Wednesday, October 26, 2005
The Government is committed to ensuring that it fulfils the primary duty of any government - to keep us all safe. This is the thinking behind the new Terrorism Bill. The Government has taken advice from experts, such as the Association of Police Officers, the Head of the Anti Terror Branch of the Metropolitan Police and the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police. The Home Secretary has been regularly consulting with MPs who have an interest in the Bill, to try and reach a consensus over the more controversial aspects of the proposed legislation.
I met with Charles Clarke yesterday to listen to his explanations for the various clauses and also to let the him know the concerns I (and other colleagues) had.
I welcome new laws to outlaw acts preparatory to terrorism - increasing the sentence for failing to give information relating to encryption, outlawing terrorist training camps and new offences involving radioactive devices and nuclear facilities. However, I do have grave concerns about some of the clauses in the new Bill. My major concern is the provision to give the police up to 90 days to detain someone before deciding whether to charge. Also the new offences of "glorification" of terrorism are alarming.
I appreciated the candour of the Home Secretary and his willingness to take on board my concerns. I made a number of suggestions to him and he had promised to look at these, which I welcome.
I also attended a meeting with Yvette Cooper MP who is a Minister at the ODPM and in charge of matters as diverse as planning, homelessness and regional and economic development. I raised with my concerns about: the serious shortage of affordable housing in Tooting; the lack of housing for rent; the obstacles for people in their mid-20s to be able to move out and buy or rent their own place; the shortage of family homes; the large rents charged by private landlords leading to the housing benefit trap; and the way Tory Wandsworth Council fails to uses its planning policies to get developers to build more social housing.
The House of Commons also today had the Second Reading of the Electoral Administration Bill, which I welcome. The Bill is aiming to improve access to the voting system and participation in democracy. In particular, it will:
Place a duty on electoral administrators to have a complete register and to take specified steps to ensure that everyone is registered to vote
• Give electoral administrators the power to encourage people to vote
• Enable parents to show their children how to vote by taking them into the polling station
• Create a new criminal offence of falsely applying for a postal vote
• Require everyone voting to sign for their ballot paper
Sadiq
I met with Charles Clarke yesterday to listen to his explanations for the various clauses and also to let the him know the concerns I (and other colleagues) had.
I welcome new laws to outlaw acts preparatory to terrorism - increasing the sentence for failing to give information relating to encryption, outlawing terrorist training camps and new offences involving radioactive devices and nuclear facilities. However, I do have grave concerns about some of the clauses in the new Bill. My major concern is the provision to give the police up to 90 days to detain someone before deciding whether to charge. Also the new offences of "glorification" of terrorism are alarming.
I appreciated the candour of the Home Secretary and his willingness to take on board my concerns. I made a number of suggestions to him and he had promised to look at these, which I welcome.
I also attended a meeting with Yvette Cooper MP who is a Minister at the ODPM and in charge of matters as diverse as planning, homelessness and regional and economic development. I raised with my concerns about: the serious shortage of affordable housing in Tooting; the lack of housing for rent; the obstacles for people in their mid-20s to be able to move out and buy or rent their own place; the shortage of family homes; the large rents charged by private landlords leading to the housing benefit trap; and the way Tory Wandsworth Council fails to uses its planning policies to get developers to build more social housing.
The House of Commons also today had the Second Reading of the Electoral Administration Bill, which I welcome. The Bill is aiming to improve access to the voting system and participation in democracy. In particular, it will:
Place a duty on electoral administrators to have a complete register and to take specified steps to ensure that everyone is registered to vote
• Give electoral administrators the power to encourage people to vote
• Enable parents to show their children how to vote by taking them into the polling station
• Create a new criminal offence of falsely applying for a postal vote
• Require everyone voting to sign for their ballot paper
Sadiq
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Northern Line update, and another hectic week...
The last seven days have been the usual rollercoaster of events in both parliament and Tooting.
I met a senior official from Tube Lines to raise my serious concerns about the Northern Line. Tube Lines are responsible for maintaining and upgrading all of the underground infrastructure – stations, trains, tracks, lifts and escalators. One of the key targets for Tube Lines is a new signalling system for the Northern Line by 2011, which in addition to being more efficient than at present, will increase capacity by 30%. I have also seen Tube Lines’ plans for improvements over the next 5 years and these include tube station refurbishment, modernisation and track replacement. The completed refurbishment of the escalator at Tooting Bec will be completed by July 2005. The refurbishment of the other escalator at Tooting Broadway will start in late 2008. By 2010, the stations in Tooting constituency will get upgraded PA systems, CCTV cameras, facilities for stations staff and redecoration, including repair of any structural damage.
Inside the parliamentary chamber, I raised an issue which is very important to constituents as well as to me, in relation to reform of the House of Lords. You can see the question I asked here. Constitutional reform has been a big feature of the Labour Government over the last 8 years, but often goes unnoticed. Some of the things that have been achieved since 1997 are worth reminding ourselves about: devolving power to Scotland and Wales; an elected London Mayor and London Assembly; incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into the Human Rights Act 1998; and the abolition of hereditary peers. However, I have been concerned about the slow nature of further reform in the House of Lords. I am pleased that we should shortly be getting a Joint Committee to review the options for the Second Chamber to ensure that it better reflects the UK in the 21st century. I will continue to put pressure on Ministers to ensure that there is no further delay in this area.
I had the pleasure of visiting Garratt Park School on Garratt Lane last week. The acting Deputy Head, Irene Parks, rightfully took great pride in showing me around the school, and meeting the children at Tooting’s only secondary school for children with special needs. At the moment there are temporary classrooms accommodating the advisory unit and children who use the facilities. However, building works begin in January for an exciting new two story addition to the school which, fingers crossed, should be completed and opened for children and staff by September 2006. I recently tabled a question about funding for Special Needs schools in Wandsworth, and you can see the answer here. Special Needs funding for Wandsworth has increased each year since 1997.
I recently signed Early Day Motion 85‘Parliamentary Approval for Armed Conflicts’ which says:
“That this House believes that the decision to deploy British armed forces in conflict is of the most serious nature possible; notes that this is a decision to be taken by Ministers via the Royal Prerogative and that Parliament has no right to decide on the matter or even to be consulted; further notes that the Public Administration Select Committee has recommended in its report of 4th March 2004 that this situation should be ended and that Parliament should have the right to decide this matter in advance, or in cases of emergency retrospectively; further notes that in the last session of Parliament over 200 honourable Members supported this view; and therefore calls on the Government to introduce legislation to this effect.”
MPs can enter a draw for Private Members’ Bills, and if they are fortunate to be chosen, then these bills are debated in the Commons on Fridays. Clare Short MP was one of the MPs whose name was chosen and the Bill that she sought to introduce was the Armed Forces (Parliamentary Approval for Armed Conflict) Bill. This Bill provides for parliament to have a vote before British forces are deployed in an armed conflict and also allows for retrospective authorisation to be sought in cases of emergency. I took part in the debate, and you can read my speech here. For a Private Members’ Bill to obtain a 2nd Reading, 100 MPs need to vote in favour of the Bill. Unfortunately, only 91 of us voted in favour (with 12 against) which means that the Bill falls.
Yesterday, I took part in a Public Accounts Committee which looked into the Learning and Skills Council who are responsible for delivering Government objectives in combating social exclusion and improving the skills of the workforce. I raised issues surrounding South Thames College and the problems with the way certain courses are funded and the implications this has on adult learners in Tooting. I also talked about: concerns around proposals to change the way ESOL courses are funded; the difficulties in recruiting and retaining governors in light of constraints placed on FE colleges by the DfES; the delay in colleges receiving draft budgets amongst other things.
Sadiq
I met a senior official from Tube Lines to raise my serious concerns about the Northern Line. Tube Lines are responsible for maintaining and upgrading all of the underground infrastructure – stations, trains, tracks, lifts and escalators. One of the key targets for Tube Lines is a new signalling system for the Northern Line by 2011, which in addition to being more efficient than at present, will increase capacity by 30%. I have also seen Tube Lines’ plans for improvements over the next 5 years and these include tube station refurbishment, modernisation and track replacement. The completed refurbishment of the escalator at Tooting Bec will be completed by July 2005. The refurbishment of the other escalator at Tooting Broadway will start in late 2008. By 2010, the stations in Tooting constituency will get upgraded PA systems, CCTV cameras, facilities for stations staff and redecoration, including repair of any structural damage.
Inside the parliamentary chamber, I raised an issue which is very important to constituents as well as to me, in relation to reform of the House of Lords. You can see the question I asked here. Constitutional reform has been a big feature of the Labour Government over the last 8 years, but often goes unnoticed. Some of the things that have been achieved since 1997 are worth reminding ourselves about: devolving power to Scotland and Wales; an elected London Mayor and London Assembly; incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into the Human Rights Act 1998; and the abolition of hereditary peers. However, I have been concerned about the slow nature of further reform in the House of Lords. I am pleased that we should shortly be getting a Joint Committee to review the options for the Second Chamber to ensure that it better reflects the UK in the 21st century. I will continue to put pressure on Ministers to ensure that there is no further delay in this area.
I had the pleasure of visiting Garratt Park School on Garratt Lane last week. The acting Deputy Head, Irene Parks, rightfully took great pride in showing me around the school, and meeting the children at Tooting’s only secondary school for children with special needs. At the moment there are temporary classrooms accommodating the advisory unit and children who use the facilities. However, building works begin in January for an exciting new two story addition to the school which, fingers crossed, should be completed and opened for children and staff by September 2006. I recently tabled a question about funding for Special Needs schools in Wandsworth, and you can see the answer here. Special Needs funding for Wandsworth has increased each year since 1997.
I recently signed Early Day Motion 85‘Parliamentary Approval for Armed Conflicts’ which says:
“That this House believes that the decision to deploy British armed forces in conflict is of the most serious nature possible; notes that this is a decision to be taken by Ministers via the Royal Prerogative and that Parliament has no right to decide on the matter or even to be consulted; further notes that the Public Administration Select Committee has recommended in its report of 4th March 2004 that this situation should be ended and that Parliament should have the right to decide this matter in advance, or in cases of emergency retrospectively; further notes that in the last session of Parliament over 200 honourable Members supported this view; and therefore calls on the Government to introduce legislation to this effect.”
MPs can enter a draw for Private Members’ Bills, and if they are fortunate to be chosen, then these bills are debated in the Commons on Fridays. Clare Short MP was one of the MPs whose name was chosen and the Bill that she sought to introduce was the Armed Forces (Parliamentary Approval for Armed Conflict) Bill. This Bill provides for parliament to have a vote before British forces are deployed in an armed conflict and also allows for retrospective authorisation to be sought in cases of emergency. I took part in the debate, and you can read my speech here. For a Private Members’ Bill to obtain a 2nd Reading, 100 MPs need to vote in favour of the Bill. Unfortunately, only 91 of us voted in favour (with 12 against) which means that the Bill falls.
Yesterday, I took part in a Public Accounts Committee which looked into the Learning and Skills Council who are responsible for delivering Government objectives in combating social exclusion and improving the skills of the workforce. I raised issues surrounding South Thames College and the problems with the way certain courses are funded and the implications this has on adult learners in Tooting. I also talked about: concerns around proposals to change the way ESOL courses are funded; the difficulties in recruiting and retaining governors in light of constraints placed on FE colleges by the DfES; the delay in colleges receiving draft budgets amongst other things.
Sadiq
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
quick catch up...
On Friday I had the privilege of opening the Phoenix Unit at Springfield Hospital. This has to go down as one of the highlights of the last five months. The previous Phoenix ward was built over 160 years ago and is a classic example of how appallingly mentally ill people were treated not just during the Victorian times, but even much more recently. The next time someone raises the issue of where their taxes go to, I will point out £7m spent on the Phoenix Unit project in a part of the NHS is often overlooked. The Unit was built on time, and under budget. The development holds 18 beds (12 high support beds, and 6 emergency/respite beds) and associated facilities and was designed with the full involvement of a wide range of stakeholders including users, carers, clinicians and local groups. The Phoenix is a mythological bird that burns every 500 years and rises from the ashes, and the name is apt for this new Unit.
All of Saturday was spent helping Tooting Islamic Centre and Balham Mosque collect blankets, clothes and donations for victims of the earthquake disaster in Pakistan, India and Kashmir. The response from the public was phenomenal, and by midday the courtyard outside Balham mosque was completely overwhelmed with donations. More than 8 trucks left on Saturday and there is much more waiting to go in a container later this week. Clearly, talk of “donor fatigue” is nonsense! The mosque is taking these to Muslim Hands charity and other DEC charities who will distribute them where they are most needed.
On Saturday, I also had my regular advice surgery at Tooting Library, and attended the annual Patronal Feast and multicultural mass at St Anselm’s Church in Tooting Bec.
On Sunday, I went canvassing on an estate in the heart of Tooting, where the local team and I asked local residents for their views and concerns on issues affecting them. We noticed a lot of litter and fly tipping on the estate and will be taking this up with the Council.
Yesterday, after my advice surgery at Balham Community Centre, I met with senior officials from Tube Lines to discuss the fiasco surrounding the Northern Line. One of the problems with the Northern Line now working properly again is that people forget how bad it was last week, and it is important that we continue to lobby for much needed improvements.
Later in the day, London MPs met with Tony Blair to discuss issues relevant to London. This is a regular meeting we have with the PM and is one of the ways we ensure that London issues stay high up the political agenda.
Sadiq
All of Saturday was spent helping Tooting Islamic Centre and Balham Mosque collect blankets, clothes and donations for victims of the earthquake disaster in Pakistan, India and Kashmir. The response from the public was phenomenal, and by midday the courtyard outside Balham mosque was completely overwhelmed with donations. More than 8 trucks left on Saturday and there is much more waiting to go in a container later this week. Clearly, talk of “donor fatigue” is nonsense! The mosque is taking these to Muslim Hands charity and other DEC charities who will distribute them where they are most needed.
On Saturday, I also had my regular advice surgery at Tooting Library, and attended the annual Patronal Feast and multicultural mass at St Anselm’s Church in Tooting Bec.
On Sunday, I went canvassing on an estate in the heart of Tooting, where the local team and I asked local residents for their views and concerns on issues affecting them. We noticed a lot of litter and fly tipping on the estate and will be taking this up with the Council.
Yesterday, after my advice surgery at Balham Community Centre, I met with senior officials from Tube Lines to discuss the fiasco surrounding the Northern Line. One of the problems with the Northern Line now working properly again is that people forget how bad it was last week, and it is important that we continue to lobby for much needed improvements.
Later in the day, London MPs met with Tony Blair to discuss issues relevant to London. This is a regular meeting we have with the PM and is one of the ways we ensure that London issues stay high up the political agenda.
Sadiq
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Many commuters have been thrown into chaos over the last couple of weeks with the suspension of the Northern Line. This is obviously a huge inconvenience for Tooting constituents – thousands of us use the tube every day to get into Central London.
Safety concerns of tube drivers and passengers are obviously paramount, and most people appreciate why the line has to be closed. However, the provision of replacement bus services has been badly handled. I have been inundated with messages from constituents about the lack of bus service between Oval and Tooting Broadway stations. This particularly affected staff at St George’s who were unable to get into work on Thursday because of the severe delays.
I have been in regular contact with Transport for London about the problems and also written to the Director of Transport for London about this issue. I've requested that the frequency of the 355 and155 bus routes are increased whilst the Northern Line is out of action. Transport for London have increased the number of extra buses taking communters from Tooting Broadway to Wimbledon tube station instead (which is still open and running as it is on the district and circle line).
Next week, I am meeting with Tube Lines – the company that manages the maintenance, upgrade and renewal of the underground. Serious questions need to be asked about the maintenance of the Northern Line as this recent crisis reveals that it has not been going according to plan. I have also tabled some parliamentary questions about how the Department for Transport can assist in resolving the present situation. I will continue to lobby for improvements, as passengers should not have to accept such a poor service on the tube.
Sadiq
Safety concerns of tube drivers and passengers are obviously paramount, and most people appreciate why the line has to be closed. However, the provision of replacement bus services has been badly handled. I have been inundated with messages from constituents about the lack of bus service between Oval and Tooting Broadway stations. This particularly affected staff at St George’s who were unable to get into work on Thursday because of the severe delays.
I have been in regular contact with Transport for London about the problems and also written to the Director of Transport for London about this issue. I've requested that the frequency of the 355 and155 bus routes are increased whilst the Northern Line is out of action. Transport for London have increased the number of extra buses taking communters from Tooting Broadway to Wimbledon tube station instead (which is still open and running as it is on the district and circle line).
Next week, I am meeting with Tube Lines – the company that manages the maintenance, upgrade and renewal of the underground. Serious questions need to be asked about the maintenance of the Northern Line as this recent crisis reveals that it has not been going according to plan. I have also tabled some parliamentary questions about how the Department for Transport can assist in resolving the present situation. I will continue to lobby for improvements, as passengers should not have to accept such a poor service on the tube.
Sadiq
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Earlsfield Station and anti terror meeting
One of my biggest priorities over the next few months is to improve the terrible facilities at Earslfield station on Garratt Lane. There are three main problems at the station: access to the station is up a steep flight of steps only – there are no lifts which means that the station is completely inaccessible for disabled people and parents with pushchairs; the ticketing facilities are inadequate with commuters facing long waits to buy a ticket; and the cycle parking facilities are also lacking, which means people travelling to the station by bike cannot secure their bike safely.
On Wednesday 12th, I met with local developers who wish to develop adjoining sites and improve the station - with lifts. I have also been lobbying Ministers about the issue. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee I also took up my concerns with the Chief Executive of Network rail and the Managing Director of the train operating company in charge of Earlsfield station. I have arranged meetings with these 2 bodies and am also in the process of arranging for the relevant Minister from the Department for Transport to see the appalling state of the station first hand.
On Wednesday evening, I spoke at a meeting organised by the Mayor of London at Central Hall, Westminster. It was a public meeting to discuss anti terror legislation and the concerns that many people have with the Terrorism Bill published this week. Other speakers included Ken Livingstone, Dr Abdul Bari from the Muslim Council of Britain, Mark Oaten MP, Frank Dobson MP and Shami Chakrabarti from Liberty. Alongside the Terrorism Bill, the Government has also launched a consultation on closing places of worship, and published a list of organisations to be added to the list of those already probscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. I have recently tabled a number of questions about the Terrorism Bill, and I will post the answers when I receive them. I am still very concerned about detaining suspects without charge for 90 days as well as proposals to close down places of worship. These issues have had extensive coverage in the press over the past few weeks. MPs will be debating the Bill very soon, and there are a lot of issues that need to be discussed and resolved.
On Wednesday 12th, I met with local developers who wish to develop adjoining sites and improve the station - with lifts. I have also been lobbying Ministers about the issue. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee I also took up my concerns with the Chief Executive of Network rail and the Managing Director of the train operating company in charge of Earlsfield station. I have arranged meetings with these 2 bodies and am also in the process of arranging for the relevant Minister from the Department for Transport to see the appalling state of the station first hand.
On Wednesday evening, I spoke at a meeting organised by the Mayor of London at Central Hall, Westminster. It was a public meeting to discuss anti terror legislation and the concerns that many people have with the Terrorism Bill published this week. Other speakers included Ken Livingstone, Dr Abdul Bari from the Muslim Council of Britain, Mark Oaten MP, Frank Dobson MP and Shami Chakrabarti from Liberty. Alongside the Terrorism Bill, the Government has also launched a consultation on closing places of worship, and published a list of organisations to be added to the list of those already probscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. I have recently tabled a number of questions about the Terrorism Bill, and I will post the answers when I receive them. I am still very concerned about detaining suspects without charge for 90 days as well as proposals to close down places of worship. These issues have had extensive coverage in the press over the past few weeks. MPs will be debating the Bill very soon, and there are a lot of issues that need to be discussed and resolved.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
parliament returns from recess
Parliament returned from its long recess on the 10th October. The main reason for the recess being longer than usual was planned building works and security improvements taking place in and around the Palace of Westminster.
Last Saturday I attended a conference organised by Lambeth and Southwark Labour Parties. The aim of the conference was to debate issues affecting ethnic minority communities in South London, and encourage participation in local politics. The constituency parties involved were also launching their ethnic minority forums. More than 100 members, supporters and local community groups attended this all day event. I took part in a Question and Answer session in the afternoon. Other speakers included Tessa Jowell MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Baroness Amos, Leader of the House of Lords.
After the forum, I went to the London Young Labour AGM, where I was the main speaker. Although it was my job to entertain and inspire the 50 plus members who attended, the enthusiasm, energy and commitment shown by these Labour members left me feeling extremely excited and optimistic about the future of the party. I joined the Labour Party at 15, but party membership is not so common amongst young people now, so it was encouraging to see that the fighting spirit is still alive.
On Sunday I was canvassing with local members in the Balham part of the constituency.
Over the weekend we discovered about the massive earthquake in Pakistan, India and Kashmir. The UK Government responded quickly, and Search and Rescue teams were sent to the region. £13 million has been pledged towards the relief effort, and trucks and airlifts with winter tents, blankets and food are being transported to the area. Thankfully there appears to be only one family in Tooting who are directly affected by the earthquake. As expected, the local community and wider community have been generous in their charity. Tooting Islamic Centre and Balham Mosque have organised a large collection to take essential items to the affected site. This is taking place on Saturday 15th, from 9am outside Balham mosque. Donations will then be taken to Disaster Emergency Committee charities on the same day.
This week was the Hindu Bengal festival of Durga Puja. Durga Puja marks the end of the religious year in India, and is celebrated as a community festival. I took part in 2 separate celebrations. Along with the Mayor of Wandsworth and Deputy Mayor, Cllr del Hossain, I attended the 26th Annual Autumn Festival and South London Sarabajanin Durga Pooja Dusserah Celebrations in Bina Hall in Upper Tooting Road. I also went to the 19th Autumn Annual Festival and Durga Puja and Kali Puja at the Sivayagum Temple.
I have also been attending Tooting Islamic Centre and Gatton Road Mosque during the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadhan.
Last Saturday I attended a conference organised by Lambeth and Southwark Labour Parties. The aim of the conference was to debate issues affecting ethnic minority communities in South London, and encourage participation in local politics. The constituency parties involved were also launching their ethnic minority forums. More than 100 members, supporters and local community groups attended this all day event. I took part in a Question and Answer session in the afternoon. Other speakers included Tessa Jowell MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Baroness Amos, Leader of the House of Lords.
After the forum, I went to the London Young Labour AGM, where I was the main speaker. Although it was my job to entertain and inspire the 50 plus members who attended, the enthusiasm, energy and commitment shown by these Labour members left me feeling extremely excited and optimistic about the future of the party. I joined the Labour Party at 15, but party membership is not so common amongst young people now, so it was encouraging to see that the fighting spirit is still alive.
On Sunday I was canvassing with local members in the Balham part of the constituency.
Over the weekend we discovered about the massive earthquake in Pakistan, India and Kashmir. The UK Government responded quickly, and Search and Rescue teams were sent to the region. £13 million has been pledged towards the relief effort, and trucks and airlifts with winter tents, blankets and food are being transported to the area. Thankfully there appears to be only one family in Tooting who are directly affected by the earthquake. As expected, the local community and wider community have been generous in their charity. Tooting Islamic Centre and Balham Mosque have organised a large collection to take essential items to the affected site. This is taking place on Saturday 15th, from 9am outside Balham mosque. Donations will then be taken to Disaster Emergency Committee charities on the same day.
This week was the Hindu Bengal festival of Durga Puja. Durga Puja marks the end of the religious year in India, and is celebrated as a community festival. I took part in 2 separate celebrations. Along with the Mayor of Wandsworth and Deputy Mayor, Cllr del Hossain, I attended the 26th Annual Autumn Festival and South London Sarabajanin Durga Pooja Dusserah Celebrations in Bina Hall in Upper Tooting Road. I also went to the 19th Autumn Annual Festival and Durga Puja and Kali Puja at the Sivayagum Temple.
I have also been attending Tooting Islamic Centre and Gatton Road Mosque during the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadhan.
Sadiq
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
it's that time of year again...
I have been attending Labour Party Conferences since 1994, and this year's Conference was as exciting as previous ones. It was really good to catch up with friends and colleagues, some of whom I had not seen since last year’s Party Conference. Some of you will have seen on TV the great speeches by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Although the media report on the events inside the Conference Hall, the fringe meetings and other events that take place in and around the Conference centre play just as important role in informing debate about policy. The overriding theme of Conference this year was renewal in power, and looking forward to consolidating and building on all that we have achieved as a party so far. There were also some important policy announcements – most noticeably, the banning of junk food in schools. This is very welcome, and you can read more about my views on this here.
One of the highlights of the week for me was getting the chance to slide tackle and foul journalists in the annual MPs v press football match! As opposed to my side who all played very fairly, the press team were extremely aggressive, nasty and a bunch of dirty cheats!!! The 2-2 result was probably fair, although we played a more beautiful football and did not need to resort to devious ploys.
I spoke at a Fringe meeting organised by the Fabian Society on Britishness, Diversity and Integration. Other panellists were Tessa Jowell MP and Martin Kettle of the Guardian.
The week before Conference was another busy one in Tooting. I had a long conversation with the Chief Executive of St George’s Hospital about the Hospital’s recent announcement of job losses. I am extremely concerned by this and the fact that some of the losses will be compulsory redundancies. Many back office and clerical roles will go and this is extremely distressing for all involved.
I met with the co-ordinators of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Wandsworth at Tooting Police Station. I meet with the Police regularly and this was a good opportunity to get from the Police their views on how well neighbourhood policing is working. At the moment, two of our seven wards have a full complement of 6 new officers. The five other wards have teams of officers, but not yet at full strength. I am lobbying the Mayor of London and Hazel Blears MP (Minister of State at the Home Office with responsibility for Policing, Security and Community Safety) to try and get a full complement of new officers across the constituency. A photo from the meeting is here.
I also had a meeting with the Home Secretary and Ministers from the FCO, DfES and Home Office, as well as various community leaders to receive reports from the seven working groups that had been set up by the Home Office to look into working together to prevent extremism.
I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the White Pigeon charity shop at 175 Tooting High Street. White Pigeon is a charity that was originally set up to help the victims of landmines in Sri Lanka. I learnt that there are over 20,000 landmine victims and over 2 million buried landmines in North and east Sri Lanka. It has been estimated that to clear all the mines at the rate of operation in place now could take at least 15 years. Since the Tsunami disaster on Boxing Day last year, White Pigeon have diverted some of their charity work towards helping the victims of the Tsunami rebuild their lives and communities. I am really proud that we have a charity like White Pigeon working from the heart of Tooting. You can find out more about the work of White Pigeon on their website.
I also took part in the Tooting Mela celebrations. This is an annual event organised by the Council and the Tooting Mela Committee, and involves a weekend of entertainment celebrating Asian culture. Many artists and dancers took part, and 500 local people were treated to an amazing display.
I attended the annual public meeting of the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust on 29th September. This was held at Springfield University Hospital. It was really pleasing to see around 150 people attending an AGM, which shows that our local community takes an interest in our local mental health trust. The Chief Executive, Nigel Fisher, was very honest in his analysis of the last 12 months where the Trust have faced some dreadful, highly publicised incidents; faced up to increased financial pressures; implemented new national contracts for all staff and completed the biggest change to clinical operations management structure for the last 10 years. The good news is that there have been new ward developments at Queen Mary’s Hospital and the Phoenix Unit at Springfield. After decades of treating mental health like the Cinderella of the NHS, inpatient wards are now being brought into the 21st century. More figures and statistics are available on the Trust's website.
One of my ambitions (since the age of 12) is to enter the Guinness Book of Records. I have finally, I think, succeeded in fulfilling this ambition, courtesy of taking part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning organised by Macmillan Cancer Relief. I joined the Macmillan team at St George’s Hospital on Friday 30th September. St George’s now have 24 Macmillan post holders in a variety of clinical areas including nurses, but also allied health professionals. The coffee morning was not only an opportunity for me to enter the Guinness Book of Records, but also a chance to fund raise for Macmillan Cancer Relief and to highlight fantastic services Macmillan provide to the public and hospital staff.
October is Black History Month This is an annual occurrence to promote knowledge of Black History and experience, disseminate information on positive Black contributions to British Society and heighten the confidence and awareness of Black people in their cultural heritage. Yesterday, I attended an event at the African Caribbean Community Library on Lavender Hill. “An Interview with Mary Seacole” is a short play written by local writer and Tooting resident Jason Young. Mary Seacole is not as famous as Florence Nightingale but played a similarly heroic role as a nurse. The play described Mary Seacole’s courage, bravery and devotion to soldiers during the Crimean War.
Sadiq
One of the highlights of the week for me was getting the chance to slide tackle and foul journalists in the annual MPs v press football match! As opposed to my side who all played very fairly, the press team were extremely aggressive, nasty and a bunch of dirty cheats!!! The 2-2 result was probably fair, although we played a more beautiful football and did not need to resort to devious ploys.
I spoke at a Fringe meeting organised by the Fabian Society on Britishness, Diversity and Integration. Other panellists were Tessa Jowell MP and Martin Kettle of the Guardian.
The week before Conference was another busy one in Tooting. I had a long conversation with the Chief Executive of St George’s Hospital about the Hospital’s recent announcement of job losses. I am extremely concerned by this and the fact that some of the losses will be compulsory redundancies. Many back office and clerical roles will go and this is extremely distressing for all involved.
I met with the co-ordinators of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Wandsworth at Tooting Police Station. I meet with the Police regularly and this was a good opportunity to get from the Police their views on how well neighbourhood policing is working. At the moment, two of our seven wards have a full complement of 6 new officers. The five other wards have teams of officers, but not yet at full strength. I am lobbying the Mayor of London and Hazel Blears MP (Minister of State at the Home Office with responsibility for Policing, Security and Community Safety) to try and get a full complement of new officers across the constituency. A photo from the meeting is here.
I also had a meeting with the Home Secretary and Ministers from the FCO, DfES and Home Office, as well as various community leaders to receive reports from the seven working groups that had been set up by the Home Office to look into working together to prevent extremism.
I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the White Pigeon charity shop at 175 Tooting High Street. White Pigeon is a charity that was originally set up to help the victims of landmines in Sri Lanka. I learnt that there are over 20,000 landmine victims and over 2 million buried landmines in North and east Sri Lanka. It has been estimated that to clear all the mines at the rate of operation in place now could take at least 15 years. Since the Tsunami disaster on Boxing Day last year, White Pigeon have diverted some of their charity work towards helping the victims of the Tsunami rebuild their lives and communities. I am really proud that we have a charity like White Pigeon working from the heart of Tooting. You can find out more about the work of White Pigeon on their website.
I also took part in the Tooting Mela celebrations. This is an annual event organised by the Council and the Tooting Mela Committee, and involves a weekend of entertainment celebrating Asian culture. Many artists and dancers took part, and 500 local people were treated to an amazing display.
I attended the annual public meeting of the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust on 29th September. This was held at Springfield University Hospital. It was really pleasing to see around 150 people attending an AGM, which shows that our local community takes an interest in our local mental health trust. The Chief Executive, Nigel Fisher, was very honest in his analysis of the last 12 months where the Trust have faced some dreadful, highly publicised incidents; faced up to increased financial pressures; implemented new national contracts for all staff and completed the biggest change to clinical operations management structure for the last 10 years. The good news is that there have been new ward developments at Queen Mary’s Hospital and the Phoenix Unit at Springfield. After decades of treating mental health like the Cinderella of the NHS, inpatient wards are now being brought into the 21st century. More figures and statistics are available on the Trust's website.
One of my ambitions (since the age of 12) is to enter the Guinness Book of Records. I have finally, I think, succeeded in fulfilling this ambition, courtesy of taking part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning organised by Macmillan Cancer Relief. I joined the Macmillan team at St George’s Hospital on Friday 30th September. St George’s now have 24 Macmillan post holders in a variety of clinical areas including nurses, but also allied health professionals. The coffee morning was not only an opportunity for me to enter the Guinness Book of Records, but also a chance to fund raise for Macmillan Cancer Relief and to highlight fantastic services Macmillan provide to the public and hospital staff.
October is Black History Month This is an annual occurrence to promote knowledge of Black History and experience, disseminate information on positive Black contributions to British Society and heighten the confidence and awareness of Black people in their cultural heritage. Yesterday, I attended an event at the African Caribbean Community Library on Lavender Hill. “An Interview with Mary Seacole” is a short play written by local writer and Tooting resident Jason Young. Mary Seacole is not as famous as Florence Nightingale but played a similarly heroic role as a nurse. The play described Mary Seacole’s courage, bravery and devotion to soldiers during the Crimean War.
Sadiq
