Sir Steve Bullock is no more!

As a result of concerns raised by our supporters to the Election Commission, following the anouchment of the local borough elections, the image and all mention of Steve Bullock has rightly been removed from the Council's website. I read with interest the legal advice from the council's principal legal adviser and it would seem that the continued display and links to the current Mayors political and personal websites contradicted this advice. I understand the EC also agreed and advised likewise. Lets hope this is not the only tumble the Labour Party is going take in these elections! How ironic. Labour party members have been complaining bitterly about my website when it turns out that it is the Labour party who have breech the rules regarding the Council's website!

Campaign starting to take off!

I am pleased to report that we have managed to get our first candidate duly endorsed and his nomination accepted by the election office. Warren Carter, a parent at Holbeach school and resident in Albacore Crescent will be standing for us in Rushey Green ward. We are working hard to try and get as many candidates as possible across the borough. Warren is a teacher and active member of his trade union at his place of work. We have selected to also stand in Bellingham ward, Jenny Steward, who lives in Burford Road. Jenny is an advice worker. David Hamilton has been selected to run in Catford South, a music teacher. My good friend Toby Abse, also an active member of the Alliance for Green Socialism, has agreed to stand in Brockley. Semi pro footballer and youth worker, Edward Osei, has agreed to stand in Evelyn ward, along with journalist Alexia Wdoswki. Our three candidates in our target ward, New Cross, Ray Walford, Susanna Farley and Barbara Raymond have been getting a great reception on the door step and at our latest packed public meeting last week. They are now delivering their forth leaflet and have started canvassing and putting up posters. We have printed over 1000 copies of our manifesto and are now staffing our election office full time. We will be also be standing George Hallam in Lewisham East to run along side our candidate for Mayor, John Hamilton.

Full support to Cabin Crew!

The attacks on trade unionists at BA seeking to defend pay and conditions is a real disgrace. It is to be expected that the employer will use every dirty trick and tactic they can to divide workers, organise strike breaking and scabs and intimidate and harass shop stewards. The Tories true to form, have also laid into the workers. However what is really shocking are the attacks on the workers by this right wing pro-business government. Usually the government would be expected to remain neutral in an industrial dispute -but once again this government, when called upon by the forces of the right and business makes it quite clear who's side they are on. Brown and unelected Transport Minster, Lord Adonis have called the planned strike 'deplorable and unjustified'. I have been so outraged by these attacks on workers seeking to simply defend their conditions that I have written to my Unite union leadership suggesting that the union might be in breech of its rules in giving financial and political support to a party which fails to offer even the most basic support to one of its affiliates.

Breaking from Labour

All around the country, under the radar of the established political commentators, new left leaning political formations are taking shape. In Borrow a local socialist party has taken root and gained seats not only on the local council but now also the County Council. In Wellingborough, near Northampton, a local socialist group has been formed and has already a local councillor and they are planning on standing in the general election. Last August I went up to Wigan for a meeting of their local left alliance. The Wigan based Community Action Party has been gaining support, winning thousands of votes and gaining dozens of members in the face of a rotten local political situation where Labour have held unchallenged power for years. In Walsall the Democratic Labour Party have gained a seat on the council and hope to improve on their support this year. In Leeds, the Alliance for Green Socialism hope to improve on their votes gained. In Preston, it is likely Val Wise will help enhance the forces developing locally to the left of Labour, arguing for a defence of local services, supporting workers in struggle and the basic principals of trade unionism. Meetings of the left have also been taking place in Manchester and more recently in Bristol. After the election will be an important time to take a balance and review of all these significant and important developments and to assess what is needed in the coming struggles the left will face. I have suggested a conference should be called, to seek to establish a national network of progressive, community and socialist organisations. Its purpose -to share information, learn from each other, and share best practice. A national network could seek to direct and encourage the coming together into one organisation, perhaps in a loose federal structure, and help develop a new party of the left.

Lewisham for people not profit!

The Election Commission has agreed to our recent request to amend our party name -just in time for the pending elections! The Commission has ruled that we can use the title 'Lewisham For People Not Profit' -they were not happy with us using 'People before Profit' in our title -but strangely it has accepted that we can use "Lewisham for People before Profit" as a registered party symbol on the ballot paper!

Excalibur Co-operative

A debate has been raging over the past few years regarding plans to 'redevelop' this community of pre-fabricated bungalows. The dwellings were erected during and after the war by prisoners of war. Meant to be only temporary housing following the emergency housing situation in the Attlee period of government, they were erected with only a 'short life' expectancy. The community is clearly divided over the proposals. The minority who have brought their properties, either under the RTB or from previous owners have often made improvements to improve the bungalows. However the clear majority of residents remain council tenants, where many of the properties are in poor repair and unimproved -lacking thermal comfort. These small bungalows house not just elderly people but families, many of who must be over-crowded. Basically the plan is to clear the site apart from a few bungalows that have been listed and build not council housing, but a large housing scheme developed by London & Quadrant Housing Trust. The Mayor has taken the view that a ballot of residents on the proposals is needed to settle the issue. If these plans were to build council housing they would have clear support.

Are Respect heading for seats!

Respects supporters in Tower Hamlets appear to be gaining support and momentum. Apparently two Labour councillors have have defected to them and leading members of the local LP have joined their party. Respect supporters are suggesting that senior government figures have made an approach to seek what terms they would settle for to support a minority Labour government. A very well researched article on the Socialist Unity website

suggests Respect may take control of Tower Hamlets and has a chance of gaining their two target seats. If the polls are as close as has been suggested, this really would be an amazing outcome. A minority Labour government, who waged repeated wars against Muslim countries, supported by a Muslim anti war communalist party!