From Workers Power website:
Demo: 11am Saturday 30 May, assemble Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton
When Lambeth Activists, a caucus of militants in Lambeth Unison, called a public meeting to highlight job cuts in the housing section and the privatisation of the repairs and maintenance service, we got a great response.
Jeremy Dewar reports on a packed meeting and plans for a fightback.Council housing in Lambeth, south London is in a severe crisis after years of corruption and incompetence at the very top. And - as with the wider economic crisis, of which this is an echo - it is the workers, who provide and rely on this public service, that are being made to pay the price.
Labour attacks council housing
In a calculated move, the Labour controlled authority froze council tax, but then made tenants pay for it. Rents have shot up not once but twice since November - a 25 per cent hike at a time when unemployment is rising and average wages falling.While 17,000 are waiting for a council home, 2,000 of whom are in temporary accommodation, the local authority is auctioning off empty properties, even though most need just minimal repairs to be ready to rent.
Again, what timing: up to 75,000 households will be repossessed this year, nationally, but Lambeth anticipates the growing need for affordable rented accommodation... by selling off its stock.
Reg Morrison told the meeting that housing officers had brought down the average time it took to turn round a "void" - making an empty council property ready for renting out again - from 88 days to just 22. But instead of easing the demand for affordable housing, the council has abused this dedicated labour by selling off the properties.Added to this, the council is still trying to hive off whole estates to housing associations.
The latest target is the Ashmole estate, which has only recently voted against privatisation. But there is no rule to stop the authority asking the same question again and again... until it gets the answer it wants. So the Ashmole tenants have again to mount a campaign to ensure a majority understands the issues and votes down the proposal.
The housing department itself was turned into an Arms Length Management Organisation (almo) a few years back on the promise that it could then apply for increased funding from central government and that it would not lead to further privatisation. Even then, the ballot to set it up only succeeded because the "Don't knows" were excluded.
Now the almo, called Lambeth Living, has announced a 20 per cent cut in the workforce - up to one in three posts in some departments. As Dan Jeffery told the meeting, this would mean "each member of staff working an extra 10 hours a week" just for the service to standstill. The fact that there are at least ten consultants earning between £500 and £1,000 a day in Lambeth Living has added to workers' anger.
Privatisation
On top of this, Lambeth Living has also put out to tender First Call, the emergency repairs unit, the concierge service and the north Lambeth cleaners. So much for the promise of no more privatisation.The 18 May public meeting certainly made clear that there was no call from those that use these services for their privatisation.
On the contrary, the number of concierges and cleaners has been halved in recent years and residents wanted the return of their full compliment - not the introduction of cost cutting profiteers. One of the cleaners, who couldn't be present, was reported to have complained, "I've cleaned up faeces, urine, drug needles, and for that I've been offered £6,000 or be turned over to a contractor and end up on the minimum wage."
First Call, on the other hand, is clearly a much-loved service - in complete contrast to the private contractors, Morrison and Connaught, which take the lion's share of the work. The last remaining public sector workers have for the most part been reduced to phoning up the privateers and checking up on their work.
Steve from First Call explained how the contractors milk the system: coming out without the right equipment or parts, then returning to do a rush job and finally fixing the problem properly; each time they will log it as a different job, so getting paid three times! As Steve said, "We are the only people checking up on this. Privatise us and you might as well give them an open chequebook."
Action
Ros Munday, chair of the tenants' council, brought home the human misery this crisis is causing by telling us of a Chinese woman, who was thinking of resigning from her part time job, which brought in £104 a week, because she could not afford the £15 a week rent rise without benefits.
So when Steve Hack of Lambeth Defend Council Housing proposed we all join him on a march from the Town Hall to protest at some vacant properties on Coldharbour Lane, it was agreed unanimously.
The meeting, which was packed with over 60 in attendance, many of whom were active in tenants and residents' associations, also endorsed adding to the slogan of "No selling our homes" those of "No job cuts" and "No privatisation".
A discussion was started over what further action could be taken. Everyone thought the tactic, pioneered by DCH, of occupying homes when they are put up for auction was excellent and could be spread.
I warned that the council would try to drive a wedge between workers and tenants, and that the meeting should set up some kind of joint action committee to support the unions, should strike action become necessary, and to support a rent strike, should the tenants decide on that course of action.
Again, this idea was warmly applauded.A useful debate also looked at putting up a political alternative to New Labour: should we stand protest candidates against Labour in elections?
While there were speeches for and against this idea, a Liberal Democrat candidate hoping to score points by coming to the meeting was swiftly rounded upon and sent packing.
Certainly the absence of a working class alternative to Labour was keenly felt.For now, however, all hands are on deck to build for the demonstration on Saturday.
Leaflets and posters are going up, as both the Unison and GMB union branches as well as the tenants associations and Defend Council Housing have all received a fillip in their fight to defend jobs, public services and council housing.
More coverage in the South London Press.
Wednesday 27 May 2009
PROTEST MARCH - Saturday 30th May, Assemble 11am Lambeth Town Hall
Lambeth Housing Crisis
· No to sale of Council Housing
· No to privatisation
· No to job cuts
There are 17,000 residents on Lambeth’s Housing Waiting List and 2,000 in Temporary Accommodation... but Lambeth Council are AUCTIONING OFF council homes at rock-bottom prices, cutting jobs and giving away Council services to private companies only interested in profit.
UNISON is campaigning alongside tenants, leaseholders and community organisations to defend the interests of local residents and workers to oppose the Council’s policies. Council homes should be refurbished and used to house the homeless.
Saturday 30th May
Assemble 11am
Lambeth Town Hall
No more sell offs! No to rent rises, job cuts and privatisation!
· No to sale of Council Housing
· No to privatisation
· No to job cuts
There are 17,000 residents on Lambeth’s Housing Waiting List and 2,000 in Temporary Accommodation... but Lambeth Council are AUCTIONING OFF council homes at rock-bottom prices, cutting jobs and giving away Council services to private companies only interested in profit.
UNISON is campaigning alongside tenants, leaseholders and community organisations to defend the interests of local residents and workers to oppose the Council’s policies. Council homes should be refurbished and used to house the homeless.
Saturday 30th May
Assemble 11am
Lambeth Town Hall
No more sell offs! No to rent rises, job cuts and privatisation!
Tuesday 26 May 2009
Green MEPs head the poll on transparency, accountability, democracy and waste in the EU.
This is what I have been saying at hustings in London during this campaign and have the voting record to prove it. Now Open Europe, which campaigns for transparency and democracy in the EU, has stated it also. The Greens have a record second to none in the EU when it comes to this issue. But as I have also said at hustings, it is important to view the record of the other parties, and particularly of the pan European blocks which they are members of, such as the European People's Party, in the case of the Tories. All of the parties (well most of them) can talk a good talk. The point is can they walk the walk?
Green leader comes top in Open Europe's "premier league" MEP poll
Caroline Lucas MEP, leader of the Green Party, has been rated best British MEP on transparency, accountability, democracy and waste by campaign group Open Europe.
And Britain's Green Party MEPs were ranked above the groups of all other British parties.
Today Open Europe published a ranking of all 785 Members of the European Parliament, scoring their record on promoting transparency and reform in the European Union over the last five-year term.
And Britain's Green Party MEPs were ranked above the groups of all other British parties.
Today Open Europe published a ranking of all 785 Members of the European Parliament, scoring their record on promoting transparency and reform in the European Union over the last five-year term.
Open Europe's ranking was based on a range of activities, including voting records, attendance, written declarations, and whether the MEPs themselves have taken part in wasteful activities, such as the controversial second pension fund.
Open Europe awarded points based on a "Premier League" model, where 3 points was the highest score, followed by 1 point and 0 points. On attendance, a scale from 1 to 6 was used. MEPs who had been the subject of substantive press reports of wrongdoing were shown Open Europe's "red card" and had 10 points deducted from their score.
UKIP leader shares bottom place with a Conservative, a Labour MEP and a LibDem
The bottom thirteen places for British MEPs in Open Europe's ranking included 5 Conservatives and 6 UKIP MEPs. The very bottom place, however, was jointly shared between an MEP each from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and UKIP.
The UKIP MEP with the poorest score was party leader Nigel Farage.
The bottom thirteen places for British MEPs in Open Europe's ranking included 5 Conservatives and 6 UKIP MEPs. The very bottom place, however, was jointly shared between an MEP each from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and UKIP.
The UKIP MEP with the poorest score was party leader Nigel Farage.
Green Party leader Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, commenting on the result, said:
"I'm delighted that the Green Party has topped the poll on promoting transparency and reform in the EU. It shows more clearly than ever that if people want to see greater democracy, transparency and accountability in parliament, the best way of achieving that is to vote Green on 4 June."
Open Europe's Research Director Mats Persson said commented:
"No matter where their political sympathies may lie, MEPs should all be working for a more open, democratic EU, while trying to reduce the waste of taxpayers' money. These issues should be at the top of their agenda - especially now when the public's trust in politicians is at an all-time low.
"They might talk a good game at home, but too many British MEPs have voted against transparency and EU reform on a number of occasions. What we need now is a new generation of politicians, committed to acting in the public interest and pushing for a much better deal for taxpayers at all levels of government - including EU level."
"I'm delighted that the Green Party has topped the poll on promoting transparency and reform in the EU. It shows more clearly than ever that if people want to see greater democracy, transparency and accountability in parliament, the best way of achieving that is to vote Green on 4 June."
Open Europe's Research Director Mats Persson said commented:
"No matter where their political sympathies may lie, MEPs should all be working for a more open, democratic EU, while trying to reduce the waste of taxpayers' money. These issues should be at the top of their agenda - especially now when the public's trust in politicians is at an all-time low.
"They might talk a good game at home, but too many British MEPs have voted against transparency and EU reform on a number of occasions. What we need now is a new generation of politicians, committed to acting in the public interest and pushing for a much better deal for taxpayers at all levels of government - including EU level."
Open Europe's categories were as follows:
A) Transparency, openness and democracy
MEPs are ranked according to whether they:
1. Voted for easier public access to EU documents
MEPs are ranked according to whether they:
1. Voted for easier public access to EU documents
2. Voted against keeping MEPs' expenses and accounts secret
3. Voted to increase transparency, including better public access to MEPs' voting records
4. Responded to Open Europe's Transparency Initiative on expenses and allowances
5. Voted in favour of imposing sanctions for MEPs guilty of financial irregularities
6. Voted in favour of providing mandatory receipts for travel expenses
7. Voted to respect the outcome of the pending legally-binding Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
8. Voted in favour of opening Europe up to trade with developing countries
9. Achieved good attendance at the Parliament's voting sessions
B) Fighting waste and misuse of EU funds
MEPs are ranked according to whether they:
1. Opted out of the Parliament's controversial second pension fund
MEPs are ranked according to whether they:
1. Opted out of the Parliament's controversial second pension fund
2. Voted in favour of cleaning up the second pension fund
3. Supported moves to abolish the Parliament's second seat in Strasbourg
4. Voted against 'hypocritical' EU subsidies to tobacco farmers
5. Voted to reform the CAP and discontinue subsidies to tobacco farmers
6. Voted not to clear the European Parliament's accounts for 2006 due to 75% unaccounted expenditure on MEPs' assistants' allowances
7. Voted not to approve the Parliament's accounts for 2007
8. Voted not to approve the Commission's accounts for 2007
9. Voted to postpone clearing the European Council's accounts for 2007
10. Voted against clearing the accounts of the European Police College for 2007 while it was under investigation for fraud
To see the league table, please click here:www.openeurope.org.uk/research/mepranking.xls (See sheet two for UK MEPs only)For a guide to the criteria used in the ranking, please click here:www.openeurope.org.uk/research/rankingguide.pdf
Sunday 24 May 2009
Green Left Pamphlet on the economic crisis to be launched on Wednesday
Green Left, the anti-capitalist current in the Green Party, has just published a new pamphlet, which is to be launched at Housmans Bookshop in London at on Wednesday 27 May. Entitled Countering the Crisis, the pamphlet gives an ecosocialist response to the global recession and the threat of climate change.
The pamphlet has two main sections; the first provides an analysis of the current crisis and shows how it is the inherent instability of the financial system that is the prime mover of the credit crunch rather than just the sleight of hand of a relatively tiny number of spivs and hucksters. It points to the phenomena of the financialisation of capitalism - the shift in gravity from production to finance – and suggests that this has been the key factor in the development of asset bubbles and the growth of the increasingly more arcane and risky financial schemes which have triggered the collapse of markets throughout the world.The second part sets out some proposals for dealing with the twin crises – financial and environmental – that confront us. Central to these is the demand for a massive redistribution of wealth and power. One of the key factors in advancing the financialisation of the economy has been the dramatic redistribution of wealth away from wages as a percentage of the GDP. Therefore, there is an urgent need to redistribute wealth away from corporate profits and towards wages and income; not only because justice demands it but also because it makes sound economic sense.
The pamphlet points out that many of the points it makes have been made elsewhere on the left and that and a number of manifestos round which to organise have been issued, most importantly The People’s Charter. It is vital that we start to draw together these strands of opposition to the current system in order to enable the development of a genuinely grass roots movement. Realignment of the left (and that includes the Green Party as well) now becomes an urgent necessity for its existence and an essential precondition for the development of a new mass party of and for working people.
The pamphlet will be launched with a talk by its author, Sean Thompson, at Housmans Bookshop, Caledonian Road (near Kings Cross Station) at 7pm on Wednesday, 27 May
The pamphlet has two main sections; the first provides an analysis of the current crisis and shows how it is the inherent instability of the financial system that is the prime mover of the credit crunch rather than just the sleight of hand of a relatively tiny number of spivs and hucksters. It points to the phenomena of the financialisation of capitalism - the shift in gravity from production to finance – and suggests that this has been the key factor in the development of asset bubbles and the growth of the increasingly more arcane and risky financial schemes which have triggered the collapse of markets throughout the world.The second part sets out some proposals for dealing with the twin crises – financial and environmental – that confront us. Central to these is the demand for a massive redistribution of wealth and power. One of the key factors in advancing the financialisation of the economy has been the dramatic redistribution of wealth away from wages as a percentage of the GDP. Therefore, there is an urgent need to redistribute wealth away from corporate profits and towards wages and income; not only because justice demands it but also because it makes sound economic sense.
The pamphlet points out that many of the points it makes have been made elsewhere on the left and that and a number of manifestos round which to organise have been issued, most importantly The People’s Charter. It is vital that we start to draw together these strands of opposition to the current system in order to enable the development of a genuinely grass roots movement. Realignment of the left (and that includes the Green Party as well) now becomes an urgent necessity for its existence and an essential precondition for the development of a new mass party of and for working people.
The pamphlet will be launched with a talk by its author, Sean Thompson, at Housmans Bookshop, Caledonian Road (near Kings Cross Station) at 7pm on Wednesday, 27 May
Tuesday 12 May 2009
Anti-deportation campaigners encase themselves in concrete and glass to block mass deportation flight to Iraq
Campaigners from the Stop Deportation Network and the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees are blockading Colnbrook detention centre, near Heathrow airport, to stop 45 Iraqi refugees being forcibly deported to Iraqi Kurdistan on a specially chartered flight. Six protesters have encased their arms in glass and plastic tubes and concrete blocks, blocking the entrance to Colnbrook and Harmondsworth detention centres. The coaches to carry deportees to the airport have not been able to leave.
One of the deportees has been on hunger strike for 10 days in protest at his forced removal. Najih Rahim Mohammed said: "They haven't even listened to my case properly. I haven't been able to get a decent solicitor as I don't have enough money. I've just heard that the people I left Iraq to escape –people who had killed my brother– have recently kidnapped my uncle but the UK government doesn't care. Many of us have established lives here but the government doesn't care either. I have a daughter and a partner here. I have a life here but they want to send me back to Iraq. Why? It's not fair."Dashty Jamal, secretary of the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees
(IFIR), said: "Deportations to Iraq are inhumane and must be stopped. They place people and their families in great danger. Many of those who have been sent back are forced to live in hiding to avoid persecution by the Kurdistan Regional Government. IFIR has received reports of deportees who have committed suicide, been kidnapped or killed in car bombs. Nobody should be sent back to Iraqi Kurdistan."
The flight is thought to be carrying approximately 60 refused Iraqi refugees, with around 45 of them currently held at Colnbrook. More people are held in Brook House detention centre, near Gatwick airport. Typical of Iraq mass deportation flights, the time, airline and departure airport are not disclosed by the Home Office.
If it went ahead, the flight will be the 9th mass deportation flight to Iraqi Kurdistan in the last 10 months. Iraqis are also deported individually or in groups of two or three on commercial flights such as Royal Jordanian.
A similar mass deportation flight to Iraq in March this year was met by campaigners with a similar blockade of Tinsley House detention centre at Gatwick airport.
One of the Stop Deportation Network said: "Deportation charter flights such as this one are fast becoming the government's favoured way to deport those who have fallen foul of its macabre immigration controls. Every deportation is a violation of people's right to freedom of movement but these charter flights are a particularly sordid way to do that. On top of the trauma and hardship caused by deportation, these charter flights further undermine the legal rights of the deportees whose lives are torn apart. Many deportees have not exhausted all legal avenues available to them and have not had access to adequate legal representation as the emphasis is on filling the flight and getting rid of them as soon as possible and outside the public gaze."-ends-For further information and questions, please contact:Email: stopdeportation@riseup.net
One of the deportees has been on hunger strike for 10 days in protest at his forced removal. Najih Rahim Mohammed said: "They haven't even listened to my case properly. I haven't been able to get a decent solicitor as I don't have enough money. I've just heard that the people I left Iraq to escape –people who had killed my brother– have recently kidnapped my uncle but the UK government doesn't care. Many of us have established lives here but the government doesn't care either. I have a daughter and a partner here. I have a life here but they want to send me back to Iraq. Why? It's not fair."Dashty Jamal, secretary of the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees
(IFIR), said: "Deportations to Iraq are inhumane and must be stopped. They place people and their families in great danger. Many of those who have been sent back are forced to live in hiding to avoid persecution by the Kurdistan Regional Government. IFIR has received reports of deportees who have committed suicide, been kidnapped or killed in car bombs. Nobody should be sent back to Iraqi Kurdistan."
The flight is thought to be carrying approximately 60 refused Iraqi refugees, with around 45 of them currently held at Colnbrook. More people are held in Brook House detention centre, near Gatwick airport. Typical of Iraq mass deportation flights, the time, airline and departure airport are not disclosed by the Home Office.
If it went ahead, the flight will be the 9th mass deportation flight to Iraqi Kurdistan in the last 10 months. Iraqis are also deported individually or in groups of two or three on commercial flights such as Royal Jordanian.
A similar mass deportation flight to Iraq in March this year was met by campaigners with a similar blockade of Tinsley House detention centre at Gatwick airport.
One of the Stop Deportation Network said: "Deportation charter flights such as this one are fast becoming the government's favoured way to deport those who have fallen foul of its macabre immigration controls. Every deportation is a violation of people's right to freedom of movement but these charter flights are a particularly sordid way to do that. On top of the trauma and hardship caused by deportation, these charter flights further undermine the legal rights of the deportees whose lives are torn apart. Many deportees have not exhausted all legal avenues available to them and have not had access to adequate legal representation as the emphasis is on filling the flight and getting rid of them as soon as possible and outside the public gaze."-ends-For further information and questions, please contact:Email: stopdeportation@riseup.net
Students occupy London Met to stop job cuts
In a story familiar to all public sector workers, London Metropolitan University are threatening massive redundancies as a result of budget cuts. The university is saying it wanted to get rid of over 550 roles, which would threaten the jobs of 800 staff (a quarter of the workforce).This is a problem which university staff are facing across the country, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has said that 100 institutions are planning collective redundancies. For those who don’t lose their jobs work intensification is another major issue. The student-staff ratio for UK universities was 9/1 thirty years ago, today it is 18/1 (higher than France, Germany and the United States).
London Met students and staff are determined to fight back. As of 17:00 on Monday 11 May 2009, a large group of students began occupation of part of the Commercial Road building to protest at management’s plans for imminent and unprecedented staff redundancies. This follows last week’s industrial action at London Met. On Thursday 7 May UCU members went on strike after the university said it was pushing ahead with a voluntary redundancy scheme that that the union argued had no strategy behind it.
UCU members across the UK are currently being balloted for industrial action over planned job cuts at around 100 universities. The union said that the employers’ organisation’s refusal to act as the crisis over jobs deteriorated had forced it to ballot for industrial action. That ballot result is expected on Friday 22 May.Please visit the occupation and show your solidarity. It seems that the university will try to evict them. It is vitally important that we mobilise the maximum possible solidarity.
There will be a demonstration tonight (Tuesday 12 May), outside the building at 5.30pm - arrive from 5pmSee here for location details: www.londonmet.ac.uk/about/commercial-road.cfmFor more information see savelondonmetuni.blogspot.com
London Met students and staff are determined to fight back. As of 17:00 on Monday 11 May 2009, a large group of students began occupation of part of the Commercial Road building to protest at management’s plans for imminent and unprecedented staff redundancies. This follows last week’s industrial action at London Met. On Thursday 7 May UCU members went on strike after the university said it was pushing ahead with a voluntary redundancy scheme that that the union argued had no strategy behind it.
UCU members across the UK are currently being balloted for industrial action over planned job cuts at around 100 universities. The union said that the employers’ organisation’s refusal to act as the crisis over jobs deteriorated had forced it to ballot for industrial action. That ballot result is expected on Friday 22 May.Please visit the occupation and show your solidarity. It seems that the university will try to evict them. It is vitally important that we mobilise the maximum possible solidarity.
There will be a demonstration tonight (Tuesday 12 May), outside the building at 5.30pm - arrive from 5pmSee here for location details: www.londonmet.ac.uk/about/commercial-road.cfmFor more information see savelondonmetuni.blogspot.com
Monday 11 May 2009
Boycott Israel and show solidarity with Palestinians
All major UK retailers sell Israeli goods, and most of them sell produce from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Some have made statements in support of Zionism and some have contracts with Israeli companies.
There is a growing movement to boycott Israeli goods in solidarity with the people of Palestine and in line with an international call for BDS. There have been reports in the press that Israeli producers are experiencing a decline in demand for Israeli produce since the bombardment of Gaza in January 2009
Help to build Lambeth Unison’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign! We will be holding our second boycott Israeli goods stall on 13 May 09 at 1pm outside M & S on Brixton High Road.
There is a growing movement to boycott Israeli goods in solidarity with the people of Palestine and in line with an international call for BDS. There have been reports in the press that Israeli producers are experiencing a decline in demand for Israeli produce since the bombardment of Gaza in January 2009
Help to build Lambeth Unison’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign! We will be holding our second boycott Israeli goods stall on 13 May 09 at 1pm outside M & S on Brixton High Road.
In defence of Brixton
On May 5th, the Times published the following article, called "Brixton: the depressing symbol of Britain's multicultural failure".
Roger Lewis has written the following letter to the editor in response:
11th May 2009
Dear Editor
I was passed a copy of Sathnam Sanghera’s article on Brixton in The Times 5th May 2009 “Brixton: the depressing symbol of Britain's multicultural failure“.
I felt a tinge of sadness followed by a growing sense of disbelief at Sathnam’s arguments echoing Trevor Phillips’ much publicised rantings on the failure of multi Culturalism in Britain today.
Firstly, let’s get some of the more ludicrous criticisms of Sathnam’s arguments out of the way.
1 Sathnam argues that “on Saturdays”, White people shop at Tesco’s and Black people shop in Brixton Market.
Well Sathnam, a very high proportion of Saturday market shoppers are not actually from Brixton. They travel here to enjoy Brixton and the worldwide selection of foods etc that are available in this internationally renowned market.
2 Suggesting, as he does, that no Black people shop at Tesco is simply bonkers and doesn’t deserve any further reply from me.
Sathnam suggests that White people don’t shop in Brixton market? Not my experience at all. However, I do concede that not that many white people are familiar with some of the produce, know that there is more than one variety of yam or mango and can’t recognise a cassava let alone know how to cook it! As examples of the failure of multi-culturalism though? I’m not impressed Sathnam.
3 Black people eat in Ethiopian restaurants and white people go to the pub? Well this is just stating the bleedin’ obvious isn’t it? Particularly if the Black people Sathnam refers to are Ethiopian. Also Sathnam, Strangely Irish people often go to Irish pubs that play Irish music and where people gather who share a common Irish culture.
IF I go to the West End for a Chinese meal, the people eating are generally non Chinese whereas the staff are generally Chinese. Is this not segregation?
Black kids congregating in McDonald’s? Apparently Sathnam seems to suggest White kids don’t go to or eat McDonalds. Bonkers Sathnam. If you can honestly state this with a straight face and believe it then I’m a teapot!
If it were just that these statements were harmless throwaway remarks then I’d let it go at that, but the stakes here are too high.
Sathnam states his despair at… “The bombing, the mini-riot, the numerous anti-terrorism raids, the stabbings, kneecappings and murders,”
Get a grip Sathnam. This is Brixton we’re talking about, not downtown Kabul. I’m sorry to hear of your unfortunate experiences, but don’t make out this is the norm. Of course things aren’t perfect; we have our problems with crime and drugs like other places which don’t have the same mix of racial communities living cheek by jowl like we do here in London SW2. And “kneecapping”?, where on earth did you dig this up from? What about deaths in police custody? These continue, mainly to young Black men, but you don’t mention this.
The real danger here and the danger that arises from Trevor Phillips statements on the same subject is that this gross distortion of reality does nothing to encourage community cohesion and everything to open the door to the arguments of the racists in the Nazi BNP and elsewhere. This is unforgivable.
I’ve lived and worked in Brixton, Clapham North and Stockwell for over 20 years. I use the market, live in a racially mixed household, work in a multi cultural workplace, (like every other workplace in Lambeth), shop at Tesco’s alongside Black and Asian people as well as white. Moan about the queues, laugh at the same silly things and chat with the Black/White/Asian worker (delete as applicable from your last shop experience) at the checkout.
Sadly, the depth of Sathnam’s pessimism is matched only by his failure to justify what he states in such glibly damming terms about the people of our community.
The forces at work today that are dividing and damaging our communities are not due to the unwillingness or inability of the various peoples of Brixton, or anywhere else, to socialise, mix and share our experiences. This is not a result of in built hostility between people from different backgrounds,. This stems from the social and economic policies that are destroying jobs, social services, the health service and social housing etc.
The council’s closure of Dick Shepherd School, along with the youth theatre and swimming pool and it’s replacement with luxury flats is what separates us, rich against poor. The high security gated communities alienate us, not our schools, restaurants, shops and cinemas.
Our public services have been devastated and passed over to the private sector. Costs have risen and standards have fallen. These are the dividing factors at work here. The press and media share the blame for this too. Demonising our young, particularly our black youth, attacking immigrants for all the evils in society, scaremongering about street crime, the result being a huge increase in stop and search – disproportionately aimed at Black and Asian kids and young adults. Sathnam might have done better to go into one of our schools and ask the youngsters how many of them have been subjected to stop and search and how often this happens. You can do this Sathnam, and it’s not dangerous, and you won’t need to wear a stab jacket either!
Dont pander to the racists Sathnam, don’t swallow the lies of the politicians after a cheap popularised soundbite. The BNP are grinning with delight at your article and love it every time it and others like it appear.
Finally, a message regarding Trevor Philips much publicised views on the matter.
When Trevor talks about segregated communities, Does he mean the gated communities in Belgravia and Kensington and Chelsea? Does he mean the segregation he imposes on himself with his luxury chauffeur driven car driven by a driver who he probably segregates himself from with a screen? Does he mean The posh restaurants he frequents which would not even allow me through their front door?
In Brixton, we travel together on the Bus, Black, Asian and White, use the same overcrowded Tube, shop in the same shops, eat in the same McDonalds, KFC, etc. It’s poverty Sathnam, this food is cheap. We integrate and would have to even if we didn’t want to. Our housing is overcrowded, not because of immigrants taking it all, but because it is being sold off to the private sector and the remainder left to rot. Poverty, heavy handed policing, lack of opportunities, poor quality and insufficient housing beat people down, lower expectations and aspirations in our young and breed frustration and sometimes anger. Certainly they alienate us from the politicians, bankers, and sometimes, sadly, from each other. Racist lies about immigration drive wedges between us and foster fear and suspicion.
Brixton has a fantastic and long tradition of welcoming people from around the world second to none and equal to areas like the East End, Hackney, and areas outside London such as Moss Side, Toxteth and elsewhere.
Social deprivation is what divides us Sathnam, not social diversity.
Yours faithfully
Roger Lewis
Brixton
South London
Roger Lewis has written the following letter to the editor in response:
11th May 2009
Dear Editor
I was passed a copy of Sathnam Sanghera’s article on Brixton in The Times 5th May 2009 “Brixton: the depressing symbol of Britain's multicultural failure“.
I felt a tinge of sadness followed by a growing sense of disbelief at Sathnam’s arguments echoing Trevor Phillips’ much publicised rantings on the failure of multi Culturalism in Britain today.
Firstly, let’s get some of the more ludicrous criticisms of Sathnam’s arguments out of the way.
1 Sathnam argues that “on Saturdays”, White people shop at Tesco’s and Black people shop in Brixton Market.
Well Sathnam, a very high proportion of Saturday market shoppers are not actually from Brixton. They travel here to enjoy Brixton and the worldwide selection of foods etc that are available in this internationally renowned market.
2 Suggesting, as he does, that no Black people shop at Tesco is simply bonkers and doesn’t deserve any further reply from me.
Sathnam suggests that White people don’t shop in Brixton market? Not my experience at all. However, I do concede that not that many white people are familiar with some of the produce, know that there is more than one variety of yam or mango and can’t recognise a cassava let alone know how to cook it! As examples of the failure of multi-culturalism though? I’m not impressed Sathnam.
3 Black people eat in Ethiopian restaurants and white people go to the pub? Well this is just stating the bleedin’ obvious isn’t it? Particularly if the Black people Sathnam refers to are Ethiopian. Also Sathnam, Strangely Irish people often go to Irish pubs that play Irish music and where people gather who share a common Irish culture.
IF I go to the West End for a Chinese meal, the people eating are generally non Chinese whereas the staff are generally Chinese. Is this not segregation?
Black kids congregating in McDonald’s? Apparently Sathnam seems to suggest White kids don’t go to or eat McDonalds. Bonkers Sathnam. If you can honestly state this with a straight face and believe it then I’m a teapot!
If it were just that these statements were harmless throwaway remarks then I’d let it go at that, but the stakes here are too high.
Sathnam states his despair at… “The bombing, the mini-riot, the numerous anti-terrorism raids, the stabbings, kneecappings and murders,”
Get a grip Sathnam. This is Brixton we’re talking about, not downtown Kabul. I’m sorry to hear of your unfortunate experiences, but don’t make out this is the norm. Of course things aren’t perfect; we have our problems with crime and drugs like other places which don’t have the same mix of racial communities living cheek by jowl like we do here in London SW2. And “kneecapping”?, where on earth did you dig this up from? What about deaths in police custody? These continue, mainly to young Black men, but you don’t mention this.
The real danger here and the danger that arises from Trevor Phillips statements on the same subject is that this gross distortion of reality does nothing to encourage community cohesion and everything to open the door to the arguments of the racists in the Nazi BNP and elsewhere. This is unforgivable.
I’ve lived and worked in Brixton, Clapham North and Stockwell for over 20 years. I use the market, live in a racially mixed household, work in a multi cultural workplace, (like every other workplace in Lambeth), shop at Tesco’s alongside Black and Asian people as well as white. Moan about the queues, laugh at the same silly things and chat with the Black/White/Asian worker (delete as applicable from your last shop experience) at the checkout.
Sadly, the depth of Sathnam’s pessimism is matched only by his failure to justify what he states in such glibly damming terms about the people of our community.
The forces at work today that are dividing and damaging our communities are not due to the unwillingness or inability of the various peoples of Brixton, or anywhere else, to socialise, mix and share our experiences. This is not a result of in built hostility between people from different backgrounds,. This stems from the social and economic policies that are destroying jobs, social services, the health service and social housing etc.
The council’s closure of Dick Shepherd School, along with the youth theatre and swimming pool and it’s replacement with luxury flats is what separates us, rich against poor. The high security gated communities alienate us, not our schools, restaurants, shops and cinemas.
Our public services have been devastated and passed over to the private sector. Costs have risen and standards have fallen. These are the dividing factors at work here. The press and media share the blame for this too. Demonising our young, particularly our black youth, attacking immigrants for all the evils in society, scaremongering about street crime, the result being a huge increase in stop and search – disproportionately aimed at Black and Asian kids and young adults. Sathnam might have done better to go into one of our schools and ask the youngsters how many of them have been subjected to stop and search and how often this happens. You can do this Sathnam, and it’s not dangerous, and you won’t need to wear a stab jacket either!
Dont pander to the racists Sathnam, don’t swallow the lies of the politicians after a cheap popularised soundbite. The BNP are grinning with delight at your article and love it every time it and others like it appear.
Finally, a message regarding Trevor Philips much publicised views on the matter.
When Trevor talks about segregated communities, Does he mean the gated communities in Belgravia and Kensington and Chelsea? Does he mean the segregation he imposes on himself with his luxury chauffeur driven car driven by a driver who he probably segregates himself from with a screen? Does he mean The posh restaurants he frequents which would not even allow me through their front door?
In Brixton, we travel together on the Bus, Black, Asian and White, use the same overcrowded Tube, shop in the same shops, eat in the same McDonalds, KFC, etc. It’s poverty Sathnam, this food is cheap. We integrate and would have to even if we didn’t want to. Our housing is overcrowded, not because of immigrants taking it all, but because it is being sold off to the private sector and the remainder left to rot. Poverty, heavy handed policing, lack of opportunities, poor quality and insufficient housing beat people down, lower expectations and aspirations in our young and breed frustration and sometimes anger. Certainly they alienate us from the politicians, bankers, and sometimes, sadly, from each other. Racist lies about immigration drive wedges between us and foster fear and suspicion.
Brixton has a fantastic and long tradition of welcoming people from around the world second to none and equal to areas like the East End, Hackney, and areas outside London such as Moss Side, Toxteth and elsewhere.
Social deprivation is what divides us Sathnam, not social diversity.
Yours faithfully
Roger Lewis
Brixton
South London
MEETING - STOP THE CUTS OF JOBS AND SERVICES!
Date: 19 May 09
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: St Matthew’s Tenant Hall, Brixton
“We take pride in our work and many of us have to do difficult jobs on low wages. We didn’t get Lambeth Living and the Council into this mess yet we pay the price with job cuts. But at the same time Lambeth Living and the council spend millions of pounds on consultants, the very people who got us into this mess in the first place. Hopefully we can build a campaign to give staff, tenants and leaseholders the respect that they deserve.” Employee of Lambeth Living
Are you fed up with:
• Rent rises? – Up 17%, on average £12 a week, £50 a month
• Council houses sold off? – Lambeth is auctioning off its huge stock of empty houses, while 16,000 on waiting list
• Over a fifth of Lambeth Living jobs to go and a third of jobs in some departments?– The former Housing Dept, now a separate company, says it has no money to keep staff on: experienced workers on the dole, more work for the rest, a worse service
• Wasted money? – Housing has a hole of millions of pounds in council funding, Home Office enquiry into lost refugee housing allocation… meanwhile consultants earn up to £1000 a day!
• Privatisation? – First Call emergency repairs service, concierge service and North Lambeth Cleaning to be privatised, even though existing contractors do an unsatisfactory job
At a time when unemployment is rising and many people are made redundant, this is a scandal. Lambeth Council is using the recession to destroy what remains of publicly accountable and halfway decent housing estate and squeeze housing staff and tenants as hard as they can.
We don’t have to put up with this. We can fight back. Come to a borough wide tenants, leaseholders and staff meeting, Lambeth Housing in Crisis. Speakers from Defend Council Housing, Unison, Tenants Council, LamPAG and speakers from local Trade Unions. But most of all YOU! Come and tell us what it’s like in your area. Let’s talk about what we can do to defend our homes and our jobs and build a campaign to take action!
Date: 19 May 09
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: St Matthew’s Tenant Hall, Brixton
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: St Matthew’s Tenant Hall, Brixton
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Empty Homes in Lambeth - What to do next?
Unbelievably there are thousands of empty homes in Lambeth, despite the housing waiting lists being full. Lambeth Green Party is discussing this tomorrow night at its monthly meeting. Details below. It is open to the public. Hope to see some of you there.
"The next Lambeth Green Party monthly meeting will focus on our Empty Homes Campaign. Three speakers will tell us what Lambeth Council is doing, what a charity thinks the council should be doing and what the Green Party would do. The speakers are Maxine Wilson from Lambeth Council's Empty Property Service, James Rowlands from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Rebecca Findlay, our parliamentary candidate for Streatham.There will be a question and answer session, followed by a 'parallel thinking' session to formulate our campaign, based on what we've learned.Date: Wednesday, 6th May 2009Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pmPlace: Brixton St Vincent’s Community Centre, Talma Road, London SW2 1ASSee http://www.bsvcc.org/contact.html for details on how to get there.The meeting is open to all and it would be great to publicise it as widely as possible. So please:- Tell as many people as possible about the event -
And, of course, come along yourself.Cheers,Rachel and MagdaCo-Convenors of Lambeth Green Party
And, of course, come along yourself.Cheers,Rachel and MagdaCo-Convenors of Lambeth Green Party
The agenda is therefore as follows:1. Speakers on Empty Homes Campaign 2. Question and answer session."
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