 4.9% year-on-year, with Islington, City and Docklands registering the largest fall (-2.3% over the month).

This all leads Andrew Smith from Primelocation to conclude chirpily that tenants, not landlords, “are the real winners in this market”.

But that doesn’t seem to apply to social housing tenants. Under Government rules, councils are supposed to increase social housing rents a certain amount each year. Government subsidy for housing will assume the rent rise: if councils don’t put up the rent, then the tenants will lose out anyway, as the housing budget is ring-fenced. So either rent rises or the budget for repairs, cleaning and security gets slashed. Not much of a choice for councils or tenants.

It gets worse: in ‘rich’ areas like Islington, some of the housing revenue is taken by the Treasury, despite the fact that Islington’s actually one of the most deprived boroughs: not just rent but another national tax, as the Moonlight Robbery campaign points out. And the Government policy wants social housing rents to reflect the local market – so social housing in the least affordable areas will become less affordable.

Lib Dem councillors in boroughs like Islington, Camden and Haringey are proposing to freeze the council tax (Islington sets its budget tonight – watch this space); but the rents are beyond their control.

At a time when everyone is feeling the pinch, you might think the Labour government would think twice about raising the housing costs of council tenants. Not least because through housing benefit, central government ends up picking up the bill for many of them.

But no. Gordon Brown and co are pressing ahead with forcing a 6% rent rise – despite pleas from boroughs across London, including Islington, to think again.

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Another Heathrow vote

26 February, 2009 at 10:28 am · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , ,

Campaigning MPs from all parties are doing their best to combat the expansion of Heathrow.

And for good reason. As I’ve blogged before, another Heathrow runway will be a disaster for the environment without helping the economy: a seriously bad idea.

One of the many disgraceful aspects of the Heathrow issue is that the Labour government denied MPs the decision. So good news that this week Susan Kramer MP opened a debate to amend the Planning Act 2008 “to require parliamentary approval for proposals for the building of new major airports and additional runways at existing major airports”.

Lib Dem MPs backed the idea. So did principled Labour MPs like Jeremy Corbyn. In fact most of the Labour rebels were London MPs who know how their constituents will be affected.

So how did Emily Thornberry vote? She didn’t. Couldn’t be bothered? Had a better offer? Who knows…. We can all protest, go on demos, sign petitions, etc: many of us do! But we rely on our MP to do the one thing we can’t do: use their vote in Parliament on our behalf. And once again, Emily Thornberry has let Islington down.

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