Ministers are unwise to harp about their migration policies - Bryant
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50
Chris Bryant MP, Labour's Shadow Immigration Minister, commenting on today's migration figures published by the ONS, said:
Floods have shown Government shortsighted - Creagh
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Mary Creagh MP, Labour's Shadow Environment Secretary, commenting on the extra £120 million for flood funding announced by Danny Alexander today, said:We should show confidence in the Leveson Inquiry - Ed Miliband
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:British government's decision to abstain on Palestine vote is worse than a blunder. It is a historic misjudgement - Alexander
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Douglas Alexander MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, said:"Labour welcomes today's overwhelming vote for enhanced status for the Palestinians at the UN as an important non-violent, legal and diplomatic step towards a negotiated two state solution.IFS report a wake up call on pensions - McClymont
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Gregg McClymont MP, Labour's Shadow Pensions Minister, commenting on IFS research showing that one third of those approaching retirement are unsure how much income they will receive from their private pensions, said:Yet another damning UKBA report - Bryant
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Chris Bryant MP, Labour's Shadow Immigration Minister, said on the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's report on UKBA: "This is yet another damning report about UKBA under this Government.Mitchell's decision to unilaterally reinstate budget support to Rwanda was a serious misjudgement - Lewis
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Ivan Lewis MP, Labour’ Shadow International Development Secretary, responding to the Government’ decision to suspend aid to Rwanda, said:Voters in Croydon, Rotherham and Middlesbrough have put their faith in a One Nation Labour Party - Ed Miliband
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:10:50Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:RMT - SWT Retail/Fleet Union News: RMT PAY BULLETIN November 2012
Updated: 2012-11-30 18:14:00Circular No. NP/301/12 30th November 2012 H.O. Ref: R14/5 TO: ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL COUNCILS, REGIONAL OFFICES, nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES & HO OFFICERS. Dear Members, RMT PAY BULLETIN November 2012 The Office of National Statistics has...RMT Waterloo Branch News: RMT PAY BULLETIN November 2012
Updated: 2012-11-30 18:12:00
Circular No. NP/301/12
30th November 2012
H.O. Ref: R14/5
TO: ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL COUNCILS, REGIONAL OFFICES,
nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES & HO...Green Party Trade Union Group: Caroline Lucas supports PCS protests
Updated: 2012-11-30 17:09:00
Over the last week, Europe has moved a [...]Tackling TB and HIV/AIDS together is the only way to reach zero deaths!
Updated: 2012-11-30 16:57:07
This Saturday is World Aids Day, an annual recognition of the scale and impact of an epidemic which claims 1.7 million lives annually, last year there were 2.5 million new HIV infections recorded bringing the number of people living with … Continue reading →Movember
Updated: 2012-11-30 16:25:35Hideous moustache day! Originally uploaded by viralbus Nearly a month ago, I wrote on Facebook: “I’ve decided to try a variation on Movember: Instead of starting with a clean-shaven face and then growing a moustache, I’m starting with a normal one (after removing the bottom half of my goatee) and will try to make a [...]Unison Scotland: Match our vision for a Fairer Scotland – UNISON issues referendum challenge
Updated: 2012-11-30 16:06:00Over the last week, Europe has moved a [...]The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak
Updated: 2012-11-28 23:46:08If Jesus was God, why did he pray to himself? Originally uploaded by Zombie Inc. When I was a linguistics fresher back in 1990, we were told a well-known anecdote about the early days of machine translation: When the sentence “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (an allusion to Mark 14:38) was [...]How you can help us win in Croydon tomorrow...
Updated: 2012-11-28 19:20:00
Dear Colleague
We really do need your help tomorrow to help get Steve Reed elected in the Croydon North Parliamentary by election. Polling day is tomorrow, Thursday 29 November.
We will be calling on Labour supporters from early morning until close of poll at 10pm. Please pop over for an hour, or...December action announced: Planning for the coming year
Updated: 2012-11-28 00:53:35To ensure that 2013 is just as successful as 2012, this month we are asking all of our groups to take the time together to plan what you want to achieve in 2013. Planning forms have been sent to all group leaders Continue reading →Stop Aids Campaign: This World AIDS Day, we’re asking the UK Government, Why Stop Now?
Updated: 2012-11-28 00:14:23
Yesterday the RESULTS team headed down to Parliament to participate in a demonstration alongside activists from the Stop Aids Campaign. The event was a great opporunity to visualise the message of the campaign, as well as attracting media attention ahead … Continue reading →Croydon North By-Election: UNISON London Labour Link Voter ID
Updated: 2012-11-27 22:32:00
After today's TUC Pension Trustee conference I went upstairs in Congress House to the UNISON regional office for a voter ID telecanvass session.
There was only a few of us at Congress House but more at the UNISON centre in Euston Road.
We used the same very efficient and clever (but a bit buggy)...More devolution will never happen
Updated: 2012-11-27 22:26:43The Scottish Parliament Originally uploaded by mariancraig Sometimes you find interesting articles in unexpected places. For instance, The Sun carried a piece yesterday called “Why promise more devolution when it will never happen?“ In it, Andrew Nicoll argues that Scotland has only ever got more devolution to fend off the SNP, so after a No [...]TUC Pension Trustee Conference 2012: Making Pensions Work For People
Updated: 2012-11-27 21:26:00Picture is of Pension minister, Steve Webb MP, address the opening of the 2012 TUC Trustee conference at Congress House.
Steve spoke about his recent discussion paper on Reinvigorating Workplace Pensions" which I will post upon another time.
He thought that auto enrolment had been a success...RESULTS welcomes Steve Lewis to the team
Updated: 2012-11-27 14:09:22
We are very pleased at RESULTS UK to welcome a new staff member, Steve Lewis, who will lead the global health advocacy team. We asked Steve to tell us a little about himself….. Hi All, I’m excited to be joining … Continue reading →It's What We Do: Unionlearn
Updated: 2012-11-26 21:55:00It's What We Do from unionlearn on Vimeo.Save Lewisham A&E demonstation
Updated: 2012-11-25 17:54:00
Picture Collage is from the demonstration on Saturday.
Conroy Lawrence, UNISON Branch Secretary:
"We are overwhelmed by the response of the local community, that in incessant rain over 10,000 people from all parts of the community would attend is truly inspiring to the staff at the...Tory Return to Victorian Health & Safety Values at Work? Sign e-petition against
Updated: 2012-11-25 17:26:00
Some more dangerous nonsense. This Tory led Coalition is now proposing to get rid of an important health & safety protection that was first introduced in 1898.
What next? if you fall ill, become old or unemployed - will they be reintroducing the workhouse? I shouldn't give them ideas I...Union busting & disgusting Virgin Media
Updated: 2012-11-24 20:17:00
The odious and disgusting Virgin Media empire has indulged in yet more bullying of its employees by ripping up agreements and derecognising the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Virgin boss Richard Branson has personally fronted videos in the US attacking workers who want fairness at work.
Trade...Fair Work Commission
Updated: 2012-11-24 19:25:00I have just taken part in a survey for the Unions21 "Fair Work Commission".
The aim of the commission is to bring together new ideas on how we reduce unfairness in the workplace and improve the offer to British workers.
Running from November 2012 to March 2013 the inquiry will be...Save Lewisham A&E Rally: Sat 24 Nov 2pm
Updated: 2012-11-23 18:40:00Meet aturday 24th November pm at Lewisham Station then march to Ladywell Field. pm hands around the hospital
Mike Davey Lewisham Hospital UNISON Nursing Representative
"The staff in the hospital are looking forward to a huge turnout for the Rally on Saturday from the local...EU Budget Negotiations Collapse
Updated: 2012-11-23 17:38:56
Today discussions between European heads of State on the European Union’s seven year budget due to come into effect in 2014 broke down at the end of two days of negotiations. International development agencies have been battling to ensure that … Continue reading →Great video, not what you expect & will put smile on your face
Updated: 2012-11-22 23:30:00Hat tip top UNISON steward Franz Bee
Why is this government destroying Pensions, Charities and Jobs?
Updated: 2012-11-21 22:55:00
This morning I read about the Charity "People Can" being forced into administration and 300 jobs being put at risk.
I don't know all the reasons why this has happened but we are told it was due to its "pension liabilities". Whatever that actually means?
But I do know that the charity and its...RESULTS welcomes Mark Dybul as the new Executive Director of the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Updated: 2012-11-21 17:38:28
Last Thursday, Dr Mark Dybul was selected to serve as the next Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The appointment marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the world’s largest health financier … Continue reading →Winning in 2015, the Beveridge Report and Xmas Nosh
Updated: 2012-11-20 23:59:00
"Jon Trickett MP: The Labour Party vote 1997-2010 and what this means for winning in 2015 - Tuesday 27th November from 19:30 at 349 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9RA
The great British novelist Aldous Huxley once said, "that men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of...Fractal architecture
Updated: 2012-11-20 18:17:25Ornate ceiling Originally uploaded by subblue Everybody knows fractal images (such as the Mandelbrot ones). They are normally two-dimensional, but three-dimensional versions do exist, too. With the emergence of 3D printers, it has suddenly become relatively easy and cheap to print out such three-dimensional fractal shapes. I can’t help thinking that if you use the [...]The Root of all Evil in the Local Government Pension Scheme
Updated: 2012-11-19 22:40:00
The Pensions Institute last week issued a very provocative report which does raise some important points about process and scale but misunderstands the real nature of the governance deficit in the LGPS (in London and elsewhere).
Which is Councillors have a clear fiduciary duty to Council tax...London Councils Summit 2012
Updated: 2012-11-18 22:18:00
On Saturday I went to the London Councils Summit at the medieval Guildhall in the City of London. I had my ward surgery at 10am so I missed the morning session and opening keynote speech by London Mayor, Boris Johnson. I gather it was as silly and superficial as usual.
I stopped off at a lunchtime...My latest Sun column: A CON-UKIP pact, Steve Bell's anti-Semitism and why Israel deserves our support
Updated: 2012-11-18 08:43:03
: , : SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Sunday 18th November 2012 My latest Sun column : A CON-UKIP pact , Steve Bell's anti-Semitism and why Israel deserves our support It was billed as Super Thursday’ a day on which lots of different elections were taking place simultaneously and the Conservatives were widely predicted to get a bloody nose . In fact , both main parties took a drubbing . Yes , the Tories lost to Labour in the Corby by-election triggered by the resignation of Louise Mensch , but John Prescott , who was hoping to be elected police commissioner in Humberside , lost to Conservative candidate Matthew . Grove If the former deputy Prime Minister can’t win in the North , what hope does Labour have of winning the next general election True , Labour managed toEquality: how radical can the next Labour Government be?
Updated: 2012-11-17 19:22:00
Newham Compass & Fabians are holding their next event on how radical the next Labour Government will be with regard to achieving greater income equality.
This will be held on 7.30pm Tuesday 4 December 2012 at West Ham Supporters club in Green Street.
The guest speaker will be Sean Baine from...Desmond Tutu TB Centre announced as 2012 Kochon Prize Winner
Updated: 2012-11-17 08:00:26On 13 November, the Desmond Tutu TB centre, at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, was awarded the 2012 Kochon Prize of US$65,000 (approx. £41,000) during the annual Stop TB Partnership Symposium on the first day of the International Union Against TB … Continue reading →Tories: One rule for them, another for us plebs...
Updated: 2012-11-16 21:12:00
Newham Compass & Fabians are holding their next event on how radical the next Labour Government will be with regard to achieving greater income equality.
This will be held on 7.30pm Tuesday 4 December 2012 at West Ham Supporters club in Green Street.
The guest speaker will be Sean Baine from...Council pensions, mergers and the infrastructure cacophony
Updated: 2012-11-16 20:52:00(this is an article I wrote for Professional Pensions which was published yesterday on behalf of the AMNT. An earlier John's Labour Blog version is here).
"Recently Sir Merrick Cockell, Chair of the Local Government Association announced that he personally supported the merger of the 101 different...Newham History Society: "Up the Hammers" and East London Floods
Updated: 2012-11-15 22:47:00On Tuesday evening I went to my first meeting of Newham History Society. It took place at the Didsbury Centre in East Ham and the speaker was Mark Watson from the Vallence House Museum in Barking.
Before he spoke, members of the society gave a short "plug" on historical books for our area....A Perfect Media Storm
Updated: 2012-11-15 09:17:32Home Coffee House Blogs The Week Columnists Features Books Arts Life Podcast Events Shop Subscribe High life Low life Real life Long life Wild life The turf Status anxiety Dave The Wiki Man Food Drink Bridge Chess Chess puzzle Competition Crossword Crossword solution Spectator sport Dear Mary Mind your language A perfect media storm 1 Comment Toby Young 17 November 2012 For those of us who write for the tabloids , thereâ s something almost poetic about the crisis currently engulfing our more respectable rivals . Ever since the Guardian âexposedâ the News of the World for deleting Milly Dowlerâ s voicemails â a story that turned out to be wrong â we have had to endure the moral censure of the establishment . That is , senior politicians , judges , A-list celebrities and those
UK must stick to commitment to protect EU development spending
Updated: 2012-11-15 07:00:11
On Tuesday, the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, set out a new negotiating text on the EU’s next 7-year budget: Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF). The text included damaging cuts to the EU’s development spending. It proposes cutting … Continue reading →STOP POLICE PRIVATISATION (& vote Labour in Corby, Manchester Central & Cardiff By-elections)
Updated: 2012-11-14 23:58:00Police and Crime Commissioner Elections
MAKE A DIFFERENCE: VOTE FOR PUBLIC SERVICES ON 15 NOVEMBER
On 15 November, the elections for Police and Crime Commissioners will be held for the first time in England, excluding London, and in Wales.
Worried about government cuts to your police force?...Some good news on housing workers pensions! But...
Updated: 2012-11-13 23:26:00This is a rather rare title for a post on pensions! However, well done to Housing Association Plymouth Community Homes who have decided to keep their 60th Defined Benefit scheme with the Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS) open and absorb the extra costs imposed by the SHPS.
There are still some...Tweeting in many languages
Updated: 2012-11-13 10:35:19Follow me on Twitter! @woofer_kyyiv Originally uploaded by Slava Baranskyi Most of the people I follow on Twitter tweet in English, and so do I most of the time. However, I often retweet stuff written in other languages, and I do also from time to time tweet in Danish and occasionally Spanish myself. This shouldn’t [...]Perhaps there is a God?
Updated: 2012-11-13 00:34:00
Mind you I think that David Cameron would also enjoy this picture of his least favourite ring wing Tory MP, Nadine Dorries, from last nights "tucker trial" on the very silly but entertaining TV show "I'm a Celebrity...Get me out of here!". Something wrong with this blog, blogger or Internet Explorer?
Updated: 2012-11-12 23:23:00Now I know the miserablists (et al) will claim that there is indeed lots wrong with my blog but many apologies to those who have had "difficulty" opening John's Labour blog in recent weeks and months (it kept crashing or you lost the will to live while waiting for it to open).
I have tried various...My latest Sun column: Is Newsnight toast?
Updated: 2012-11-12 09:05:35: : SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Monday 12th November 2012 My latest Sun column : Is Newsnight toast The BBC is rightly in the dock this weekend , following a disastrous report that led to a former Conservative Party treasurer being falsely accused of unspeakable . crimes Lord McAlpine was branded a paedophile on Twitter , following a poorly-researched investigation” that claimed a leading politician from the Thatcher years” had abused children at the Bryn Estyn children’s home in Wrexham . Turns out , he’s completely innocent , having only been to Wrexham once and that was to visit the local Conservative Association , and he intends to sue in order to clear his name . Among those who named the Tory peer on the social network was the Guardian journalist George"to those who died in Flanders Fields and are buried forever in Flemish soil"
Updated: 2012-11-11 23:59:00
This morning at 11.00am I was in Ypres to watch the Remembrance Sunday Parade and Ceremony.
It was so busy that we were not able to get anywhere near to the main Ceremony taking place at the Menin Gate memorial. So we watched the parade march past in the City square outside the Cathedral and the..."This withering assault on farm workers' wages is a race to the bottom"
Updated: 2012-11-10 22:58:00While on oute in car to Ypres. I sent this esponse to the consultation.
"This is an awful and damaging proposal which will not only cause poverty and hardship for families, it further wreck our economy.
Wages will be cut, demand and consumption will be reduced at a time that...Ypres Remembrance weekend 2012
Updated: 2012-11-09 22:57:00
This weekend I am in Ypres, Belgian visiting some of the First World War Battle sites, museums and cemeteries.
Picture is of the war graves at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. It is at the site of a former hospital and with nearly 11,000 graves is the 2nd biggest British and Commonwealth cemetery...The orthography of Danish was changed today
Updated: 2012-11-09 20:29:19Fenja og Ewers Aabenraa Originally uploaded by Niels J. Buus Madsen The orthography of the Danish language is regulated by Dansk Sprognævn through their official orthographical dictionary, “Retskrivningsordbogen”. Any revisions take effect as soon as a new edition is published, so if you’re keen to spell correctly, you have to learn the changes immediately. The [...]The bizarreness of US politics
Updated: 2012-11-07 02:10:44US Congress Building Originally uploaded by prameya Although in general I’m a big fan of the US constitution, there are at least two areas that I find absolutely mind-boggling crazy, and I would change them tomorrow if I could: Gerrymandering: In the US, politicians design constituencies themselves (instead of leaving the design to independent experts [...]If the EU was like the US
Updated: 2012-11-07 00:47:20EU Map Originally uploaded by Cea. Although I’m often very critical of the US, I’m a big fan of their constitution. So while we’re waiting for the results from the presidential election, I thought it’d be interesting to imagine how the EU presidential election would work if the EU had imported the US political system [...]US Presidential Candidates
Updated: 2012-11-05 05:20:04A total of 27 candidates are contesting the US Presidential race, though only Obama and Romney appear on the ballot in every state.