This is the text from my speech yesterday on the composite motion on Housing. “Congress, the housing crisis and the lack of affordable homes is blighting the lives of workers and their families across the nation. More and more people, particu…Read more…
TUC Congress 2016: Day 1
On Sunday I travelled down to Brighton as part of the 60 strong UNISON delegation to the 148th Trade Union Congress. This is the annual Conference or Parliament of the British Trade Union movement. Congress started for me with a delegation meeting at 3…Read more…
Abbey Gardens E15 – Harvest Festival & Classic Vegetable Show
CELEBRATE What will the Harvest be?
Saturday 17th September 2pm-5pm
A FREE EVENT FOR ALL AGES
Dear Friend,
Friends of Abbey Gardens will be holding our H…Read more…
Jeremy is going to win the Labour Leadership Contest: Get over it.
While one of the reasons why politics can be exciting is its unpredictability at times, there seems little doubt that Jeremy Corbyn will be announced the winner at the special conference on Saturday 24 September.
The latest YouGov poll predicts an ev…Read more…
La La Defined Benefit Pension Deficit calculations
I have long been very sceptical about the Daily Torygraph headlines about defined benefit (DB) pension schemes being “in massive deficit”, “gold plated” and/or “unaffordable”. Check out this paper below by Dennis Leech, Emeritus Professor of …Read more…
Cycle to Work Day: Wednesday 14 September 2016
This is a fantastic initiative by the London Cycling Campaign. My union work takes me across London and I find cycling often takes less time to get there than public transport or by car. There are also a number of relatively quiet and attractive …Read more…
“Sports Direct cannot be allowed to mark their own homework”
Check out the press release below from the TUC about rotten employer “Sports Direct” whose company AGM is tomorrow.
The BBC report here that Sports Direct are desperately trying to pretend that all is ok and they are going to change.
Such huma…Read more…
“Expensive exercise in futility’ Tory plans to evict tens of thousands over “Pay to Stay”
Hat tip to a hard hitting post in “Red Brick” seen below about the Tory plans to evict tens of thousands of working council and Housing Association tenants and their families.
This plan to means test all social tenants will cost millions to admi…Read more…
Too Poor to Pay? Is this really the New Poll Tax?
This report is very disturbing. I have asked the Council for a response and agreed to meet with CPAG and Z2K. I will encourage other Councillors to do so as well. By coincidence I have just been to a Unison seminar where the practice of trying to force…Read more…
Poles (Least we forget)
Soon it will be the 66th “Battle of Britain Day” (September 15) “Pilots from No. 303 (“Kościuszko”) Polish Fighter Squadron with one of their Mk II Spitfires, resting from the strain of heavy fighting during the ‘Battle of Britain’ in the late summer of 1940(from left): Sgt Kustrzynski, Sgt…Read more…
Sports Direct: Treating workers like dirt is bad for business (and investors)
I was pleased that UK Council leaders are supporting the resolution at the Sports Direct AGM next week for a review of its HR practices. UNISON staff pension fund have backed this campaign via the TUC organised Trade Union Shareholders Organisation. &n…Read more…
Bristol Street Art
Just back from a holiday. I spent the first week based in Bristol sightseeing. What struck me was the number of colourful “Street Art” creations on various private buildings. Some were better than others but the best would make you stop and stare.
Br…Read more…
“Residents Launch Legal Objection to Bank LOBO Loans at 24 UK Councils”
This report by debt resistance shows that the LOBO loan scandal is a national issue and local authorities must take action to protect residents from being totally ripped off by the Banks.
Local Residents Lodge Legal Objections to LOBO Loans at 2…Read more…
Uproar over lack of beneficiary representation on LGPS pools
This article was published this week on the Professional Pensions website. http://www.professionalpensions.com/professional-pensions/news/2468676/uproar-over-lack-of-beneficiary-representation-on-lgps-pools
“The local government pension scheme (LG…Read more…
Sitting on the floor of a Virgin train? Luxury…. #traingate
Okay, this is the “silly season” but the fuss about Jeremy Corbyn and “did he or didn’t he” have to sit on the floor during a Virgin train ride from London to Newcastle is still going on.
I was not on that Thursday train journey but last month I …Read more…
Investment Association gets bitten by Loch Ness Monster
I am catching up on my reading and have been enjoying the rather brutal kicking that the UK fund managers “trade body” the Investment Association (IA) has recently received following its nonsensical claim that their fees don’t matter. The IA claimed th…Read more…
“Madness to spend £9 billion of taxpayers money lining the pockets ofprivate landlords”
Well said David Orr. Not that often I say that.
“Landlords paid £9bn in housing benefit
A study from the National Housing Federation (NHF) shows that private landlords are being paid £9.3bn in housing benefit this year, up from £4.6bn in 2008. In the same period the number of private renters…Read more…
Whether you love a Big Mac or Not. Ask McDonalds to stop pumping antibiotics into cattle
Dear John,
McDonald’s is contributing to a public health crisis that affects every person on this planet – whether you love a Big Mac or not. The fast food giant is serving meats that are pumped with antibiotics, which are fueling resistance to the antibiotics we need to treat even minor…Read more…
Jeremy Corbyn Rally: Newham Tuesday 23 August 7.30pm
On Tuesday evening Labour Leadership candidate, Jeremy Corbyn MP, will be at a rally in Manor Park. Other local and national speakers will also be present. I understand that it is open to everyone and is not ticketed.
The Royal Regency is a …Read more…
Some good news about LOBOs but…
See recent report below from Financial advisors “Vedant Hedging” below. While this is on face value welcome, Joel Benjamin, from LOBO campaigning group “Debt Resistance” thinks there are more cynical motives behind this move.
“Whilst there is PR value…Read more…