“David Cameron had the worst housebuilding record of any Prime Minister since 1923. An average of 123,560 houses were built in England and Wales during each year of his premiership, according to data released by the independent House of Commons library…Read more…
£238 million reasons to stop Barclays Bank LOBO cheats ripping off Newham Residents
This was the written question I put to the Newham Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for Finance, Lester Hudson, at the Full Council meeting last week
To the Executive Advisor on Finance, Cllr Lester Hudson
“Last week 3 more employees of Barclays Bank w…Read more…
Employment Tribunal Fees Review
Checkout this report by employment law expert Daniel Barnett. Workers should not fool themselves that the law protects them at work.
Despite our faults, trade unions are the only real defenders of your rights at work. To get any chance of …Read more…
Newham Co-op Party AGM 2016 (Rerun)
Back this evening from a rerun of the Newham Co-operative Party AGM. Due to “irregularities” at the AGM in January the AGM was rerun with Co-op Party officials chairing the meeting.
I was really pleased that longstanding Co-op Party stalwart, Gill Hay…Read more…
London Recruits – The young Londoners who undertook secret missions against South Africa’s apartheid regime
At a time when ANC membership was banned, its activists executed or imprisoned, exiled leader Oliver Tambo lit the fuse on a plan that saw young women and men travel to South Africa disguised as honeymooning couples, tourists and business trippers.
Who is this thug? Manchester City Centre 3.50am Sunday 10 July
I haven’t done this type of thing before on blogger but this yob is wanted by Police to “assist” them in their enquirers following the serious and unprovoked assault on the partner of a friend of mine. This could have been a murder investigation.
“Pol…Read more…
Protect your LGPS pension – sign the petition
UNISON pensions team
July 2016
Protect your pension – sign the petition!
Dear John Nearly 85,000 people like you have already signed the LGPS parliamentary…Read more…
To my Brothers & Sisters in France “Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite” Solidarite & No Pasarán!
To all comrades in France currently suffering and facing the fascist threat. Solidarity! yes but “No Pasarán!Read more…
Cllr Anamul Islam victory speech for the Forest Gate North By-election 2016
What a great speech by Anamul following the count announcement and how humble and gracious he is to his opponents. He won over 52% of the vote despite the complete and utter mess our National Party is in at the moment. He is a principled socialist and …Read more…
UNISON NDC 16: The Housing Crisis
Better late than never but this is a speech I made at the UNISON NDC conference on the Housing crisis.
“Conference, President, John Gray, speaking on behalf of the NEC in support of Composite B.
Conference, I have worked in local authority and Housin…Read more…
VOTE LABOUR: Vote Anamul Islam today in Forest Gate North
Today is polling day in the Forest Gate North Council by election in Newham. Local candidate Anamul Islam is the Labour Party candidate.
Anamul is a leading community and trade union activist and will be an excellent Councillor.
He w…Read more…
Standing up to hate and racism
I was very proud on Monday evening to take part in a peaceful protest against hate and racism.
An Asian Labour Party canvasser had been abused, attacked and hit on the head with a bottle the previous day. This was a completely unprovoked attack…Read more…
Labour pulls back from the abyss
I was so, so relieved to hear tonight that the Labour Party NEC has decided that the elected Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, will be on the ballot paper for the forthcoming leadership challenge.
I honesty feared that the Party would implode if this did n…Read more…
Protest against #RaceHate tonight 8.30pm Forest Gate Station
Protest against #RaceHate outside Forest Gate station E7 at 8.30pm tonight after the GBH attack on a local Black Labour Party canvasser yesterday. Organised by Forest Gate North Labour Party and local Councillors. All welcome.Read more…
Forest Gate North By Election – this Thursday 14 July
Dear Supporter
By-election – this Thursday
If you’ve got any free time please come and join us and Anam, our Labour Party candidate, in Forest Gate North. We’re also out 11am and 6pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week and all…Read more…
Blame the victims
“Too many housing associations do not support the victims of workplace violence, says John Gray” Below is an opinion piece I wrote for Inside Housing last week (it is behind a paywall). I think you will find the same thing in many other sectors.
…Read more…
Tiger, Tiger burning bright in West Ham
What a terrific street art painting in my West Ham ward at Holbrook Road junction with Plaistow Road, West Ham. E15.
I am not sure if there is a William Blake connection but it does remind me of his famous poem (see below – one of my favourties). I un…Read more…
Labour leadership woes are ‘midsummer madness’
BBC news. “Labour’s former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott has waded into the row over Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership saying: “He’s only been in the job nine months – do you know anyone who gets sacked within nine months?”
He says he doesn’t agre…Read more…
We need transparency on charges
This is my latest opinion article for Professional Pensions magazine.
“John Gray asks why UK pension schemes do not have access to important information on charges.
Earlier this month I went to the CWC annual conference in Amsterdam. This was f…Read more…
Joint trade union statement on the Labour Party
The current crisis within the Parliamentary Labour Party is deeply regrettable and unnecessary. Last week’s vote to leave the European Union presents the entire labour movement with unprecedented challenges. Above all, we need to be fighting to preserve our members’ jobs, already under threat in…Read more…