Last night Haringey's Labour Councillors met to elect our team for 2007-08.
Elected were;
Chair - Matt Cooke
Deputy Chair - Ray Dodds
Leader - George Meehan
Deputy Leader - Lorna Reith
Chief Whip - Claire Kober
Secretary - GMMH Rahman Khan
Assistant Whips - Alan Dobbie and Sheila Peacock
The following are being nominated to Monday's Annual Council as Cabinet members, being;
Adult Social Care & Wellbeing - Bob Harris
Children & Young People - Lis Santry
Community Cohesion & Involvement - Lorna Reith
Enforcement & Safer Communities - Nilgun Canver
Environment & Conservation - Brian Haley
Housing - Isidoros Diakides
Leisure, Culture & Lifelong Learning - Dhiren Basu
Regeneration & Enterprise - Kaushika Amin
Resources - Charles Adje
Our Committee chairs to be nominated are;
Alexandra Palace and Park Board - Matt Cooke
Audit Committee - GMMH Rahman Khan
General Purposes Committee - Eddie Griffith
Licensing Committee - Jayanti Patel
Pensions Committee - GMMH Rahman Khan
Planning Committee - Sheila Peacock
Our Scrutiny members will be Gideon Bull (chair), Pat Egan (vice-chair), Emma Jones and Toni Mallett.
I am being nominated to chair the Wood Green Area Assembly.
Sad to upset some, but quite a peaceful AGM, over by 9.30pn and having a curry by 10.
And like others, no I am not putting down the votes, so please do not ask, cos you won't get.... well, perhaps, if you're good!!!
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
LIB DEMS AND SNP DO COALITION DEAL!!
Not in the Scottish Parliament, yet, but on Edinburgh Council.
The Liberal Democrats, who are the largest Party, have 17 seats and have gone in with the Scot Nats (SNP) to form a "partnership administration" with their 12 members. Labour hold 15 seats, Tories 11 and Greens 3.
So, despite what the Lib Dems say about not working with the SNP in the Scottish Parliament, on the very local authority they are. Yet again, say one thing, do another. The Liberals will do anything for the taste of power, it is the only thing they are good at!
The Liberal Democrats, who are the largest Party, have 17 seats and have gone in with the Scot Nats (SNP) to form a "partnership administration" with their 12 members. Labour hold 15 seats, Tories 11 and Greens 3.
So, despite what the Lib Dems say about not working with the SNP in the Scottish Parliament, on the very local authority they are. Yet again, say one thing, do another. The Liberals will do anything for the taste of power, it is the only thing they are good at!
Group elections #2
Well, just a quick one then!!
Haringey Labour Councillors will be voting tonight in our Group Elections for the Council Leadership for the year ahead.
An interesting night is widely expected, with I'm sure, "too close to call", "wasn't expecting that" and a few "vote for me" pleas. Will there be upsets, will there be tears? More importantly, what do I wear???
Haringey Labour Councillors will be voting tonight in our Group Elections for the Council Leadership for the year ahead.
An interesting night is widely expected, with I'm sure, "too close to call", "wasn't expecting that" and a few "vote for me" pleas. Will there be upsets, will there be tears? More importantly, what do I wear???
Wednesday, 9 May 2007
Do we need the Lib Dems?
There is a lovely article in the Guardian today by Simon Jenkins "Nice but hopeless, the Lib Dems should call it a day".
I've said elsewhere what I think about the Lib Dems, but you know, say what one must about the Tories (and they're playing the Lib Dem card quite nicely at the moment), overall you know where you are with the Tories. The Liberals, well you name the policy you want and they'll back it to win your vote, they wanted higher taxes, now fear they won't win over Tory votes, they want to cut services, but fear of not getting Labour votes.
Sometimes, you have to make real policy and stand up for something, well at least once anyhow.
So, should the Lib Dems call it a day? You decide.... :-)
I've said elsewhere what I think about the Lib Dems, but you know, say what one must about the Tories (and they're playing the Lib Dem card quite nicely at the moment), overall you know where you are with the Tories. The Liberals, well you name the policy you want and they'll back it to win your vote, they wanted higher taxes, now fear they won't win over Tory votes, they want to cut services, but fear of not getting Labour votes.
Sometimes, you have to make real policy and stand up for something, well at least once anyhow.
So, should the Lib Dems call it a day? You decide.... :-)
It's been a long time!
Hello there, remember me?
It has been almost a month since I placed a new entry on my blog.
Work and Council stuff has been busy, poor excuse and there seems so much to catch up on, starting with tomorrow's news that Tony Blair will make an announcement. Well, I wonder what that will be? Erm, oh yes, he will resign as Labour leader and for the next seven weeks the Party will begin the process of choosing it's next leader. It seems that the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, will be elected. Now whether he will face a challenge from the left of the party is unsure.
For my view, there should be a challange, a chance for debate, though I would not vote for either John McDonnell or Michael Meacher, so Gordon it is. However, there will be a far more interesting race for deputy leader and as mentioned before I'll be voting for Jon Cruddasm (Labour MP for Dagenham) to take over, but should he not get through it is a case of where will my second preference go? That is tricky, but it will probably be between Alan Johnson and Hilary Benn, in fact I won't really know until I get my ballot paper.
Of course last Thursday saw the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and English Council elections. Should I skip my comments, Hell no, these were not good for Labour losing almost 500 council seats, however given that we expected to lose around 750 is slightly better, in fact, yes we lost seats, however we also GAINED seats and GAINED councils, Leicester and Luton spring to mind, we made small net gains in Bristol and Southampton and we gained two seats in council by-elections in Hastings.
Yes a bad night for Labour, but to be honest ten years into government and the Tories should have been winning more. And what of the Lib Dems? A mixed night for them, though seeing Ming arrive in Eastbourne where the Liberals took control where the average age of people appears to be 102, Ming, I'm told upped the average age to 103. I'm sorry, I know it's cruel and un-PC, but hey they attack us, we attack them and given how evil and nasty Lib Dems can be (Charles Kennedy anyone??), I'll take no lectures from them about Ming. Anyhow, the Liberals who are so eager for any type of power will jump into bed with anyone if the price is right, clearly they are the prostitutes of politics. They are pretending to be shy about going in with the SNP, go on, you know you want to.... and in Wales do they go with Labour or go with the Tories and Plaid Cymru?
To quote from Simon Jenkins excellent article in today's Guardian "Coalition, the natural consequence of PR, removes the outcome of an election from the hustings to the private deal of corridors, cabals and careerism"....... "we have Lib Dem members flying around like £10 notes thrown into the wind. They carry no content, no programme, no sense of direction". Cor, wish I'd thought that bit up!!
So, not the best of night's for Labour and many good Labour people have lost their seats more for national than local issues in many cases (unless of course you have your rubbish removed every other week).
I will try and blog slightly more so we don't have these long items...
Stay tuned.
It has been almost a month since I placed a new entry on my blog.
Work and Council stuff has been busy, poor excuse and there seems so much to catch up on, starting with tomorrow's news that Tony Blair will make an announcement. Well, I wonder what that will be? Erm, oh yes, he will resign as Labour leader and for the next seven weeks the Party will begin the process of choosing it's next leader. It seems that the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, will be elected. Now whether he will face a challenge from the left of the party is unsure.
For my view, there should be a challange, a chance for debate, though I would not vote for either John McDonnell or Michael Meacher, so Gordon it is. However, there will be a far more interesting race for deputy leader and as mentioned before I'll be voting for Jon Cruddasm (Labour MP for Dagenham) to take over, but should he not get through it is a case of where will my second preference go? That is tricky, but it will probably be between Alan Johnson and Hilary Benn, in fact I won't really know until I get my ballot paper.
Of course last Thursday saw the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and English Council elections. Should I skip my comments, Hell no, these were not good for Labour losing almost 500 council seats, however given that we expected to lose around 750 is slightly better, in fact, yes we lost seats, however we also GAINED seats and GAINED councils, Leicester and Luton spring to mind, we made small net gains in Bristol and Southampton and we gained two seats in council by-elections in Hastings.
Yes a bad night for Labour, but to be honest ten years into government and the Tories should have been winning more. And what of the Lib Dems? A mixed night for them, though seeing Ming arrive in Eastbourne where the Liberals took control where the average age of people appears to be 102, Ming, I'm told upped the average age to 103. I'm sorry, I know it's cruel and un-PC, but hey they attack us, we attack them and given how evil and nasty Lib Dems can be (Charles Kennedy anyone??), I'll take no lectures from them about Ming. Anyhow, the Liberals who are so eager for any type of power will jump into bed with anyone if the price is right, clearly they are the prostitutes of politics. They are pretending to be shy about going in with the SNP, go on, you know you want to.... and in Wales do they go with Labour or go with the Tories and Plaid Cymru?
To quote from Simon Jenkins excellent article in today's Guardian "Coalition, the natural consequence of PR, removes the outcome of an election from the hustings to the private deal of corridors, cabals and careerism"....... "we have Lib Dem members flying around like £10 notes thrown into the wind. They carry no content, no programme, no sense of direction". Cor, wish I'd thought that bit up!!
So, not the best of night's for Labour and many good Labour people have lost their seats more for national than local issues in many cases (unless of course you have your rubbish removed every other week).
I will try and blog slightly more so we don't have these long items...
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Dum-de-dum, Who -eeee
Well, we're two weeks into the new series of 'Doctor Who'.
It is currently the most-watched television programme of Saturdays, hurrah!
'Smith and Jones' opened up the first episode with Freema Agyeman as new companion, Martha Jones and episode two with 'The Shakespeare Code' was very-Harry Potter in more ways than can be described, but in a good way. The special effects really are excellent and gosh isn't this what Doctor Who missed years back.
Any how, it's back to New New York next Saturday (as long as the FA Cup Semi Final doesn't go in extra time) and we re-meet the Face of Boe in an episode entitled 'Gridlock'. And then it's those pesky little pepper pots from Skaro.........
It is currently the most-watched television programme of Saturdays, hurrah!
'Smith and Jones' opened up the first episode with Freema Agyeman as new companion, Martha Jones and episode two with 'The Shakespeare Code' was very-Harry Potter in more ways than can be described, but in a good way. The special effects really are excellent and gosh isn't this what Doctor Who missed years back.
Any how, it's back to New New York next Saturday (as long as the FA Cup Semi Final doesn't go in extra time) and we re-meet the Face of Boe in an episode entitled 'Gridlock'. And then it's those pesky little pepper pots from Skaro.........
Belated Greetings for Easter
OK, so I've not done the blogging for some time.
I just did not seem to get the time, poor excuse, but where does the time go? Any how, belated Greetings for Easter!!
The last couple of weeks have not been the best of times, deaths of close friends and political colleagues and attending funerals not the best of things. Just as we had the funeral of Mary Neuner, I heard of the deaths of two other former Mayors. Les Collis and Bill Budd, former Mayor of Camden.
I went to Bill's funeral in Bedford last Thursday. Bill was a really lovely and warm guy who welcomed me with a grand smile when I became Mayor of Haringey back in 1995 and everytime we met up at meetings of the London Labour Mayors' Association he would always ensure that no one was standing alone. The service was really nice and I could not believe just how good the weather was. What I didn't know was that Bill had, during the War, been a bodyguard to then PM, Winston Churchill. I hope so say a few words at the next Council meeting, in the meantime my thoughts go out to Bill's family and friends.
Visited my Nan in Letchworth on Saturday gone, she'll be 94 next month and she puts me to shame. Whilst I've been complaining about my aches and pains for the last month or so, there she is meeting me at the station, making sure I'm OK before going to lunch. We talked about our younger days, mine as a child, hers as a mother and wife looking at old photos and just generally having a great time as Grandmother and Grandson.
It has also been a very thoughtful time as well because of Easter and what it means to me as a Christian and making sure that I've been in Church on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Day for those Services. Sadly, hearing of a death of a local resident who always had a word of advice for me did not help things.
It all seems quite negative and low. I hope that Summer will be bright in more ways than just the weather.
I just did not seem to get the time, poor excuse, but where does the time go? Any how, belated Greetings for Easter!!
The last couple of weeks have not been the best of times, deaths of close friends and political colleagues and attending funerals not the best of things. Just as we had the funeral of Mary Neuner, I heard of the deaths of two other former Mayors. Les Collis and Bill Budd, former Mayor of Camden.
I went to Bill's funeral in Bedford last Thursday. Bill was a really lovely and warm guy who welcomed me with a grand smile when I became Mayor of Haringey back in 1995 and everytime we met up at meetings of the London Labour Mayors' Association he would always ensure that no one was standing alone. The service was really nice and I could not believe just how good the weather was. What I didn't know was that Bill had, during the War, been a bodyguard to then PM, Winston Churchill. I hope so say a few words at the next Council meeting, in the meantime my thoughts go out to Bill's family and friends.
Visited my Nan in Letchworth on Saturday gone, she'll be 94 next month and she puts me to shame. Whilst I've been complaining about my aches and pains for the last month or so, there she is meeting me at the station, making sure I'm OK before going to lunch. We talked about our younger days, mine as a child, hers as a mother and wife looking at old photos and just generally having a great time as Grandmother and Grandson.
It has also been a very thoughtful time as well because of Easter and what it means to me as a Christian and making sure that I've been in Church on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Day for those Services. Sadly, hearing of a death of a local resident who always had a word of advice for me did not help things.
It all seems quite negative and low. I hope that Summer will be bright in more ways than just the weather.
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