Congress started with “Union wins – video” then carried on debating motions on organising and recruitment, in particular young members, employment rights, Fair funding for local authorities and social care. UNISON member Sonia Pickford received t…Read more…
TUC Congress 2025: Day 2
The first full day of Congress (Monday) started for me with an early morning jog along Brighton beach. At 9.30am I took my seat with the UNISON delegation. There was a number of important debates on Fire service, Zane’s Law, Prison safety, wealth …Read more…
TUC Congress 2025: Day 1
I travelled down to Brighton yesterday afternoon for the 4pm start of the 157th Congress. I am part of the UNISON delegation (via our NEC). Congress is chaired this year by the no nonsense, General Secretary of the Seafarer Union, Nautilus, …Read more…
Least we forget: Remembering the 85th anniversary of the Blitz.
Hat tip Newham History SocietyRead more…
UNISON Safety inspection in Leeds Housing office
Today I travelled up to Leeds to support a new UNISON safety representative, Wayne, on his first trade union safety inspection of his local housing office and workshop. Wayne is a repairs operative, currently repairing void (empty) properties and…Read more…
UNISON NEC nominate Christina McAnea to be our General Secretary
This morning I was present, as an elected lay member of the UNISON National Executive Committee at the NEC hustings in the UNISON centre, London of candidates standing to be our next General Secretary. Christina McAnea is the existing UNISO…Read more…
Another evening “on the knocker” in Plaistow South
This evening I was the “board runner” again (not with a clip board anymore but a Labour Party mobile phone app) with a group of activists led by our by election candidate, Ash. We did both sides of a very long street in the ward. It was thre…Read more…
Thursday 4 September: ‘The Challenges of the Management and Maintenance of Social Housing’
This Thursday 4 September (7pm), LHG Executive Committee Member Cllr Asma Islam joins us to discuss the crisis in social housing.Cllr Asma Islam is a Labour and Co-operative councillor in Tower Hamlets with a strong record of public service and g…Read more…
Saturday Labour doorstep in Plaistow South By election
Picture college from yesterday’s doorstep in the Plaistow South By Election campaign with our candidate Ash and local party activists. There was 3 teams out and the result was pretty positive. On one occasion I had some robust conversations …Read more…
You cannot insure your car after a car accident
Many thanks to our UNISON Northamptonshire Police and Fire branch for this advice. One of the hardest things I have to do as a Union rep is to refuse representation for those who only join when they have an existing problem. If you work for …Read more…
West Hampstead By Election Day
This evening I went to help out with the by election in West Hampstead, Camden. Until relatively recently, I used to work in Camden as a housing officer, specialising in complex tenancy issues and ASB. Despite dealing with some very tricky and di…Read more…
Labour teams about to set off in Plaistow South
Great picture from last night as Labour activists set off to campaign in Plaistow South with our By Election candidate, Asheen Singh (date of by election Thursday 18 September). I was running the “door step” app in a team with Ash and long standi…Read more…
Crossthwaite Common, Rake Gill and Holwick Walk: Is this really an overcrowded Island?
Off message. Just been sorting out photos from recent holiday in Country Durham and created college from a tough but magnificent 9.5 mile circular solo walk, I did starting from Middleton-in-Teesdale. This was an orange Pathfinder walk. The …Read more…
Emergency Alerts Test on Sunday 7 Sept at 3pm
UK government will test the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 Sept at 3pm. You will not need to take any action.
More http://gov.uk/alerts
Domestic abuse survivors may wish to turn off alerts https://ow.ly/NPKP50Wzxn6Read more…
“On the Knocker” at Plaistow South
Tonight I met up again with our By election candidate Asheem and other activists including the Newham Labour Mayor Candidate 2026, Forhad Hussain.The canvass went well and although I was mostly helping to “run the board” (directing activists to c…Read more…
Re-elect Christina McAnea as UNISON General Secretary
Just made donation to her re-election campaign as our GS. Check out https://votechristina.org.uk/Read more…
Plaistow South By Election
I was out this evening to support our Labour candidate, Asheem Singh in the Plaistow South By Election. The by election has come about due to the sad death of Cllr Neil Wilson earlier this month. I had know Neil for many years and he was a hard w…Read more…
View from my seat – High Cup Nick
I came back Saturday from a fortnight holiday in the Pennines walking and sightseeing with Gill. Picture is from a solo “there and back” 8 mile walk along the Pennine way from Dufton to High Cup Nick. A fantastic walk with superb views. Off …Read more…
West Ham in Person Surgery, East Ham Neighbourhood watch stall & East Ham South Street Surgery
On Saturday I had my Councillor surgery in West Ham ward. I had 2 residents attend. One was about a very complicated “Succession of Tenancy” issue and the second about an appeal against a delay in granting a Blue Badge renewal. Due to the new cas…Read more…
Statement from Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE on Newham’s May 2026 mayoral election
(The Labour Party has announced that former Newham Councillor (and Cabinet member) Forhad Hussain has been selected as the Labour Candidate for the May 2026 mayoral election). Read more…