Saturday, June 05, 2004
The ugly sisters
The Muslim Council of Britain hustings were held last night packed with people whose questions reflected the concerns of London's Muslim community: stop and search, young people, jobs but above all the war in Iraq and Palestine.
I have only done a few of these hustings because we are excluded from so many but I always feel that I move the ground of debate and that things would be a lot more consensus like if I wasn't there.
Simon Hughes gets rattled by me a couple of times and interrupts and the Green doesn't make much impact. Steve Norris argues that the mayor shouldn't make pronouncements on international affairs because it might divide Londoners. I think that is totally wrong and say so, also I attack Blunkett which goes down well in every audience, not least here.
As usual Ken and I are near identical on the war and Palestine although not on policing or security and the basic argument ends up between whether first preferences go to me or Livingstone. I say that my second preferences should go to Ken which Simon Hughes and Darren Johnson refuse to do.
For the Greens in particular this is a sectarian and short sighted view. What will they say if Steve Norris ends up in City Hall? Johnson says it's up to his supporters to decide for themselves how to transfer but then refuses to say how he personally will vote, which doesn't look good.
Afterwards I'm surrounded by people wishing me well. One man tells me he has only ever voted once before but is going to vote for me. The women are as ever great and resent their wearing of the hijab as being seen as a sign of passivity.
I always said that we would judge our impact when the attacks on us began. At first the Blairites ignored us, now things are changing. The ugly sisters of British columnists, Nick Cohen and David Aaronovitch, have begun their bilious writings.
These were of course the two great media cheerleaders of the war, paid large sums of money to promote the bombing and invasion which has killed so many thousands of Iraqis. We must be doing something right.
What I'm not doing right is getting enough sleep or eating regularly. Still only a week to go.
I have only done a few of these hustings because we are excluded from so many but I always feel that I move the ground of debate and that things would be a lot more consensus like if I wasn't there.
Simon Hughes gets rattled by me a couple of times and interrupts and the Green doesn't make much impact. Steve Norris argues that the mayor shouldn't make pronouncements on international affairs because it might divide Londoners. I think that is totally wrong and say so, also I attack Blunkett which goes down well in every audience, not least here.
As usual Ken and I are near identical on the war and Palestine although not on policing or security and the basic argument ends up between whether first preferences go to me or Livingstone. I say that my second preferences should go to Ken which Simon Hughes and Darren Johnson refuse to do.
For the Greens in particular this is a sectarian and short sighted view. What will they say if Steve Norris ends up in City Hall? Johnson says it's up to his supporters to decide for themselves how to transfer but then refuses to say how he personally will vote, which doesn't look good.
Afterwards I'm surrounded by people wishing me well. One man tells me he has only ever voted once before but is going to vote for me. The women are as ever great and resent their wearing of the hijab as being seen as a sign of passivity.
I always said that we would judge our impact when the attacks on us began. At first the Blairites ignored us, now things are changing. The ugly sisters of British columnists, Nick Cohen and David Aaronovitch, have begun their bilious writings.
These were of course the two great media cheerleaders of the war, paid large sums of money to promote the bombing and invasion which has killed so many thousands of Iraqis. We must be doing something right.
What I'm not doing right is getting enough sleep or eating regularly. Still only a week to go.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
The law and the poor
Mehmet is a Kurdish man who spent nine months in Belmarsh prison before being released without charge. He spoke at our meeting in Tottenham last night on British justice in the most moving way.
Janet Alder, whose brother Christopher died in police custody, and who is one of our candidates in Yorkshire, was billed to come but had broken her finger so couldn't. Despite her absence it was a great meeting and the enthusiasm for Respect is now tangible.
I said that while the main candidates for mayor vie to raise the numbers of police on the streets, to the best of my knowledge none has mentioned the death of a black man during a drugs raid in Kentish Town only a couple of weeks ago.
Few people talk about the fact that black people are 7 times more likely and Asians 5 times more likely to be stopped and searched than whites.
And practically no one talks about corporate crime or fraud which of course involves much bigger sums than the average burglary or handbag theft.
There was a saying from the 18th century, when the common land was enclosed and the peasants forced off the land that went like this: 'The law locks up the man or woman/who steals the goose from off the common/but leaves the greater villain loose/who steals the common from the goose.'
There are plenty of modern equivalents but no one talks about them either.
Everyone is incredibly up about how we are doing with so many good stories that you just can't keep up and with so many more active supporters than any other party we are making a big impact. Even the media are beginning to notice.
Janet Alder, whose brother Christopher died in police custody, and who is one of our candidates in Yorkshire, was billed to come but had broken her finger so couldn't. Despite her absence it was a great meeting and the enthusiasm for Respect is now tangible.
I said that while the main candidates for mayor vie to raise the numbers of police on the streets, to the best of my knowledge none has mentioned the death of a black man during a drugs raid in Kentish Town only a couple of weeks ago.
Few people talk about the fact that black people are 7 times more likely and Asians 5 times more likely to be stopped and searched than whites.
And practically no one talks about corporate crime or fraud which of course involves much bigger sums than the average burglary or handbag theft.
There was a saying from the 18th century, when the common land was enclosed and the peasants forced off the land that went like this: 'The law locks up the man or woman/who steals the goose from off the common/but leaves the greater villain loose/who steals the common from the goose.'
There are plenty of modern equivalents but no one talks about them either.
Everyone is incredibly up about how we are doing with so many good stories that you just can't keep up and with so many more active supporters than any other party we are making a big impact. Even the media are beginning to notice.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Fever pitch
Atmosphere in the office today is fevered. There seem to be a disproportionate number of Crystal Palace fans here _ or at least one. Niall has been to Cardiff for the match on Saturday and has only just resurfaced.
The weekend has gone really well everywhere. The bus covered large parts of London and we had hundreds of people out placarding, leafletting and talking to people. Today we're planning the next big push. On Saturday we're doing a day for Afro Caribbean candidates _ we have six in London _going round the main Afro Caribbean areas.
There are loads of calls from pensioners who agree with our leaflets and haven't come across us before. It's a race against time but we're doing it. No wonder the pensioners are angry _ years of working, lots of them fought in the war and now they are the worst off of any in western Europe. It is a really big thing to vote anything other than Labour for people who have voted Labour since 1945.
It says a great deal about Tony Blair and his government that they have squandered the support of people like that. I read one of the Blairites at the weekend who said that voters would give them a slappingin this election but would come back in the general election. I don't think they will but also what an arrogant attitude.
Similar arrogance from The Independent which did a big feature on Ken's mayoral launch but doesn't see fit to mention us. Never mind we are reaching all sorts of people. Our website is getting huge numbers of hits and we are attracting people from every background.
The Muslim support is really coming through now but also trade unionists, students, everybody. Also our people are really motivated, which is more than can be said for most other parties.
The weekend has gone really well everywhere. The bus covered large parts of London and we had hundreds of people out placarding, leafletting and talking to people. Today we're planning the next big push. On Saturday we're doing a day for Afro Caribbean candidates _ we have six in London _going round the main Afro Caribbean areas.
There are loads of calls from pensioners who agree with our leaflets and haven't come across us before. It's a race against time but we're doing it. No wonder the pensioners are angry _ years of working, lots of them fought in the war and now they are the worst off of any in western Europe. It is a really big thing to vote anything other than Labour for people who have voted Labour since 1945.
It says a great deal about Tony Blair and his government that they have squandered the support of people like that. I read one of the Blairites at the weekend who said that voters would give them a slappingin this election but would come back in the general election. I don't think they will but also what an arrogant attitude.
Similar arrogance from The Independent which did a big feature on Ken's mayoral launch but doesn't see fit to mention us. Never mind we are reaching all sorts of people. Our website is getting huge numbers of hits and we are attracting people from every background.
The Muslim support is really coming through now but also trade unionists, students, everybody. Also our people are really motivated, which is more than can be said for most other parties.
Monday, May 31, 2004
Not awaiting developments
A glorious spring day in London although there have been gloomy weather forecasts for days and i was expecting that some of our activity might be a washout. Not so _ off to greenwich by the river in south east London where the bus is parked up next to greenwich Park.
Lots of people on the bus and out leafletting, including black and asian people. A jogger stops and wants more information, says he'll support us. No hostility from anyone until we get to Blackheath where two young white women shout abuse but overwhelmingly the mood is friendly. Even the people on the donkey rides at Blackheath fair give us a wave.
When we hit the poorer areas the reception is even better especially from black people. In greenwich I meet an Asian family from Coventry who are anti war and who were undecided between us and the Libdems. I say we are the only anti war anti occupation party and they agree.
Every day makes me more hopeful of our chances on June 10th but I've also concluded that there has to be a campaign over housing whatever happens. Rents are crazy _ and housing benefit just subsidises landlords. House prices are out of control and we just aren't building enough houses.
In Deptford they say that Rupert Murdoch wants a big new housing development along the river which is only held up because of planning permission. That will only have 35 percent 'affordable' housing.
I have friends who are trying to get a place part rent, part buy. They are on low incomes which you have to be to qualify but they find it would cost them between £800 _£1000 a month for 2 people in a tiny one bedroom flat. That is half their income.
The mayor and assembly could launch a campaign to change this and to demand the powers the old GLC and LCC had to build houses. What a difference that would make and that should be what Ken Livingstone is campaigning for. At present the developers, not the people who live here, decide what is built.
Some of the best campaigns in London have been when local communities took action to prevent redevelopment and provide spaces for people. There was the campaign against the 'motorway box' in the late 1960s which would have destroyed communities across London; there was Tolmers Square near Euston, Coin Street on the South Bank which both challenged the developers and got low cost good housing. There was also the campaign after the Second World War where people squatted empty buildings to solve homelessness.
If developers had their way, every good thing about London would go _including parks and communal gardens.
I have a beautiful communal garden in my block of flats. Nothing to do with me I hasten to add. My neighbours did it initially but now we employ a young woman one day a week who has done a tremendous job and at this time of year it puts you in a good mood just to see it.
The flat is also full of flowers _sunflowers, lilies, peonies and Sweet William_some of which I was given for my birthday. I'm not superstitious but there was a survey recently which said that people born in May are the luckiest people! Let's hope so.
Lots of people on the bus and out leafletting, including black and asian people. A jogger stops and wants more information, says he'll support us. No hostility from anyone until we get to Blackheath where two young white women shout abuse but overwhelmingly the mood is friendly. Even the people on the donkey rides at Blackheath fair give us a wave.
When we hit the poorer areas the reception is even better especially from black people. In greenwich I meet an Asian family from Coventry who are anti war and who were undecided between us and the Libdems. I say we are the only anti war anti occupation party and they agree.
Every day makes me more hopeful of our chances on June 10th but I've also concluded that there has to be a campaign over housing whatever happens. Rents are crazy _ and housing benefit just subsidises landlords. House prices are out of control and we just aren't building enough houses.
In Deptford they say that Rupert Murdoch wants a big new housing development along the river which is only held up because of planning permission. That will only have 35 percent 'affordable' housing.
I have friends who are trying to get a place part rent, part buy. They are on low incomes which you have to be to qualify but they find it would cost them between £800 _£1000 a month for 2 people in a tiny one bedroom flat. That is half their income.
The mayor and assembly could launch a campaign to change this and to demand the powers the old GLC and LCC had to build houses. What a difference that would make and that should be what Ken Livingstone is campaigning for. At present the developers, not the people who live here, decide what is built.
Some of the best campaigns in London have been when local communities took action to prevent redevelopment and provide spaces for people. There was the campaign against the 'motorway box' in the late 1960s which would have destroyed communities across London; there was Tolmers Square near Euston, Coin Street on the South Bank which both challenged the developers and got low cost good housing. There was also the campaign after the Second World War where people squatted empty buildings to solve homelessness.
If developers had their way, every good thing about London would go _including parks and communal gardens.
I have a beautiful communal garden in my block of flats. Nothing to do with me I hasten to add. My neighbours did it initially but now we employ a young woman one day a week who has done a tremendous job and at this time of year it puts you in a good mood just to see it.
The flat is also full of flowers _sunflowers, lilies, peonies and Sweet William_some of which I was given for my birthday. I'm not superstitious but there was a survey recently which said that people born in May are the luckiest people! Let's hope so.
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Just one long picnic
I feel that I could write a book about hidden London as a result of this campaign. Today I spent in the Turkish community, starting in the morning with a breakfast at a community centre in Edmonton where I had cheese, bread, olives, tomatoes and coffee and made a little speech. One woman kissed me and said she had already cast her postal vote for me.
I was going to join the campaign bus in Camden Lock afterwards but they said there was also a picnic organised by the same people _ the Turkish socialist organisation Daymer which has supported Respect from the beginning _ and could I go briefly to speak there.
The picnic was just outside of London in the Lea Valley country park. When we got there just after 12 the barbecue area was already full up, mostly with Turkish people with picnics round each barbecue.
We decided that we would go round to each picnic, give out leaflets and do an impromptu meeting at each. We got a tremendous reception. A group of young men _ not just Turks but other ethnic minorities _ asked did we have Kurdish and Indian candidates. We could answer yes.
An Asian group said straight away they had already heard of George Galloway's party and knew our candidate in Ilford. The Turkish people listened intently and were very supportive, taking leaflets and many saying they were already voting for us. I spoke to the Daymer picnic and they then stressed that Turkish people had to get involved in politics here.
I was talking to John about that just now because we both feel there is a real tide towards unity and working together in the ethnic minority communities which is very different from the trend towards separatism which characterised certainly much of the Afro Caribbean community 20 or 25 years ago.
He had just come back from a Birmingham picnic for peace organised in the Muslim community. Our supporters also leafletted the Birmingham show. Everywhere we find that recognition is really growing.
The quality of the food at these picnics is rather better than the traditional English picnic fare of soggy sandwiches and melting chocolate. Kebabs, chicken, salad and grilled vegetables are everywhere. But it being England the rain started towards the end of my speech and we all sheltered under the trees.
I was driven back to Hackney having long missed the campaign bus by two Daymer members, one a student and one a minicab driver. So of course there are concerns about all sorts of issues affecting working people. The minicab driver lives in a one bedroom council flat in Islington and has to pay £92 a week for the privilege plus council tax of £1200 a year. And they call this affordable housing.
I was going to join the campaign bus in Camden Lock afterwards but they said there was also a picnic organised by the same people _ the Turkish socialist organisation Daymer which has supported Respect from the beginning _ and could I go briefly to speak there.
The picnic was just outside of London in the Lea Valley country park. When we got there just after 12 the barbecue area was already full up, mostly with Turkish people with picnics round each barbecue.
We decided that we would go round to each picnic, give out leaflets and do an impromptu meeting at each. We got a tremendous reception. A group of young men _ not just Turks but other ethnic minorities _ asked did we have Kurdish and Indian candidates. We could answer yes.
An Asian group said straight away they had already heard of George Galloway's party and knew our candidate in Ilford. The Turkish people listened intently and were very supportive, taking leaflets and many saying they were already voting for us. I spoke to the Daymer picnic and they then stressed that Turkish people had to get involved in politics here.
I was talking to John about that just now because we both feel there is a real tide towards unity and working together in the ethnic minority communities which is very different from the trend towards separatism which characterised certainly much of the Afro Caribbean community 20 or 25 years ago.
He had just come back from a Birmingham picnic for peace organised in the Muslim community. Our supporters also leafletted the Birmingham show. Everywhere we find that recognition is really growing.
The quality of the food at these picnics is rather better than the traditional English picnic fare of soggy sandwiches and melting chocolate. Kebabs, chicken, salad and grilled vegetables are everywhere. But it being England the rain started towards the end of my speech and we all sheltered under the trees.
I was driven back to Hackney having long missed the campaign bus by two Daymer members, one a student and one a minicab driver. So of course there are concerns about all sorts of issues affecting working people. The minicab driver lives in a one bedroom council flat in Islington and has to pay £92 a week for the privilege plus council tax of £1200 a year. And they call this affordable housing.
