Brixton chitter chatter, part 2

[se5]

Actually I think you're wrong on that - Labour activists seem to have a particularly macho culture in my experience - hence them calling this woman a scab.... I dread it when meeting Labour activist friends of friends because they tend to be so unpleasantly hostile to me (as a Lib Dem).

In other Lambeth Tory news - Clare Whelan (Conservative councillor for Thurlow Park and wife of John Whelan) is on the shortlist for Norfolk South West (a safe Conservative seat IIRC).

Yes I know what you mean about the Labour people (or some of them at least) - they seem to take it as betrayal of the cause if you even think of not supporting them or even suggesting that another political party/ political opponent might have a good idea or might be worth talking to for the greater good of the area.

In my experience Clare Whelan and the Tories generally in Lambeth seem to be alright: at community events and hustings etc that I have gone to they have always come across as reasonable not the objectionable types you sometimes see in other parts of the country. Not that I'd ever vote for them...

 

[Bob]

Apparently Alex McKenna, one of the Labour councillors for Vassall has been deselected by Labour.

Does anyone know why this is?

There seems to be a lot of deselection going on round London by Labour at the moment - I've heard of significant amounts in Barking, Lewisham and in a couple of other places.

 

[se5]

Maybe because he was rubbish?

Talking to a friend recently who had had reason to contact the Vassall councillors on a local matter she got replies straight away from the other Labour councillor and the Lib Dem councillor but nothing from Mckenna - not even an acknowledgement of her email. Maybe the labour party realised this and has given him his marching orders?


He's something like Labour Whip isnt he? Maybe he sees his role as more town hall based but thats no reason to neglect voters

 

[Brixton Hatter]

...In my experience Clare Whelan and the Tories generally in Lambeth seem to be alright: at community events and hustings etc that I have gone to they have always come across as reasonable not the objectionable types you sometimes see in other parts of the country. Not that I'd ever vote for them...

I'm no fan of them at all. Clare Whelan and her husband John represent the posh bit of Lambeth (Gypsy Hill and West Dulwich IIRC) and I never recall them being particularly supportive of Brixton (unless you count the Trinity Arms ) I wrote to John Whelan once complaining about something - i think it was when he was joint leader of the council under the Lib Dem/Tory coalition - and instead of addressing my points, he forwarded the email to his mates and slagged me off. Unfortunately for him, computers arent one of his strong points and he managed to CC me in to the email. So I sent it to the South London Press and he got in lots of trouble!

 

[lang rabbie]

More on the Betty Evans-Jacas saga on the Lambeth Tories' website today:

Community Backlash As Labour “Falsely” Smears Councillor Betty Evans-Jacas

The quote marks around "falsely" seem quite bizarre if they are an attempt to avoid defamation (in a story about Labour allegedly defaming her!)

 

[charcol]

More on the Betty Evans-Jacas saga on the Lambeth Tories' website today:

Community Backlash As Labour “Falsely” Smears Councillor Betty Evans-Jacas

The quote marks around "falsely" seem quite bizarre if they are an attempt to avoid defamation (in a story about Labour allegedly defaming her!)

Steve Reed is claiming that retaining her existing allowances on LFEPA constitutes being paid to defect. I suspect he was hoping that Evans-Jacas would become Vice-Chair at yesterday's special LFEPA meeting - thereby getting additional allowances - which didn't materialise. So it's false in the sense that she hasn't received any extra cash, but she does retain her previous allowances. Perhaps that explains the quote marks.

Is Reed doing the right thing by adopting an aggressive response to the defection? I get a sense that he is not necessarily representing the views of all Labour backbenchers by attacking her personally and a vow of silence might help to calm things down.

 

[Bob]

Labour smears directed at a new Conservative councillor in Brixton who converted to the Tories collapsed in shame today, exposing Labour as the “nasty party” of South London.

Labour Leader of the Council Steve Reed alleged at a Lambeth Council meeting on October 21, and on his personal blog and Twitter account, that the Conservatives had allegedly “bought a seat on the Council” by promising Councilor Betty Evans-Jacas a huge increase in her allowances on the London Fire Authority. It was a false allegation with no evidence.

Today, the now Conservative-controlled London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority voted in new appointments scheme recognising proportionality between the parties without making any change in special responsibility allowances for Councillor Evans-Jacas.

In the meantime, ex Labour Lambeth Mayor Lloyd Leon, a stalwart community activist in Brixton since the 1980s, has reported the Leader of the Council to the Lambeth Standards Committee, which upholds standards in public life. Additionally, Fabian Wells, Chair, South London Black Business Association, has also publicly slammed Labour attempts to brand Cllr Evans-Jacas as a “scab,” which he says equates with the even more derogatory expression of “black leg.”

Conservative Leader in Lambeth Councillor John Whelan says: “Labour has lost all moral compass and lets itself down by making libelous and defamatory allegations that have no foundation. I also fear that the Leader of the Council is out of touch with his elected members. We can expect more of the remaining back bench Labour councillors to reconsider their futures in coming weeks. Watch this virtual space.”

Am I right that this guy is saying that Labour are racist?

Steve Reed's been very happy to fling around allegations of racism in the past - so there's some irony if I read this right.

 

[teuchter]

Am I right that this guy is saying that Labour are racist?

As in "scab" = "blackleg" = therefore racist?

 

[Bob]

As in "scab" = "blackleg" = therefore racist?

I think so. I can't work out what else the quote might mean.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

i saw unmarked white vans out in brixton today, collecting mail from postboxes so much for the strike

 

[Bob]

i saw unmarked white vans out in brixton today, collecting mail from postboxes so much for the strike

They've been using independent contractors to deliver parcels locally - I had a white van deliver some stuff to me a few days ago.

 

[ajdown]

It's some of the workers on strike, not the service.

Doesn't mean the service has to stop if they can get people in to work in place of those that are striking. As strikers don't get paid, it's not costing the company any more to employ temps to do the job in their place.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I got a postal delivery yesterday. Quite confusing as yesterday was a Sunday

 

[twistedAM]

It's some of the workers on strike, not the service.

Doesn't mean the service has to stop if they can get people in to work in place of those that are striking. As strikers don't get paid, it's not costing the company any more to employ temps to do the job in their place.

Put down the Mail and smell the coffee (and to keep it Brixtoncentric, I recommend the coffee from Adams Bakery on B Hill)

 

[Ms Ordinary]

Just seen in the South London Press that Wheels for Wellbeing lost all their bicycles in a fire at their storage place in Brockwell Park .

Never heard of them, and don't remember the fire (sounds like it was in the old changing room block near the Lido) - but what an awful thing to happen.

 

[quimcunx]

I didn't know they had cycle hire at Brockwell. Hm. That's handy to know. Or would have been.

 

[ajdown]

Put down the Mail and smell the coffee (and to keep it Brixtoncentric, I recommend the coffee from Adams Bakery on B Hill)

I don't read the Mail (or any other daily paper), and I don't like coffee either actually.

 

[teuchter]

I don't read the Mail (or any other daily paper), and I don't like coffee either actually.

So where did you get the information that employing temps doesn't cost the RM extra?

 

[Blagsta]

I don't read the Mail (or any other daily paper), and I don't like coffee either actually.

Employing temps is way more expensive, not to mention illegal in this case.

 

[ajdown]

I just had a package delivered that was posted on the 28th September according to the postmark. That's more illegal than employing temps.

 

[Blagsta]

I just had a package delivered that was posted on the 28th September according to the postmark. That's more illegal than employing temps.

Is it? Under what law is that then?

 

[ajdown]

Isn't deliberately withholding mail a crime?

 

[Bob]

Employing temps is way more expensive, not to mention illegal in this case.

I'm not a legal expert.

But it strikes me that there are a lot of innocent victims of the postal strike - such as my friend who has blogged here about how the postal strike a) threatens him getting hospital treatment, b) threatens his incapacity benefit.


http://loveandliberty.blogspot.com/2009/10/when-postal-strikes-and-nhs-bureaucracy.html

 

[teuchter]

I'm not a legal expert.

But it strikes me that there are a lot of innocent victims of the postal strike - such as my friend who has blogged here about how the postal strike a) threatens him getting hospital treatment,

I've never quite understood why the health service insists on using the mail as the means of communication with patients. Why not just email (for those patients who have access to it, anyway)?

I've received appointment letters after the appointment date in the past, without any kind of RM strike going on.

 

[Blagsta]

I'm not a legal expert.

But it strikes me that there are a lot of innocent victims of the postal strike - such as my friend who has blogged here about how the postal strike a) threatens him getting hospital treatment, b) threatens his incapacity benefit.


http://loveandliberty.blogspot.com/2009/10/when-postal-strikes-and-nhs-bureaucracy.html

Well he would, wouldn't he.

 

[Blagsta]

Isn't deliberately withholding mail a crime?

I don't know, is it? If it is, was it deliberetaly withheld?

 

[ajdown]

Tampering with mail is a crime. Therefore it seems quite straightforward to me that tampering with delivery - ie deliberately and knowingly making it take an excessive time to be delivered - is also covered as a crime.

Taking a reasonable time to deliver within the constraints of the current system is one thing. Taking nearly 4 weeks to arrive, because of a strike, seems to me a criminal act.

 

[ovaltina]

Tampering with mail is a crime.

Met Police non-emergency number is 0300 123 1212.

 

[MrSki]

With a backlog mail is piled up and the stuff at the top gets sorted first.

I am still waiting for stuff that was posted in August to arrive & I am not expecting it until a week or so after the strike is settled & the backlog is cleared.

Can't see it being a crime though.

Employing casual labour to clear the backlog could be.

 

[cwservices]

richie t send me your email address and i'll get invoice to you as soon as mate , from cwservices