Tuesday, January 31, 2006
It has been a busier week than usual both in Parliament and Tooting.
On Saturday, I joined the Metropolitan Police and our Specials for a recruitment fair they held at Ernest Bevin College on Beechcroft Road. The Met Volunteers Programme was established in 2001 with the aim of increasing active participation and engagement between the Met and communities. The overall vision is to provide a fully integrated and effective volunteer resource, and the programme attracts people from a diverse range of backgrounds who gain vital skills through volunteering, and enhance the overall operation of the Met. If you are interested in volunteering to become a Special constable, please contact Derek Hammond at Battersea Police Station on 020 8247 7512 or on derek.hammond@met.police.uk. There is also more information on the website.
On Monday 23rd, I visited South Thames College in Wandsworth for one of my regular meetings with the Principal Sue Rimmer. We discussed a number of important matters including new developments at the College, the lack of an indicative budget for the College, the new inspection regime, funding concerns in the context of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students and much more. The College has 1600 ESOL students and a large waiting list – ESOL provision is a vital part of their programme. There is good news on the funding front as I have subsequently managed to get an assurance that there are no plans to cut the college’s funding of ESOL. This issue came up at a recent Public Accounts Committee session - the committee was examining the necessary steps for improving the skills of potential employees. Immigrant workers are essential to the economy in Britain and in order for them to integrate successfully they need a suitable understanding of the English language. ESOL courses are integral to this objective and I am therefore pleased that the Department for Education and Skills has offered this reassurance to schools and colleges in Tooting.
I also had my usual open surgery at Balham community centre.
In Parliament I signed the Holocaust Memorial Day Book of Commitment, which honours the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust and pays tribute to the bravery of those who risked their lives to help the persecuted. The Book of Commitment was placed in the House of Commons for MPs to sign to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. This was organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust http://www.het.org.uk/. A picture is here.
On Monday 23rd, we had a special General Committee of Tooting Labour Party where Ed Balls MP addressed the meeting and participated in a lively discussion about the future of the Labour Party. This was a good opportunity for local party members to get together and share their thoughts about current policies. A picture from the event is here.
In the early hours of Tuesday, I went to Canada House to watch the Canadian general election results come in. The Conservatives in Canada won, with a 36% share of the vote (the Liberals had 30%). The Conservatives have 124 seats, which is short of the 155 seats needed for an outright majority in parliament, so the new prime minister, Stephen Harper will require support of MPs from other parties to enact important legislation. It was interesting to find out more about elections in Canada and see the similarities and differences to Britain. The Tories are reported to be hopeful given the Canadian results, but I think this is a bit premature!
Last week on 26th, I met with Zafar Khan of the Limbless Association and Mr Zia Khan of Roehampton Hospital to discuss all the excellent work that is being done to help amputee survivors of the earthquake in Pakistan. A considerable amount of expertise, equipment and supplies have already been sent and will continue to be sent to help rehabilitation efforts.
I also took part in a special healthy living day at the Houses of Parliament. The event helped launch the second year of Cancer Research UK’s Reduce the Risk campaign (photo here) Reduce the Risk aims to raise awareness of the avoidable risks of cancer and the importance of early detection. The campaign gives 10 tips for a healthier lifestyle, including good resolutions like walking more, eating healthy snacks, drinking more water, and ensuring that you eat 5 portions of vegetable or fruit a day.
On Friday I had the pleasure of visiting St Anselm’s School in Tooting Bec where the head teacher, Tom Gately, justifiably took great pride in telling me of the real and substantive value that the school adds to children’s development. I have promised to return to meet the school council and to attend a prize giving ceremony. The school did very well in its last OFSTED report, and was particularly commended for its provision for pupils’ social development.
Over the weekend, I opened a new travel agents in Tooting; Escape Travel at 203 Upper Tooting Road, attended the wedding of a local resident and went canvassing in Bedford ward.
Sadiq
On Saturday, I joined the Metropolitan Police and our Specials for a recruitment fair they held at Ernest Bevin College on Beechcroft Road. The Met Volunteers Programme was established in 2001 with the aim of increasing active participation and engagement between the Met and communities. The overall vision is to provide a fully integrated and effective volunteer resource, and the programme attracts people from a diverse range of backgrounds who gain vital skills through volunteering, and enhance the overall operation of the Met. If you are interested in volunteering to become a Special constable, please contact Derek Hammond at Battersea Police Station on 020 8247 7512 or on derek.hammond@met.police.uk. There is also more information on the website.
On Monday 23rd, I visited South Thames College in Wandsworth for one of my regular meetings with the Principal Sue Rimmer. We discussed a number of important matters including new developments at the College, the lack of an indicative budget for the College, the new inspection regime, funding concerns in the context of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students and much more. The College has 1600 ESOL students and a large waiting list – ESOL provision is a vital part of their programme. There is good news on the funding front as I have subsequently managed to get an assurance that there are no plans to cut the college’s funding of ESOL. This issue came up at a recent Public Accounts Committee session - the committee was examining the necessary steps for improving the skills of potential employees. Immigrant workers are essential to the economy in Britain and in order for them to integrate successfully they need a suitable understanding of the English language. ESOL courses are integral to this objective and I am therefore pleased that the Department for Education and Skills has offered this reassurance to schools and colleges in Tooting.
I also had my usual open surgery at Balham community centre.
In Parliament I signed the Holocaust Memorial Day Book of Commitment, which honours the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust and pays tribute to the bravery of those who risked their lives to help the persecuted. The Book of Commitment was placed in the House of Commons for MPs to sign to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. This was organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust http://www.het.org.uk/. A picture is here.
On Monday 23rd, we had a special General Committee of Tooting Labour Party where Ed Balls MP addressed the meeting and participated in a lively discussion about the future of the Labour Party. This was a good opportunity for local party members to get together and share their thoughts about current policies. A picture from the event is here.
In the early hours of Tuesday, I went to Canada House to watch the Canadian general election results come in. The Conservatives in Canada won, with a 36% share of the vote (the Liberals had 30%). The Conservatives have 124 seats, which is short of the 155 seats needed for an outright majority in parliament, so the new prime minister, Stephen Harper will require support of MPs from other parties to enact important legislation. It was interesting to find out more about elections in Canada and see the similarities and differences to Britain. The Tories are reported to be hopeful given the Canadian results, but I think this is a bit premature!
Last week on 26th, I met with Zafar Khan of the Limbless Association and Mr Zia Khan of Roehampton Hospital to discuss all the excellent work that is being done to help amputee survivors of the earthquake in Pakistan. A considerable amount of expertise, equipment and supplies have already been sent and will continue to be sent to help rehabilitation efforts.
I also took part in a special healthy living day at the Houses of Parliament. The event helped launch the second year of Cancer Research UK’s Reduce the Risk campaign (photo here) Reduce the Risk aims to raise awareness of the avoidable risks of cancer and the importance of early detection. The campaign gives 10 tips for a healthier lifestyle, including good resolutions like walking more, eating healthy snacks, drinking more water, and ensuring that you eat 5 portions of vegetable or fruit a day.
On Friday I had the pleasure of visiting St Anselm’s School in Tooting Bec where the head teacher, Tom Gately, justifiably took great pride in telling me of the real and substantive value that the school adds to children’s development. I have promised to return to meet the school council and to attend a prize giving ceremony. The school did very well in its last OFSTED report, and was particularly commended for its provision for pupils’ social development.
Over the weekend, I opened a new travel agents in Tooting; Escape Travel at 203 Upper Tooting Road, attended the wedding of a local resident and went canvassing in Bedford ward.
Sadiq
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
On Monday 16th we had the Report stage and Third Reading of the Equality Bill. This is a landmark bill that will play a crucial role in reducing inequalities in the UK. The Bill will lead to the establishment of a single Commission for Equalities and Human Rights and eventually a Single Equality Act. I spoke in the debate in the Second Reading and also made an intervention in the Report stage. I did try to speak in the Third Reading but was not lucky enough to be called by the Speaker.
Last week, the Public Accounts Committee examined patient safety in NHS trusts. Everyday over one million people are treated successfully by the NHS. However, healthcare relies on a range of complex interactions of people, skills, technologies and drugs, and sometimes surgical treatments go wrong or there are errors with medication and patients have accidents. The Department of Health estimates that one in ten patients admitted to NHS hospitals will be unintentionally harmed, and that around 50% of incidents could have been avoided if lessons from previous incidents have been learnt. These findings are similar to those seen in other countries!
On Monday I also co hosted an Eid reception in the House of Commons. Speakers included Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Simon Hughes, Jack Straw, Michael Howard as well as the leaders of leading Muslim groups in the UK such as the MCB and UMO.
On Wednesday 18th, another important Bill completed its final stage in the Commons - the Work and Families Bill. This Bill will extend paid maternity and adoption leave, extend the right to request flexible working to carers of adults, help fathers to play more of a role in their child’s upbringing if the mother returns to work, and make it easier for employers to manage the administration of these rights. The Bill also includes powers to ensure all workers are entitled to 4 weeks statutory leave in addition to 8 days bank holidays. I was a member of the Standing Committee that examined this Bill. I was particularly angered at a Tory attempt to put a sunset clause on parental leave, especially bearing in mind their claims to have learnt lessons from the past when they voted against Labour measures to support working families. I spoke in the Report Stage and Third Reading. You can find details here.
I was in the Chamber on Thursday 19th, for Ruth Kelly’s statement on the arrangements for vetting those working with children, and barring those who are unsuitable. It was a good, coherent statement, and helped to clear up a lot of the confusion and worry that had been circulating in the press. She outlined measures that had been taken by previous administrations on the safety of children. The Conservatives paved the way for the Sex Offenders Register, and the barring of teachers convicted of sex offences. In 2000, the Labour Government decided that all those included on List 99 would be banned from schools indefinitely. However, her statement highlighted the problem that the legislation had built up in a piecemeal fashion over the years, and that recent events have made drawn attention to the urgency of overhauling the system.
She gave a full explanation of the operation of List 99. This list contains 4045 names, and for convictions for 40 of the most serious offences inclusion on the list is automatic. In other cases, the decisions are taken by the Minister or officials, after seeking advice from a wide variety of relevant sources. Last week, Ruth Kelly ordered a review of these discretionary decisions, and this identified 10 cases since 1997 where individuals could apply for a job in a school so long as it is disclosed. The Police have visited these cases, and none are currently working in schools. She also set out some immediate measures that would be taken – banning all those who are convicted and cautioned for any sexual offences against children whether the individual is on the sex offenders register or not; introducing mandatory CRB checks for all newly appointed school employees; and for Ofsted to carry out an urgent survey of existing vetting practices. Further reforms will be brought forward soon. Her statement was very welcome, and I am glad that action has been taken swiftly and decisively.
I also attended a Franco-British Colloque with leading French and British Politicians, Business people, academics and professionals. Speakers included George Osborne, the Chancellor Gordon Brown, the French Economic, Finance and Industry Minister Thierry Breton and Adair Turner (Chair of the Pensions Commission). Topics covered included "Europe beyond the constitutional debacle", "Islam; integration or alienation", "China and India; economic threat or opportunity for Europe" and "Energy; between security and environment". It was a fascinating conference with plenty of food for thought for both countries.
On Friday 20th, the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Bill (a Private Member’s Bill) had its second reading in the Commons. This was sponsored by Tom Clarke MP. If passed into law, the Bill would require the Government to produce an annual report for Parliament outlining international development assistance. The requisite information is in relation to the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the first seven of which relate to the progress made on poverty, education, the environment, health and gender equality within developing nations. The Government would also be required to publish the latest five year figures on spending for international development and an assessment for when it would expect to achieve the UN target of 0.7% of GDP. Tom Clarke MP has called for a single report in order to collate information together from the variety of sources within which it is currently published. I am very pleased that the Government decided to support this Private Member’s Bill, which passed its Second Reading without a division being necessary. The Bill will now go to Committee where it will be subjected to further debate and probable amendment. You can read the speech given by Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State within the Department for International Development, here. This outlines the Government’s position in relation to the Bill, including the areas that it feels need re-drafting during the committee stage.
On Sunday 22nd, I visited the Kelson Club and study centre on Nightingale Lane. I had previously visited the centre when I was a candidate and my return gave me an opportunity to feedback on my first 8 months as a MP. My talk was followed by questions from the members and an excellent discussion about the impact MPs and Parliament can have on people’s lives.
Sadiq
Last week, the Public Accounts Committee examined patient safety in NHS trusts. Everyday over one million people are treated successfully by the NHS. However, healthcare relies on a range of complex interactions of people, skills, technologies and drugs, and sometimes surgical treatments go wrong or there are errors with medication and patients have accidents. The Department of Health estimates that one in ten patients admitted to NHS hospitals will be unintentionally harmed, and that around 50% of incidents could have been avoided if lessons from previous incidents have been learnt. These findings are similar to those seen in other countries!
On Monday I also co hosted an Eid reception in the House of Commons. Speakers included Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Simon Hughes, Jack Straw, Michael Howard as well as the leaders of leading Muslim groups in the UK such as the MCB and UMO.
On Wednesday 18th, another important Bill completed its final stage in the Commons - the Work and Families Bill. This Bill will extend paid maternity and adoption leave, extend the right to request flexible working to carers of adults, help fathers to play more of a role in their child’s upbringing if the mother returns to work, and make it easier for employers to manage the administration of these rights. The Bill also includes powers to ensure all workers are entitled to 4 weeks statutory leave in addition to 8 days bank holidays. I was a member of the Standing Committee that examined this Bill. I was particularly angered at a Tory attempt to put a sunset clause on parental leave, especially bearing in mind their claims to have learnt lessons from the past when they voted against Labour measures to support working families. I spoke in the Report Stage and Third Reading. You can find details here.
I was in the Chamber on Thursday 19th, for Ruth Kelly’s statement on the arrangements for vetting those working with children, and barring those who are unsuitable. It was a good, coherent statement, and helped to clear up a lot of the confusion and worry that had been circulating in the press. She outlined measures that had been taken by previous administrations on the safety of children. The Conservatives paved the way for the Sex Offenders Register, and the barring of teachers convicted of sex offences. In 2000, the Labour Government decided that all those included on List 99 would be banned from schools indefinitely. However, her statement highlighted the problem that the legislation had built up in a piecemeal fashion over the years, and that recent events have made drawn attention to the urgency of overhauling the system.
She gave a full explanation of the operation of List 99. This list contains 4045 names, and for convictions for 40 of the most serious offences inclusion on the list is automatic. In other cases, the decisions are taken by the Minister or officials, after seeking advice from a wide variety of relevant sources. Last week, Ruth Kelly ordered a review of these discretionary decisions, and this identified 10 cases since 1997 where individuals could apply for a job in a school so long as it is disclosed. The Police have visited these cases, and none are currently working in schools. She also set out some immediate measures that would be taken – banning all those who are convicted and cautioned for any sexual offences against children whether the individual is on the sex offenders register or not; introducing mandatory CRB checks for all newly appointed school employees; and for Ofsted to carry out an urgent survey of existing vetting practices. Further reforms will be brought forward soon. Her statement was very welcome, and I am glad that action has been taken swiftly and decisively.
I also attended a Franco-British Colloque with leading French and British Politicians, Business people, academics and professionals. Speakers included George Osborne, the Chancellor Gordon Brown, the French Economic, Finance and Industry Minister Thierry Breton and Adair Turner (Chair of the Pensions Commission). Topics covered included "Europe beyond the constitutional debacle", "Islam; integration or alienation", "China and India; economic threat or opportunity for Europe" and "Energy; between security and environment". It was a fascinating conference with plenty of food for thought for both countries.
On Friday 20th, the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Bill (a Private Member’s Bill) had its second reading in the Commons. This was sponsored by Tom Clarke MP. If passed into law, the Bill would require the Government to produce an annual report for Parliament outlining international development assistance. The requisite information is in relation to the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the first seven of which relate to the progress made on poverty, education, the environment, health and gender equality within developing nations. The Government would also be required to publish the latest five year figures on spending for international development and an assessment for when it would expect to achieve the UN target of 0.7% of GDP. Tom Clarke MP has called for a single report in order to collate information together from the variety of sources within which it is currently published. I am very pleased that the Government decided to support this Private Member’s Bill, which passed its Second Reading without a division being necessary. The Bill will now go to Committee where it will be subjected to further debate and probable amendment. You can read the speech given by Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State within the Department for International Development, here. This outlines the Government’s position in relation to the Bill, including the areas that it feels need re-drafting during the committee stage.
On Sunday 22nd, I visited the Kelson Club and study centre on Nightingale Lane. I had previously visited the centre when I was a candidate and my return gave me an opportunity to feedback on my first 8 months as a MP. My talk was followed by questions from the members and an excellent discussion about the impact MPs and Parliament can have on people’s lives.
Sadiq
Monday, January 16, 2006
This will be my first full year as the Member of Parliament for Tooting and I would like to wish all of you a very happy and prosperous 2006.
The first main thing I did this year was to attend the annual Labour Tooting and Graveney ward dinner. This was held at local Chinese restaurant, Golden Phoenix, on Upper Tooting ward. The hospitality from the proprietor, Mr K Pang was as good as ever and this was a great way to start of the year. I am still a Councillor for Tooting ward (and have been so since 1994) and I lived for many years in the ward so there will always be an emotional pull towards anything Tooting ward does.
On Monday 9th, I had my first surgery of the year at Earlsfield Library.
On Tuesday 10th I attended a briefing on the Respect agenda. The Respect Action Plan sets out a framework of powers and approaches to promote respect positively - to crack down on anti social behaviour, as well as tackling the causes; and to offer leadership and support to local people and local services. In the Plan, there are also proposals to provide parents support to help improve their parenting skills, and tools for the community to address the problems created by the most challenging families.
On Wednesday 11th, we had the welcome news that the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, had announced that Labour MPs would have a free vote on the smoking ban. I am extremely pleased at this announcement. Since the election manifesto was produced, there has been a growing amount of evidence from other countries about the efficacy of a full ban. The weight of public opinion has also shifted in support of the outright ban. Passive smoking is responsible for killing hundreds of employees within the hospitality sector each year and this should not be allowed to continue. An outright ban on smoking in public places is essential on the grounds of public health.
I also attended the All Party Parliamentary Group meeting on Smoking. There were excellent contributions from a number of colleagues. Fiona Castle (widow of the late Roy Castle) made a very moving speech. Roy died of lung cancer after years of exposure to second hand smoke in his workplace. The type of lung cancer he had could only have been caused by smoking but when he was first diagnosed 13 years ago no one believed him. Fiona welcomed all the progress made on reducing smoking in the last few years but was critical of a partial smoking ban, comparing having a smoking area in a restaurant to having a peeing area in a swimming pool!
I also attended a Standing Committee on the Climate Change Agreement (Energy Intensive Installations). This arose out of the Budget of 2004 and will enable energy intensive facilities to be identified in a climate change agreement (CCA). Supplies of electricity, gas and solid fuels to them may then carry only 20% of the Climate Change Levy (CCL) rates. It is worth remembering that the imposition of CCL on the energy used by business and the public sector is part of the UK's efforts to combat climate change and play its part in the European Community's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.
Wednesday was also the first Prime Minister's Question Time of the year and was an opportunity for potential Liberal Democrat leaders to make their mark. Well, both Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes made an impression but I am sure it was not what they intended or would have wanted!
On Thursday, I attended the annual Labour Furzedown ward dinner which was a chance not just to raise funds and have a great evening but to catch up with views and feedback from friends in the local party.
On Friday morning I attended the regular meeting with St George's Hospital with neighbouring MPs. We also visited the Obstetrics and Gynaecology departments and had a discussion on issues facing these important and ever busy and expanding departments. The Trust’s finances and further progress on waiting times were some of the other things we discussed.
In addition to attending Tooting Islamic Centre for Friday prayers I attended an Inset day at Gatton Primary School. I am Chair of Governors of the school. The school’s fantastic new building is finally almost finished, and staff and children can move in this week. As is often the case with building projects the school was a number of months behind schedule but staff, parents and children have shown incredible patience over this difficult period.
On Saturday I attended the conference on "The Future of Britishness" organised by the Fabian Society. I was speaking alongside Tariq Ramadan, Sarah Joseph in a session chaired by Madeleine Bunting on “Islam of the West: will the reformers win?” Gordon Brown gave a fantastic speech on Britishness. He talked about the need to promote integration and find a common purpose to unite communities. The press widely covered his speech, and picked up on the idea he floated of reclaiming the British flag as a symbol of modern patriotism and unity. The speech is on the Fabian Society website.
On Sunday morning I attended a special thanksgiving service to mark the completion of a major conservation project at St Andrews Church on Garratt Lane. £300,000 has been spent on the project with bodies such as English Heritage playing a crucial role. The Rt Revd Dr Richard Cheetham, Bishop of Kingston, gave an excellent sermon. He talked about the importance of the church to the local community and its value of being in the midst of the community to serve the community. Apparently some research shows that in 2003, 86% of all people in the UK attended a church whether it be for worship, for a youth club, community club, nursery, a jumble sale or whatever. The scaffolding is still up around the Church and will soon be coming down but you can still see the fantastic improvements from the main road. The works mean not just that an important church is restored to previous glory but that this church can go from strength to strength as a community resource.
In the afternoon, I was canvassing with Tooting Labour Party colleagues in Graveney. We had a positive response on the doorstep towards the Labour team although there were complaints about the neglect by the Tory Council of the Town centre, poor quality street cleaning and refuse collection. The Labour Graveney team and myself are taking these things up.
The first main thing I did this year was to attend the annual Labour Tooting and Graveney ward dinner. This was held at local Chinese restaurant, Golden Phoenix, on Upper Tooting ward. The hospitality from the proprietor, Mr K Pang was as good as ever and this was a great way to start of the year. I am still a Councillor for Tooting ward (and have been so since 1994) and I lived for many years in the ward so there will always be an emotional pull towards anything Tooting ward does.
On Monday 9th, I had my first surgery of the year at Earlsfield Library.
On Tuesday 10th I attended a briefing on the Respect agenda. The Respect Action Plan sets out a framework of powers and approaches to promote respect positively - to crack down on anti social behaviour, as well as tackling the causes; and to offer leadership and support to local people and local services. In the Plan, there are also proposals to provide parents support to help improve their parenting skills, and tools for the community to address the problems created by the most challenging families.
On Wednesday 11th, we had the welcome news that the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, had announced that Labour MPs would have a free vote on the smoking ban. I am extremely pleased at this announcement. Since the election manifesto was produced, there has been a growing amount of evidence from other countries about the efficacy of a full ban. The weight of public opinion has also shifted in support of the outright ban. Passive smoking is responsible for killing hundreds of employees within the hospitality sector each year and this should not be allowed to continue. An outright ban on smoking in public places is essential on the grounds of public health.
I also attended the All Party Parliamentary Group meeting on Smoking. There were excellent contributions from a number of colleagues. Fiona Castle (widow of the late Roy Castle) made a very moving speech. Roy died of lung cancer after years of exposure to second hand smoke in his workplace. The type of lung cancer he had could only have been caused by smoking but when he was first diagnosed 13 years ago no one believed him. Fiona welcomed all the progress made on reducing smoking in the last few years but was critical of a partial smoking ban, comparing having a smoking area in a restaurant to having a peeing area in a swimming pool!
I also attended a Standing Committee on the Climate Change Agreement (Energy Intensive Installations). This arose out of the Budget of 2004 and will enable energy intensive facilities to be identified in a climate change agreement (CCA). Supplies of electricity, gas and solid fuels to them may then carry only 20% of the Climate Change Levy (CCL) rates. It is worth remembering that the imposition of CCL on the energy used by business and the public sector is part of the UK's efforts to combat climate change and play its part in the European Community's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.
Wednesday was also the first Prime Minister's Question Time of the year and was an opportunity for potential Liberal Democrat leaders to make their mark. Well, both Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes made an impression but I am sure it was not what they intended or would have wanted!
On Thursday, I attended the annual Labour Furzedown ward dinner which was a chance not just to raise funds and have a great evening but to catch up with views and feedback from friends in the local party.
On Friday morning I attended the regular meeting with St George's Hospital with neighbouring MPs. We also visited the Obstetrics and Gynaecology departments and had a discussion on issues facing these important and ever busy and expanding departments. The Trust’s finances and further progress on waiting times were some of the other things we discussed.
In addition to attending Tooting Islamic Centre for Friday prayers I attended an Inset day at Gatton Primary School. I am Chair of Governors of the school. The school’s fantastic new building is finally almost finished, and staff and children can move in this week. As is often the case with building projects the school was a number of months behind schedule but staff, parents and children have shown incredible patience over this difficult period.
On Saturday I attended the conference on "The Future of Britishness" organised by the Fabian Society. I was speaking alongside Tariq Ramadan, Sarah Joseph in a session chaired by Madeleine Bunting on “Islam of the West: will the reformers win?” Gordon Brown gave a fantastic speech on Britishness. He talked about the need to promote integration and find a common purpose to unite communities. The press widely covered his speech, and picked up on the idea he floated of reclaiming the British flag as a symbol of modern patriotism and unity. The speech is on the Fabian Society website.
On Sunday morning I attended a special thanksgiving service to mark the completion of a major conservation project at St Andrews Church on Garratt Lane. £300,000 has been spent on the project with bodies such as English Heritage playing a crucial role. The Rt Revd Dr Richard Cheetham, Bishop of Kingston, gave an excellent sermon. He talked about the importance of the church to the local community and its value of being in the midst of the community to serve the community. Apparently some research shows that in 2003, 86% of all people in the UK attended a church whether it be for worship, for a youth club, community club, nursery, a jumble sale or whatever. The scaffolding is still up around the Church and will soon be coming down but you can still see the fantastic improvements from the main road. The works mean not just that an important church is restored to previous glory but that this church can go from strength to strength as a community resource.
In the afternoon, I was canvassing with Tooting Labour Party colleagues in Graveney. We had a positive response on the doorstep towards the Labour team although there were complaints about the neglect by the Tory Council of the Town centre, poor quality street cleaning and refuse collection. The Labour Graveney team and myself are taking these things up.
