This is the presentation I gave on Monday at the LAPFF/the Smith Institute fringe alongside panel speakers, Olivia Blake MP and Professor Nick Robins. Chaired by Paul Hackett. Many thanks to Paul Hunter from PIRC for speaker notes.”First for cont…Read more…
Labour Party Conference 2022 – Monday morning run
An early morning run before conference in wet and windy Liverpool. I came across some local lads.Read more…
Labour Party Conference 2022 – Sunday PM
A rather random collection of photos from the first afternoon and evening of conference. With picture from an excellent fringe in support of Ukraine with its UK ambassador as well as David Lammy MP and John Healey MP. I asked a question how can w…Read more…
Labour Party Conference 2022 – Sunday Morning
Following the London reception yesterday evening I had a (non keto) pizza with UNISON colleagues then a relatively early night. Up for a early morning run along the Mersey, back for breakfast then UNISON delegation meeting at 9.30am.Conference started …Read more…
“A Fresh Start with Labour” ‘Lab22 Conference
Labour Party annual conference starts tomorrow but I came down today to Liverpool to attend the London Labour Evening Reception and be ready as a UNISON Labour Link delegate for our first pre conference meeting early tomorrow morning. At the…Read more…
West Ham Labour informal social with Lyn Brown MP
Just back form a very pleasant evening with comrades from West Ham at the Black Lion pub in Plaistow (one of the oldest in Newham). Our local MP Lyn Brown was there and a wide mix of members enjoying drinks and pre Labour Party conference gossip. …Read more…
The Gresford Colliery Disaster – 22 September 1934
Today is the 88th anniversary of the Gresford Disaster which killed 266 Men (and boys). I was brought up in another former coal mining town about 10 miles away and remember learning as a child, the poem below. It is telling that I can still …Read more…
A trade unionist reading list
Hat tip UNISON Learning “A few weeks ago one of our UNISON learning reps asked us if there was a ‘reading list’ of recommended books with a trade union angle. Well, there wasn’t… so we asked on social media, and UNISON members, activists, staff, and al…Read more…
Labour Party Conference 2022 (& plug for fringe ‘Levelling up net zero: How can we invest in a fair and just transition?’)
Labour Party conference starts on Sunday in Liverpool and I am looking to being one of the two elected UNISON Labour Link delegates for Greater London. I will post when I can.However, quick plug with a different hat for a fringe I will be speakin…Read more…
Service of Thanksgiving at West Ham Church for Queen Elizabeth
This morning I went to a “Service of Thanksgiving” for the late Queen at the historic, All Saints Church, in the ward I represent as an elected Councillor, West Ham, in Newham London. I was with the representative for the West Ham Parliamen…Read more…
Nesil and Tudor for Labour Party NEC
Last week I finally got around to voting on line in the Labour Party elections for Councillor representatives on our National Executive Council (NEC). More than happy to vote for and endorse Nesil (Long standing London UNISON member) and Tud…Read more…
Covid Booster and Flu Jabs
Today I had my Covid vaccination booster (my 4th jab) in my right arm and a flu jab in my left. This was following a text to my phone asking me to book an appointment. So far, no side effects. This was at my local GP practice and I did …Read more…
Building the Baseline: Breaking the Class Barrier
I am part of the taskforce (which is now winding down) from the Local Government Pension Fund Forum. If we continue to prevent talented working class employees from senior positions in our financial services industry then this will have an impact…Read more…
Pay Your Pension Some Attention – brought to you by Big Zuu
I have posted a lot on pensions over the years but never thought I would share a grime artist/rapper (& chef) views on the subject? Check out https://www.pensionattention.co.uk/Big Zuu says listen up! It’s time to Pay Your Pension Some At…Read more…
Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang Windmill Walk
Another great walk from this summer that I haven’t managed so far to post. It is a 8 mile 4 hour (Orange graded) circular Pathfinder walk in the Chilterns – Ibstone, Turville and Fingest. Not public transport friendly I am afraid. A quiet and rath…Read more…
Goodbye and thank you Queen Elizabeth
Yesterday I was driving from London to North Wales, due to a family medical emergency (my Mum Margaret Gray) when I heard the news that the Queen was unwell and that members of her immediate family had been called to her bedside in Balmoral, Scotland.&…Read more…
Love to learn – National TUC Education courses 2022/23
TUC Education courses – 2022/23 It’s not too late to sign up for courses running in your area from September 2022. You can now sign up for courses running in 2023 as well. Our courses offer essential training for reps and help you develop your s…Read more…
Liz is our leader
Weird day. Love this tweet by sacked Tory Ministers wife about their new leader. Hope it is not fake :-)Felicity Cornelius-Mercer@mercer_felicityHe asked her ‘why would you do this, who is going to be better at this role than me, which of your ma…Read more…
Across the Red Line – Can going on strike any longer be justified?
I really enjoyed this defence of the right to strike by former General Secretary of the CWU (Royal Mail union) and Labour Home Secretary, Alan Johnson. He was in a Radio 4 debate with a right wing economist who believed that workers should not be allow…Read more…
“Mum quits NHS pension to pay soaring bills before dying leaving orphaned kids penniless”
Hat tip Daily Mirror on this awful story of NHS Cleaner Judith Thorpe, who cancelled her pension due to rising bills and then later died from Covid last month. She was a widow supporting her 16 and 13 year old children.Since she cancelled her pens…Read more…