I am posting this simply to see how long it takes to publish, having experienced some recent delays.read more
Hat tip Newham Councillor David Christie on Labour List
"Many of you may have been one of the countless thousands straining to glimpse a sight of the Olympic torch pass through Central London last Tread more
From tomorrow (31 July 2012) UNISON members will be able to vote on the new look Local Government Pension Scheme 2014.read more
Hat tip to Bow esident (and fellow Gog), Ted Jeory, and his post on the "brilliant Olympic volunteers" who are the unsung heros of the games. It shows there is good in everyone (even in a Sunday Express reporter :)
"This is the first of two posts this morning that are slightly off the Tower...Catching up after annual leave last week. Just read Janice's important letter on pensions published in the Guardian on 25 July.
"Phillip Inman's welcome report on the dire state of private sector pensions (No wonder ministers are panicking over pensions, 23 July) nevertheless omits one major reason...
This poster is an useful guide to the history of the Labour Movement family. It explains the connections between The Independent Labour Party ILP) and the Clarion Movement. "We are often asked about the relationship between the elson ILP Clarion House and the National...
: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 29th July 2012 Today's Sun column Watching Boris sitting next to the Duchess of Cornwall at the Olympics opening ceremony , two thoughts popped into my . head The first was , thank God it’s not . Ken Can you imagine the embarrassment of London being represented by that peevish , small-minded Newt-lover in the eyes of world The second was about Britain’s political future . Will anyone be able to stop Boris succeeding David Cameron as the next leader of the Conservative Party after the success of London 2012 To read more , click here COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 2 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND MartinRowson MrHarryCole DomenicoMP DPJHodges I spotted that one , too . But d'you think anyone else will have caught the ref 1 hour ago
I really enjoyed the opening ceremony last night. I thought it was just simply brilliant. The bit about the birth and importance of the National Health Service (NHS) as a particular favourite.
It seems that not everyone shares this view. Nick Lowes from "Hope Not Hate" reports that ...Great news yesterday that Paul Chambers was cleared by the Lord Chief Justice at the High Court of a criminal conviction for making a daft comment on twitter.
Paul was supported during his appeal(s) by Comedians Stephen Fry and Al Murray.
While his egal team was headed by top solicitor,...It is finally happening. Tonight sees he opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics which is happening in my own borough. After ears and years of waiting and countdowns, it is about to start. Travelling back yesterday to London from a family wedding abroad I noticed on Greek TV news...
Picture is from this morning's icket line outside the Remploy factory in Barking. The government is closing 7 factories employing 1,012 disabled workers.
Check out this BBC report here and GMB press release here.
Local Labour Assembly member John Biggs (left) was there in...
On 13th July, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, announced he had appointed Gordon Brown, the former British Prime Minister, as United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education. As Special Envoy, Gordon Brown will work closely with key partners to help … Continue reading →
Last week, members of the TB Europe Coalition travelled to Sofia to meet with the Bulgarian National TB Programme and civil society organisations working on TB to learn more about TB activities and advocacy in Bulgaria. The following report was … Continue reading →: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Tuesday 24th July 2012 Boris Johnson welcomes people to the Games COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 0 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND MartinRowson MrHarryCole DomenicoMP DPJHodges I spotted that one , too . But d'you think anyone else will have caught the ref 1 hour ago Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Wikipedia IMdb Email BEST OF THE WEB Martin Durkin's dyspeptic view of the Olympics opening ceremony martindurkin.com Batman : The ultimate conservative hero by Robert Colville telegraph.co.uk Why the Tories need to grow a pair by Dan Hodges blogs.telegraph.co.uk Why Gordon Brown was no LBJ by Dan Hodges blogs.telegraph.co.uk The day Gordon Brown came to power by Damian McBride dpmcbride.tumblr.com Owen Jones is Justin Beiber by Dan HodgesComing to Newham for the London Olympics? What to see something a little different for half an hour or so? How about popping into the "Peoples Museum and Gallery of Newham".
Click on link to check out the list of exhibitions, films, "Reminiscence sessions"and guest speaker's on local history and...: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 22nd July 2012 Today's column in The Sun In 1981, the union of federal air traffic controllers went on strike , mounting a direct challenge to the authority of Ronald Reagan , the new-elected American President . Reagan issued an ultimatum : Return to work in the next 48 hours or face the . sack The union defied him and , as a result , he fired all 11,345 striking air traffic . controllers What is the relevance of this little history lesson To read more , click here COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 1 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND MartinRowson MrHarryCole DomenicoMP DPJHodges I spotted that one , too . But d'you think anyone else will have caught the ref 1 hour ago Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Wikipedia IMdb Email BEST OF THE WEB Martin
Excellent ews! he elected lay Service Group Executives of UNISON have voted overwhelmingly to endorse the new look Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS 2014).
"Members covered by Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales are being urged to vote yes to a new LGPS 2014...
Blogging and responding to comments will be a bit erratic for the new few days. s is my want and for no particular reason have posted this picture of one of my favour paintings. "The Fighting Temeraire" by Joseph Mallord William Turner.
Double click on picture to bring up...
Over the next couple of days, staff from all of the RESULTS affiliate countries, including the UK, will be heading to Washington D.C for the RESULTS International Conference. Continue reading →Dear Kevin
Please present my apologies to today’s Community Service Group Executive (SGE) eeting on the proposed new Local Government Pension Scheme 2014.
I ave a long standing family commitment. I ould however like to make a report to the SGE on what I believe to be the...: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Thursday 19th July 2012 My Teenage Diary I was the guest on Radio 4's My Teenage Diary on Radio 4 Extra this morning . You can listen again here COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 6 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND MartinRowson MrHarryCole DomenicoMP DPJHodges I spotted that one , too . But d'you think anyone else will have caught the ref 1 hour ago Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Wikipedia IMdb Email BEST OF THE WEB Martin Durkin's dyspeptic view of the Olympics opening ceremony martindurkin.com Batman : The ultimate conservative hero by Robert Colville telegraph.co.uk Why the Tories need to grow a pair by Dan Hodges blogs.telegraph.co.uk Why Gordon Brown was no LBJ by Dan Hodges blogs.telegraph.co.uk The day Gordon Brown came to power by Damian: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Tuesday 17th July 2012 My first free school has passed the test now for the next one Last September , Boris Johnson opened the West London Free School with rather a good . joke The Secretary of State for Education has added a new word to the English language , he said . I give , they gave , he gove he gove us this school . Okay , maybe you had to be there . I was so giddy with pleasure that the school was finally opening , I was ready to laugh at anything . I’d been leading the efforts of a group of parents and teachers for two years and scarcely a day had passed without the opponents of free schools unleashing a vicious personal attack . I kept my spirits up by visualizing the first 120 pupils passing through the school gates and
Oh dear - last week I had Jon of the Rogers becoming one of my ollowers on twitter (which was bad enough) but last night I had Big Bad Mikey Law becoming one s well!
While it is gratifying of course that they have seen the error of their ways and want to follow the forces of light and...
Over the course of time we get used to it.
(Guest Post) “It” being a methodical onslaught on privileges (such as free comprehensive health care), freedoms (such as the freedom to live with the ones you love where ever they may come from in the world even if you earn less than £18,600 per year) and...
From UNISON eFocus today. There will be a ballot on the new proposed Local Government Pension Scheme 2014.
UNISON members who work for my employer and in my branch have voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting the deal. This will keep a world class guaranteed pensions scheme for all and stop the...
Good news! Daniel Zeichner has been selected as the Labour Party Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Cambridge at the next general election. The seat use to be Labour until 2005. Now held by Lib Dems.
Daniel is a national officer for UNISON Labour Link - seen in this photo (wearing grey...
(This is an article I wrote last week for my Branch Stewards newsletter).
"Let’s face it. Many members probably consider Pensions to be a pretty boring issue and something that they would prefer to put off thinking about too much until another day (or preferably never). Well, whether you like it...: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 15th July 2012 Latest Sun column Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some , but it was a day of good news for . me I received an email from the Department for Education saying my group’s application to set up a second school in Hammersmith and Fulham was one of the 102 free schools to be given the green light . Barring some disaster , the West London Free School Primary will be admitting its first pupils in September 2013. Our aim in both schools is to offer the kind of classical education that’s usually reserved for the privileged elite Latin , the history of the British Isles , competitive sport , etc but to make it available to children from all parts of the local community , regardless of background or ability . I describeWoody Guthrie birthday was July 14th as well! Hat tip Norm. Woody Guthrie birthday was July 14th as well! Hat tip Norm. 
The motion below was tabled in the Scottish Parliament last week. Hat tip Dave Watson. Below that is he statement that Newham Mayor Robin Wales gave o the Full Council meeting on 2 July
"Keir Hardie Anniversary
Neil Findlay Scottish Labour): That the Parliament notes that 4 July...
On Wednesday evening after the NEC meetings I went to a reception to mark the retirement of UNISON Deputy General Secretary Keith Sonnet. Keith has served the Labour Movement for 40 years and I think we all wish him well in the retirement. Even though I doubt very much we have seen the last of him....
Today the ocial Housing Magazine "Inside Housing" led with a report that housing organisations are to challenge a threat to their workers' pensions.
The Pension Trust which administrates the Social Housing Pension Fund (and many other Community and voluntary sector pension funds) is being...
Last Wednesday 4th July was the 120th anniversary of the election of Keir Hardie s the first Labour MP.
He was elected as MP for West Ham South in the 1892 General Election.
The modern day West Ham Consistency Labour Party and Newham TULO organised a commemorative our to mark the...
Check out this TUC resource for downloading and ordering flyer's and posters for the March in London on Saturday 20 October 2012. Scotland will also have its own anti-Austerity March and Rally.