Question: In deciding not to shortlist the Don [...]
I recently went to an "off the record" Chatham House rules debate on whether closed defined benefit pension schemes should invest in equities (shares) or not?
Now, I doubt very much that all that many people will share my keen interest in such matters, but if you currently contribute to a funded...
Check out the web site Ripped-Off Britons". 
Check out the web site Ripped-Off Britons". 
A rather intense (to be polite) picture of me speaking at Saturday's SERTUC Council meeting at Congress House. The New TUC GS Frances O'Grady had just made a cracking speech.
I was supporting the GLATUC motion on "Austerity".
"President, Council, John Gray UNISON speaking in favour of Motion 1. I...
On the 24th of October, 16 of our grassroots campaigners from across the UK headed down to London to attend an APPG Global Education for All event at Parliament. The event coincided with the release of the Global Partnership for … Continue reading →
West Ham Labour Party like many active CLPs prides itself on its political debates. We regularly invite controveral guest speakers to our General Management Committee meetings (GC) which are open to all members to attend.
At GC last week, our Political Education officer had arranged for Labour...
Off message but before it gets too wet, cold, dark and miserable I thought I would post on a wonderful 8 mile walk last month.
The walk started near the 12th pilgrimage church, All Saints in Ulting. alk along farmland then alongside the River Chelmer and back through the village of Nousley....
: , : SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 28th October 2012 My latest Sun column : Why the Rolling Stones are still revolting , aged 274 Why did the Rolling Stones choose to play their first warm-up gig on the eve of their 50th anniversary tour in Paris , of all places Why not London I’ll tell you why . Because Britain’s most famous rock band never pass up an opportunity to disrespect their home country . Mick Jagger , Keith Richards , Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts make no secret of their hatred of the British Establishment . They’re rock n’ roll rebels , after all , even if they do have a combined age of 274. But why do they have to thumb their noses at the British people as well To read more , click here COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 0 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND
This morning I went to the Trade Union Congress Southern & Eastern Regional Council (SERTUC) as an UNISON delegate at Congress House.
Our keynote speaker was Frances O'Grady, the General Secretary (elect) of the TUC. This was the first time in living memory that any TUC GS had addressed our...
Companies such as Starbucks, Amazon.CON and Vodaphone seem to think that only the little people should pay taxes. Bite back little people. This morning I was surprised to hear Sir Merrick Cockell, Chair of the Local Government Association (and Leader of Kensington and helsea) say on the Today radio programme that he (personally) supports the merger of the £150 billion Local Authority Pension Scheme (LGPS) into 5 or so funds...NO PROGRESS IN METROPOLITAN CONSULTATION MEETINGS
A series of cost-cutting proposals presented to UNISON by Metropolitan housing association have been firmly rejected by the union’s members.
Metropolitan are conducting a 90 day consultation on changes to the terms and conditions of its 887...
Picture from Tuesday's meeting at the Palace of Westminster. Labour Shadow Housing Minster, Jack Dromey MP, entertained and educated, ousing Association trade union members at a UNISON branch Labour Link meeting.
Jack started off by talking about his early days as a trade union activist in...
Global Campaign for Education UK launches report on equity and inclusion in DfID’s education programmes. Today the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) UK launched a new report called ‘Equity and Inclusion for All in Education’ which looks at whether and how … Continue reading →
Hat tip Support public services and don't let the condems destroy them. Check out post on Starbucks as tax cheat and state benefit spongers here.
UNISON and the other unions may have achieved success with the Local Government & NHS pensions but the battle continues in the Community and private sector.
UNISON pensions experts have issued a guide to protecting the Social Housing Pension Fund (Pensions Trust). There is likely to be a...Hat tip to Red Brick website for this table of key facts on the housing crisis facing illions of people. nbsp; Well done to the Fed for getting housing s a lead news item. 486,000 extra who work ow n housing benefit. An 86% rise in 3 years.
Letting Housing benefit...
I have posted pictures from yesterday's March on FaceBook. You can find link here. : : SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 21st October 2012 My latest Sun column : Is this the end of the road for the Cameron and Osborne show Is it time to call for Boris That is the question everyone is asking after the worst few days in David Cameron’s . career And it all started so well The Prime Minister could justifiably have felt quite pleased with himself at the beginning of the week , having made a strong speech at the Conservative Party Conference and apparently laid to rest any speculation about the future of his . premiership Like many conservative political pundits , I thought he’d finally drawn a line under the omnishambles” of the last six months and was looking forward to next week’s third quarter GDP figures which are expected to show a return to .
Another fantastic Labour Movement march and rally for an alternative economic policy,” A Future that Works”. 150,000 in central London and many more in Glasgow and Belfast. The weather held out for us. It was mild and balmy with lots of sunshine. A colourful, lively, noisy but peaceful protest...
Shock, Horror: George Galloway MP has been exposed for hiring as his personal Parliamentary Assistant, the wife of one of Scotland Yard's most senior Counter-terrorist olice Officers, Afiz Khan, who is a Detective Inspector with the elite SO15.
Galloway even gave his PA, Aisha Ali-Khan, the...
I think that this picture sums up the disgust people have with thieving companies such as Starbucks who in the past 3 years have paid NOTHING n UK Corporation tax dispite £398 million tunrover when at the same time igh Street rival Costa paid £15 million on similar sales.
Now Costa is...
This eport is from what I thought was retty successful and constructive meeting tonight of Ham Park Village Residents Association t the Vicarage Lane Community Centre, E15.
Things in life never run that smoothly. There was two last minute scares about the meeting. Firstly,...
As followers of UK political news will be aware, the party conference season has recently concluded. As the major parties return to Westminster after their trips to Brighton (Lib Dems), Birmingham (Conservatives) and Manchester (Labour), this RESULTS blog post reviews … Continue reading →New video and call or pledge to join or support the TUC March this Saturday 20 October.Today I finally booked a place here or this year's TUC trustee conference.
"Date Tue, 27 Nov 2012
Location Congress House, London WC1B 3LS
Cost - Unions: £50
- Educational, public or voluntary sector: £75
- Commercial and others: £250
Description
The TUC invites pension trustees to...
This is a great picture of the National Union of Railwaymen West Ham Branch strike committee from 1919.
I wonder where it was taken and what the strike was over? They appear to be wearing some sort of a
rosette.
Poppies?
Hat tip Hayes Peoples History.
Update: Mike from HPH has emailed...Check out my post here on the UnionHome blog hat Austerity is he problem while trade unions and ncome equality can be the solution. 
Well, picture is from yesterday's est Ham Labour Party and trade union tall in Stratford High Street supporting ext week's TUC March against Austerity and for an alternative economic policy.
Labour Attack dog, Yorkshire terrier Cara, is seen in arms of her owner, local MP...
I've just submitted an article to the new UnionHome website launched recently. This is an offshoot of Unions21. It's editor is Dan Whittle. nbsp;
"Since we launched UnionHome last week it's been visited over 1,000 times. Simon Sapper writing for the blog today, says 'UnionHome is great, but...
RESULTS UK has recently relaunched a school assemblies’ programme that will encourage young people to learn more about TB. In partnership with the UK Coalition to Stop TB and the Stop TB partnership, RESULTS UK will raise awareness of TB … Continue reading →: : SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Thursday 11th October 2012 My latest Spectator column : Boris v Gove I’m writing this from the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham where I’ve been asking more or less everyone the same question : When David Cameron gracefully exits the political stage in 2018, having won a thumping majority in 2015, who do you most want to succeed him : Boris Johnson or Michael Gove The popular choice is BoJo , obviously . In his diaries , Alan Clark used the phrase Fuhrer Kontakt” to describe the electrifying current that pulsed through him whenever he encountered Margaret Thatcher in the corridors of the House of Commons and there is only one Conservative politician who has a comparable effect on people today . Like Thatcher , Boris: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 7th October 2012 My latest Sun column Ed Miliband received almost universal praise for his speech at the Labour Party Conference last week , but I think he committed a tactical error . By making such a song and dance about having been to a comprehensive unlike that wicked toff David Cameron he stumbled into enemy territory . I’m talking about education . policy This used to be one of Labour’s strengths . Don’t forget , Tony Blair said that improving Britain’s schools was his single biggest priority and he initiated the academy programme to do precisely that , freeing secondary schools from the dead hand of local authority control . Blair spent a huge amount of political capital on this programme it was bitterly opposed by the