Labour Party Conference 2010: West Ham CLP delegates report

The Labour movement usually requires all delegates to write reports on the conferences they have been sent to by their unions or the Labour Party.

Ellie Robinson (right) and David Christie (middle) were the West Ham Labour Party delegates to Conference this year.  (Left is Forhad Hussain, who was there as a ex-officio visitor and is also a UNISON member).  All three of them are newly elected Newham Councillors.

This is Ellie and David's delegation report to the West Ham GC.

"We arrived in Manchester on the Friday night and stayed in apartments just over the border in Salford.

Saturday was the day of the leadership conference where they were to announce the new leader of the Labour Party.  The hall in Manchester Central was buzzing with excitement.  Gordon Brown kicked things off with an emotional speech where he celebrated what the last Government had achieved and thanked many people for supporting him and the Labour Party.  Ann Black, chair of the NEC then took the rostrum and led us through the votes.  It took several minutes to get to the result because of the AV system, and the tension and gasps from the audience mounted until in the final round David Miliband received 49.35% of the vote and we knew that Ed would be the next leader of the Labour Party.  There were cheers and Ed gave a short speech where he paid tribute to the other candidates. In the evening we attended the London Region reception where Ed spoke again.

On Sunday a London region welcome was held introducing delegates to the format of conference and Karen Buck, Labour MP for Westminster North launched a new priority campaign in London on housing reflecting the coalition’s attack on housing benefit claimants.  We attended the young councillor network launch and then went into the hall for conference business. 

Neil Kinnock delivered a moving tribute to Michael Foot who died in the year since the last conference. Merit Awards were presented to members from Hammersmith, Hyndburn and Exeter.  In the priority ballot as West Ham delegates we voted for debates on housing, people trafficking, consumer credit and rights at work as we felt these most reflected the particular needs of people in the West Ham constituency and would not all be prioritised by the Trade Union section. We attended a fringe event on the Gaza siege in the evening and a young Labour event. Labour friends of Bangladesh held a reception which several Newham members came up to Manchester to attend and Rushanara Ali spoke passionately about the Bangladeshi community uniting and having transparent elections and decision making in Tower Hamlets. Mary Honeyball MEP for London held a reception and talked about her ongoing focus in the European parliament.  At the end of the evening there was a Newham drink in a bar net to the Manchester Wheel.

On Monday David Miliband gave a speech as Shadow Foreign Secretary for which he received a standing ovation.  Particular focus was on Burma, Kashmir and Pakistan. Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and Dianne Abbott also gave speeches throughout the week that were very well received.

Particular fringe highlights of the rest of the week included the Labour friends of India event hosted by the High Commissioner, again with very good attendance from Newham.   John Gray was on the panel for a fringe on new media and blogging.  Newham Mayor Robin Wales spoke at several fringes, including one on housing where he identified Newham’s plans in that area.

On Tuesday Ed gave his speech, there was tremendous anticipation and he delivered a passionate speech which aimed to draw a line under New Labour. The theme was the ‘New Generation’ and he spoke to the country saying ‘A new generation has taken over Labour- a new generation that understands the call to change’. He called for a mass membership party again with a membership greater than 1997, and talked about winning back votes lost since 1997.  He also promised to work with the coalition when they did the right thing. 

Throughout the rest of the week there was an increasing feeling that David would not run for the shadow cabinet and he announced this on Wednesday.  There was a lot of disappointment at this and generally there were a lot of mixed feelings about Ed’s election. It was inevitable that in so close an election, the losers would feel very disappointed and people did discuss the impact of the union vote on the election and the impression of that in the media.

On the Tuesday night we met our MP Lyn for a drink in the Midland Hotel with other Newham members.

On Wednesday there was a Q and A with our new leader, Ed Miliband, and Eddie Izzard. Two members a minute had joined the Party since Ed was elected leader and a lot of this session focussed on stories from new members.

Harriet Harman, as our Deputy Leader, closed the Conference on Thursday. We came home physically tiered but mentally reenergised to fight for our Party locally and nationally.

An update on rule changes will be provided at the GC".

Labour Conference 2010: Friends of India reception

On the Tuesday evening of the Labour Party conference I was invited to attend the Labour Friends of India reception. 

This is a picture of Newham delegates and visitors (I'm hiding in the back row between flags) with the India High Commissioner, his Excellency, Mr Nalin Surie, shaking hands with Chair of LFI Barry Gardiner MP.

This was a really good event.  Loads (and loads) of MP's turned up to give short speeches. 

This of course had nothing to do with the Shadow cabinet elections (as many of them freely acknowledged).  Click on picture to bring up detail.

PS Apologies for the delay in posting.  I still have about 5 stories on Conference that I want to post before they get too stale.  Will get around to it...

Union and Victory: Organising to Defeat Cuts in Public Services

Organising to Defeat Cuts in Public Services: a SERTUC rally

12.00-13.45pm 23 October, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS

A rally for key trade union activists in the SERTUC region, with keynote speakers:

BECTU                   Tony Lennon, Former President

CWU                       Billy Hayes, General Secretary

FBU                        Mick Shaw, President

GMB                       Dave Powell, Senior Organiser, Public Services

MP, Labour            Chuka Umunna

NUT                        Christine Blower, General Secretary

PCS                        Hugh Lanning, Deputy General Secretary

RMT                        Bob Crow, General Secretary

SERTUC                 Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary

UNISON                  Linda Perks, Regional Secretary Greater London

UNITE                     Steve Hart, Regional Secretary London & Eastern

SERTUC President  Martin Gould, will Chair the event

The first 500 will be admitted to the rally in Congress House on a ‘first come’. The over-spill will be directed to Bedford Square, where there will be an over-spill rally. Congress House is a fully accessible building. If unregistered please register your interest in the campaign by replying to sertucevents@tuc.org.uk

Please cascade this email to all your trade union contacts and colleagues

Megan Dobney - SERTUC Regional Secretary

(banner made for 1889 Dock Strike, carried in 1912 Transport strike and also the 1921 Poplar Rates Rebellion.  Picture taken in "People's History Museum" Manchester during UNISON Labour Party conference 2010 reception)

Labour Party Conference 2010: Bloggers 4 Labour fringe

Last Monday I was a member of this panel at the conference fringe chaired by London Labour MEP, (and blogger) Mary Honeyball.  I was first to speak then Islington Councillor and head of David Miliband social media campaign, Jessica Asato; the popular website Labour List’s acting editor, Mark Ferguson (who despite a dare did not appear in the supposed atypical male blogging attire – boxer shorts and dressing gown) and Labour “Social Media Tsar”, Kerry McCarthy MP.

There were around 100 people present in the fringe.  Many of whom were furiously blogging, tweeting and facebooking as we spoke.  There was even a few die-hards writing notes with pen-and-paper!

I went first about the legal perils of blogging and how Alex Hilton, Dave Olser and I have lived in “interesting times” for the past 3 1/2 years.  Since my case and Alex is still “on-going” (although in its final stages hopefully) I was a little circumspect about what I could say. 

I did warn bloggers that they must be mindful that it only costs £75 for someone to make a claim (serve a writ) for libel no matter how seemingly ridiculous the claim.  If you are in receipt of certain benefits it is even free.  You could spend thousands of pounds in legal costs (and years of your life) trying to get such a case kicked out with no guarantee you would ever be able to reclaim any of your costs. 

There are a few things to safeguard yourself - such as if you make a somewhat controversial post or comment on something you see on a web site - then save a screen print of it.  If you allow comments then make sure you do indeed moderate them.  If you get a complaint - take down the post until you get advice. 

Some say that the best posts are written late on a Friday or Saturday night after a “few” drinkies – but it is best to post only in the cold harsh light of the following day.  No matter how brilliant you thought it was at the time.

It is not all doom and gloom.  There were a number of occasions of “high comedy”.  Such as when Dave Osler "Ex-punk. Ex-Trot. Unchanged attitude problem" (definitely not a New Labour Supporter)" had to stand up in chambers and respectfully address the bowler hat wearing and MCC tie judge as “Master”.

Check out top legal blog “Jack of Kent” for fuller details of case's.

Next, I spoke about my cunning plan to “drive a wedge in the Coalition by social media”.  Blogging is usually driven either by the top or the bottom.  There are a number of high profile national individual or party blogs with widespread readership and interest.  There are also a huge number of smaller local and personal blogs with a small number of readers.  There is a gap in the middle to exploit. 

I wanted to encourage a Labour movement family blog in every locality.  In London this could be on a borough or regional basis. Run jointly by the local Labour Party and the affiliated trade unions.  A campaigning and reporting blog which will primarily be aimed and used to demonstrate to the 3 million trade union affiliates (and others) that the responsibility for the massive cuts in services and benefits that we face are down to the CONDEMS – and no one else. 

(I did mention that this wasn’t probably the most sensitive time to mention the further political mobilisation of trade union members!).  

Next was Jessica who was able to tell us what it was like to run a national mass new media campaign.  She suggested that there should be a fund for bloggers who face legal action and we need to do something about vile misogynistic anonymous commenter’s (which Mary concurred)

Mark is in the best tradition of Labour bloggers – enthusiastic, knowledgeable, cynical yet amusing.  He will make a fine editor of Labour List as long as they do not run out of money.

Kerry is a total new media enthusiast who wants to use this medium as a new means to communicate our traditional Labour values to the real wider public.   

Mary noted that she “was very pleased by the number of serious bloggers in the audience Councillor Stephen Cowan, Jon Worth, Tracey Cheetham, Mark Nottingham, Colin Ellar and the increasingly well regarded Political Scrapbook”.

There was a very good Q&A from the audience and since no-one mentioned my grand design for local Labour movement blogging, I assume that everyone agreed that it was a wonderful idea - or were too polite to disagree. 

Mary gave all us panellists at the end a very lovely thank you card and a little pressie (see – bloggers do have manners!). 

My pressie was the DVD of “A Very British Coup”.  Which perhaps I ought to send on to our “Red Ed” to prepare him for what might happen when he does become PM!

Many thanks to Mary and her team for all their hard work for what was an enjoyable and instructive fringe.

Labour Party Conference 2010: London Underground Strikes

I think that this is the time to remember the TSSA railway union General Secretary, Gerry Doherty's dignified speech to conference last Monday afternoon in support of Composite 7. 

Last night and today there was strike action by TSSA and the RMT in London over job cuts. 

Gerry pointed out that his "union has taken strike action for the first time since the General Strike of 1926. TSSA is a traditionally moderate trade union which is being forced to take strike action due to the Bullingdon Champagne Mayor (Boris Johnson) trying to cut 800 jobs without regard to health and safety on the underground.  The Lib Dems claims that they want to take the unions with them, but their Lord Snooty pals are dismantling the welfare state! They need to stop attacking the very people who they asked to vote for them. 

Warning we will take you on - even the non militant unions.  This is not meant as a threat or a promise.  We have no choice when they come for us - we will have to be in this together.  This movement has to come together and say we will not let them take us on one by one. 

On Monday the action will be another reason to vote for Ken". 

Labour Party Conference 2010: Mary Honeyball MEP London delegates meal

On the Sunday evening London MEP (and blogger) Mary Honeyball hosted a meal for regional Labour Party delegates and guests.

It was a really pleasant evening (I rushed from the LHG fringe to attend) and there was also lots of interesting discussion and information about conference and other things (including just a little bit of gossip). 

Good food and good conversation.  We also did some planning for the "Bloggers 4 Labour Fringe" on Monday (post to follow).

Labour Party Conference 2010: A London Housing Workers' tale

This is a guest post from the "front line" of public housing in London by a good comrade, Alan Griffiths (in photo voting with left arm up). He was a London UNISON delegate at conference. He is also a fellow Newham Councillor (and he even has a splendid Welsh name)

Despite lots of frantic waving of papers he was not selected to give this speech on Tuesday's Crime debate. Which I think was a shame.

"Conference: Since the ConDem government began, Police Community Support Officers, created by the Labour government, have been sent Redundancy Notices.

The proposed closures of County Courts and of Magistrates Courts will mean even more delays in getting cases heard.

I’m here this morning to give you a housing officer’s experience of crime and disorder issues, with some examples.

I gave evidence, at half a day’s notice, in a fraud trial at a Crown Court. I had to be careful not to let the Jury know that the defendants had previous convictions and that I had already repossessed a flat. That case is highlighted amongst the achievements of the Council’s Fraud Team. Those defendants had false identities, several addresses and lived in a half-million pound house.

Partnership working reduces Crime and Disorder.

I have submitted a statement and given evidence to a Magistrates’ Court, supporting a Police application for a Premises Closure Order.

Partnership working reduces Crime and Disorder.

I once had a tenant approach me, very concerned that a man she really didn’t want to know was to be released from prison on Licence. I phoned his Probation Officer and asked for an extra condition on his Licence.

Partnership working reduces Crime and Disorder.

Not so long ago, Police raided a flat and arrested two young men, one a close relative of the tenant. Later the Police opened the metal tool box that had been thrown out of a window shortly before they arrived and found two guns. The Crown Prosecution Service thought there wasn’t enough evidence for a criminal prosecution. It would not be appropriate for me to tell you what the Police officers involved thought of that! The landlord went to the County Court and the Postponed Possession Order has conditions including that the arrested relative does not live at the flat, does not have a key to the flat and does not have a key to the block.

Partnership working reduces Crime and Disorder.

Conference, three of the four cases I have just mentioned were in the same block of flats in less than two years.

Partnership working reduces is Crime and Disorder.

The key partnership for reducing Crime and Disorder is between Councils and Police. Tory MPs voted again that, just like earlier Tory MPs voted against the National Health Service.

I introduced Acceptable Behaviour Contracts or Agreements at my work and there was a time when I had done more of them than all my colleagues put together.

Some foolish people would like you to believe that those informal methods are an alternative to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders in every case. Every Acceptable Behaviour Contract or Agreement that carried my employer’s logo included a clear threat of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order if the perpetrator’s behaviour did not improve. Without ASBOs the next step would have to be prosecution.

The Tory Home Secretary has allowed it to be put about that she is thinking of repealing Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. I had a John P McEnroe moment “You cannot be serious”. Next week she has a chance to show that she is serious and say it isn’t so.

If she does not, we’ll all be entitled to have a Billy Connolly moment “Hangings too good for the likes of Youse. It’s a good kick up the arse ye need”.

Labour Conference 2010: Life in the Northern Quarter

This year I stayed in an one bedroom flat in the “Northern Quarter” of Manchester. A world heritage site no less. This was not only cheaper and better than a hotel but it was also a far more interesting and cosmopolitan place to stay than the City centre. 

In the mornings I was able to try and shake off the Midland Hotel induced hangovers with an early morning jog around the nearby canals. 

On route I would pass an area near Piccadilly Basin which had been closed off to the public and was being used to film a Hollywood film based on the “Captain America” comics.   Apparently this part of Manchester resembles 1940’s Lower East Side, New York.  It was strange to see cast members walking around dressed as “gangsters and molls” in period hats and trench coats while texting or sheltering from the rain using modern umbrellas. 

Running (very slowly of course) along the canal’s you become very aware of Manchester’s industrial history and the “dark satanic mills” that we sang about a few hours ago earlier at conference.  Many old mills have been turned into apartment blocks similar to the old Bryant and May Matchmakers building in Bow.  There is even an area called New Islington to make me feel at home. The best run to appreciate the new and the old Manchester was along the Ashton Canal to the Man City stadium and back. 

On a sad and depressing point I did notice that thanks to the Banker's recession work has stopped on many construction sites which are moth balled and up for sale.  Some of the newly built apartments and office buildings also appear to be mostly empty.  Regeneration of this part of Manchester is obviously in trouble.

Massive CONDEM public spending cuts will just further destroy confidence. This will mean more construction workers will be unemployed, less taxes will be paid and more money needed to pay benefits.  Which will increase pressure on the deficit and mean more public spending cuts which will mean....We need our new British superhero, Ed M, to save us!

Labour Conference 2010: Harriet Harman, the Red Flag and the New Jerusalem

Labour Party deputy leader, Harriet Harman, gave a witty and unifying closing speech to this year’s conference. 

I liked the self deprecating joke that she was only elected the "most fanciable MP" in a Sky News poll because her husband, Jack Dromey - had used "the Unite block vote". We then all sang the “Red Flag” followed by “Jerusalem”.  Then after several minutes of clapping and cheering Ed, there was the traditional mad rush to pick up luggage and get to the train station. 

Beforehand John Denham MP had given a cracking speech warning the 4,500 Labour Councillors that they will have the fight of their lives to make sure they protect essential public services.  He also exposed the crucial flaw in Cameron’s “Big Society” that volunteers want to supplement public services not replace them. He gave the example of people who volunteer to “befriend” pensioners but they would not want to replace the services of the district nurse. 

Harriet was then introduced by UNISON activist, Norma Stephenson, who had been elected the Chair of the Labour Party NEC last night. 

Building a New Jerusalem is now on hold until 2015 at the latest.  The opportunity may come sooner but it is best to plan for a long and at times very painful slog back to power.

I'll be trying to catch up on my posts about conference over the next few days.

Labour Party Conference 2010: ETUC Day of Action

Today is European Trade Union's Council "Day of Action" against spending cuts.

Across Europe there was lobbies and protests against cuts.  I missed a Lobby this lunchtime outside Manchester City hall, since I got the timings wrong. 

Local UNISON member Grant Higgerson (carrying placard) had been at the lobby.  Since he had taken the whole afternoon off to attend the rally he had decided to spend the rest of the time reminding Labour Party delegates and visitors about the importance of saving public pension schemes.  Grant is supported here by another trade unionist - from the NUJ!

Update: Picture of UNISON Bromley Health Branch banner at a ETUC rally.

Health SGE member Mike Davey on real left.

Labour Conference 2010: Ed Miliband Leader speech

I was late leaving a pension fringe and as I hurried out of the hotel toward the conference centre I got shouted at by camera crew to "get out of the way".  Ed appeared a minute later to go and give his leadership speech. 

I went into the wrong queue and when I eventually found the right one it was too late to get in - the hall was filled to its 2500 capacity.  There was a theatre nearby from which you could have gone and watch but together with a couple of hundred other disappointed delegates and visitors we watched the speech on the TV's while sitting on the floor amongst the conference stalls.

You could hear Ed speaking from all directions and at slightly different play back speeds.  Which was rather strange. 

It was I think a great speech.  Ed was very emotional at the beginning and at one point I thought he was even going to have tears rolling down his cheeks.  Especially when he talked about how grateful he was for this country who gave refuge to his parents who had fled Nazi persecution. 

There was also comedy - when he reminded everyone of the daft insults that had been made about him such as being like Wallace from "Wallace and Gromit" or "Forrest Gump".  When he mentioned "Red Ed" he got massive applause for wanting a "grown up" debate over politics in the future

He supported trade unions who tackle low pay but would not support "irresponsible" strike action.  He committed again to a "living wage" not just a minimum wage for all.  He said it cannot be right that a banker can earn more in one day than a cleaner does in a year?  Inequality is bad for everyone, rich and poor. 

He thought that the War in Iraq had been a mistake - even thought it had been genuine and well intended but he strongly supported the War in Afghanistan.  While he was a firm defender of Israel's right to exist so did Palestine have the right to be a state and the attack on the Gaza convey had been a terrible misjudgement.

He finished with an appeal to us all to be optimistic.  "We are the optimists in politics today," he said.
"So let's be humble about our past. Let's understand the need to change. Let's inspire people with our vision of the good society.

"Let the message go out, a new generation has taken charge of Labour. Optimistic about our country. Optimistic about our world. Optimistic about the power of politics.

"We are the optimists and together we will change Britain." To which he had a standing ovation in the hall and a round of applause from our little groups. 

It was a little odd clapping a TV screen but it felt the right thing to do.

Blogger's 4 Labour Fringe

Live post from the fringe. 

This is the audience fom the panel's point of view. 

I'll post later in more detail.

Labour Party conference 2010: General Election report (the role of unions)

I am listening to the debate on the General Election in the conference hall.   Andy Kerr (Labour NEC and CWU) has just spoken about the role of the unions in the election.  He thanked the unions and in particular TULO for their work.  In the election the unions fought for a “fair future for all working people”.  He compared the role of the unions in elections on both sides of the Atlantic. 

During this election as in America, what was found to work is one union member talking to one. New media helps but it is no substitute for targeted calls to targeted seats by trade union volunteers.  The unions used targeted direct mail.  Aided by polling and which was also used to tackle members concerns especially BNP threat. The unions ran voter registration and postal vote campaigns. 

TULO used its website to support the wider campaign and to respond quickly to events.  The unions had deadicated organisers for all key seat seats.  Remember that not all members use internet.  Anti-tory posters and bill boards were most effective.  The unions were major funders in the election but it was not just money. 

Labour Party Conference 2010: Sunday 26 September

First day of the 2010 Labour conference.  I am enjoying being a "Ex-officia" visitor and not being a delegate this year. 

Since I am not representing either my union or my local party I can pick and choose what debates I will attend in the main conference hall.

I will hopefully be able to attend and post on more fringes.

It's also my first big conference in the City of Manchester - which I am also enjoying hugely.