Support Cllr Rachel Heywood

[Fingers]

In see Rachel Haywood has been suspended for not supporting Lambeth Labour's Tory policies of bulldozing homes and closing libraries.

You can sign a petition here:

Support Rachel Heywood and lift the suspension NOW! | Campaigns by You

 

[CH1]

In see Rachel Haywood has been suspended for not supporting Lambeth Labour's Tory policies of bulldozing homes and closing libraries.

You can sign a petition here:

Support Rachel Heywood and lift the suspension NOW! | Campaigns by You

If I was campaigning for the Greens in Gipsy Hill by election next week - and had the resources available within the spending limit- I would feel tempted to put out a leaflet about this.

This issue is rather typical of Lambeth Labour - they have a history of defensive behaviour and inappropriate over-reaction when confronted by internal opposition on sensitive policies.

This was so ingrained in the early 1990s that were two Lambeth Labour groups - one led by the Council leader Stephen Whalley, and the other (Suspended Labour) by sometime rail-man and wildcat strike leader the late Greg Tucker. On many issues they happily voted together, but on sore points they would diverge. Dignity in dissent perhaps.

I am sorry that Lambeth Labour currently cannot accommodate Councillor Rachel Heywood's concerns - particularly as she is giving voice to residents strongly held views, which are being simply ridden over roughshod by the ruling Labour cabinet.

In a council with 59 Labour, 3 Conservative, 1 Green members the only way opposition can be properly voiced is if Labour members are allowed to speak their mind in opposition to the Cabinet bulldozer.

 

[editor]

I am sorry that Lambeth Labour currently cannot accommodate Councillor Rachel Heywood's concerns - particularly as she is giving voice to residents strongly held views, which are being simply ridden over roughshod by the ruling Labour cabinet..

That's what's so crazy about this: she's doing exactly what a conscientious and capable councillor should do and is accurately representing the wishes of her constituency. She should be congratulated, not suspended.

 

[Fingers]

Cllr Rachel Heywood given six month suspension from Lambeth Labour after questioning current Council policy

 

[Gramsci]

In see Rachel Haywood has been suspended for not supporting Lambeth Labour's Tory policies of bulldozing homes and closing libraries.

You can sign a petition here:

Support Rachel Heywood and lift the suspension NOW! | Campaigns by You

I put this on the Brixton chat thread but will post it here.

I cannot sign this. This is where I get annoyed.

Rachel Heywood proudly fought the ill conceived and dangerous Loughborough Junction road closures.

Rachel knows that is not how I see the road closures issue.

I see the petition is started by the Library campaigners. Fair enough but it should have been kept simple.

The issue for me is that backbench Labour Cllrs should be allowed to publicly criticise what the ruling Cabinet are doing. That the Labour party should allow and foster open public debate. This has been lacking- a journalist told me a while back that if you ask a Ward Cllr to comment on an issue in there Ward you get referred to the Lambeth Press Office. Its that tightly controlled.

Personally I like Rachel and I have always found her a hardworking and committed Cllr.

But there is a distinction between supporting single issue campaigns and supporting open democratic debate in the Labour party.

Also this I take issue with:

Rachel Heywood's 'crime' has been to fight the devastating impact of Tory central government attacks upon her constituents and Lambeth residents.

This is pushing it a bit.

One thing I raised in another group Im in ( and didnt make me popular) is I am not clear if Cllr Rachel has broken with the New Labour orthodoxy. Whilst she has supported residents ( I know from personal experience) I don’t believe she has voted against the Labour whip when it comes to implementing ( Tory imposed) cuts. So far her position is the Labour group should look at working with residents better to deal with the cuts.

A local Trade Unionist said to me a few weeks ago the thing about Rachel is that he spent years arguing with her about cuts to Council services.

I am not having a go at Rachel here. I’m just saying a bit of cool analysis needs to be done.

What is possibly being seen is a power struggle developing within Nu Labour Lambeth. Not the Red take over of the local Labour party. So its about what kind of post Nu Labour politics should be put forward in Lambeth. I don’t think Rachel is a Momentum supporter. She might happily prove me wrong.

And I am concerned several campaigns have latched onto Rachel - its like one has to support all these campaigns uncritically or not support Rachel.

 

[brixtonblade]

.In a council with 59 Labour, 3 Conservative, 1 Green members the only way opposition can be properly voiced is if Labour members are allowed to speak their mind in opposition to the Cabinet bulldozer.

This is what gets me most pissed off. There's no semblance of discussion here. Lambeth Labour do whatever they want with no challenge and with any objections stamped on. This is not healthy and it's not representative.

 

[Winot]

Thank you for your posts Gramsci. Always interesting and thoughtful.

 

[CH1]

And I am concerned several campaigns have latched onto Rachel - its like one has to support all these campaigns uncritically or not support Rachel.

You have a point there.

In my own case I have historical reasons why I am not a member of the Labour Party - hence it would feel a bit odd, or even inappropriate if I signed a petition to Jeremy Corbyn about the Lambeth Labour Party.

Nevertheless I do strongly support Rachel's right to take a position on these particular issues.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I put this on the Brixton chat thread but will post it here.

I cannot sign this. This is where I get annoyed.




Rachel knows that is not how I see the road closures issue.

I see the petition is started by the Library campaigners. Fair enough but it should have been kept simple.

The issue for me is that backbench Labour Cllrs should be allowed to publicly criticise what the ruling Cabinet are doing. That the Labour party should allow and foster open public debate. This has been lacking- a journalist told me a while back that if you ask a Ward Cllr to comment on an issue in there Ward you get referred to the Lambeth Press Office. Its that tightly controlled.

Personally I like Rachel and I have always found her a hardworking and committed Cllr.

But there is a distinction between supporting single issue campaigns and supporting open democratic debate in the Labour party.

Also this I take issue with:



This is pushing it a bit.

One thing I raised in another group Im in ( and didnt make me popular) is I am not clear if Cllr Rachel has broken with the New Labour orthodoxy. Whilst she has supported residents ( I know from personal experience) I don’t believe she has voted against the Labour whip when it comes to implementing ( Tory imposed) cuts. So far her position is the Labour group should look at working with residents better to deal with the cuts.

A local Trade Unionist said to me a few weeks ago the thing about Rachel is that he spent years arguing with her about cuts to Council services.

I am not having a go at Rachel here. I’m just saying a bit of cool analysis needs to be done.

What is possibly being seen is a power struggle developing within Nu Labour Lambeth. Not the Red take over of the local Labour party. So its about what kind of post Nu Labour politics should be put forward in Lambeth. I don’t think Rachel is a Momentum supporter. She might happily prove me wrong.

And I am concerned several campaigns have latched onto Rachel - its like one has to support all these campaigns uncritically or not support Rachel.

I signed, but on the basis of the disciplinary measures taken being vastly out of proportion to the supposed "offence". A 6 month suspension absolutely stinks of "pour encourager les autres" on the part of that Progress cunt Gadsby.

 

[editor]

And I am concerned several campaigns have latched onto Rachel - its like one has to support all these campaigns uncritically or not support Rachel.

I can see that but I think it's important to support anyone stepping outside the Blairite party line at Lambeth, even if you don't agree with everything they say. What we have now is wildly undemocratic and anything that brings some element of accountability to these power mad fuckers, the better.

 

[aka]

It's democratic. We voted them in. Foolish us.

I look forward to the next local elections when presumably there will be dozens of U75 members standing as independent Cllrs.

 

[tommers]

Labour won the by election yesterday by 36 votes. We had people knocking on all day for both sides.

 

[David Clapson]

I just noticed some canvassing in Coldharbour ward for the May 2018 election. Apparently Rachel Heywood has stood down as official Labour candidate. I hadn't realised.

 

[Gramsci]

I just noticed some canvassing in Coldharbour ward for the May 2018 election. Apparently Rachel Heywood has stood down as official Labour candidate. I hadn't realised.

She hasn't stood down so much as she's had enough.

She was given a six month suspension from the Labour group. This passed. But she was told she would have to go in front of another committee to repent the error of her ways and show she realised she was wrong. So it wasn't just a matter of going through six month suspension.

I don't think she could face that. Therefore she has never officially rejoined the Labour group in Lambeth. ( She's still a Labour party member as far as I know.). So she could not go through the reselection process to become a candidate again. And that would have been another hurdle. Not a given that the leadership would have wanted her reselected.

I can understand the personal toll this has taken on her. I think she has been treated very badly by the leadership.

The fact that she has been a committed local Cllr is of no interest to the leadership.

 

[David Clapson]

She's been replaced with a brand new official Labour candidate, @EmmaLNye

 

[editor]

She hasn't stood down so much as she's had enough.

She was given a six month suspension from the Labour group. This passed. But she was told she would have to go in front of another committee to repent the error of her ways and show she realised she was wrong. So it wasn't just a matter of going through six month suspension.

I don't think she could face that. Therefore she has never officially rejoined the Labour group in Lambeth. ( She's still a Labour party member as far as I know.). So she could not go through the reselection process to become a candidate again. And that would have been another hurdle. Not a given that the leadership would have wanted her reselected.

I can understand the personal toll this has taken on her. I think she has been treated very badly by the leadership.

The fact that she has been a committed local Cllr is of no interest to the leadership.

I hope she stands as an independent. She has my vote guaranteed.

 

[Gramsci]

She's been replaced with a brand new official Labour candidate, @EmmaLNye

I see from her Twitter she is fan of Chuka and not Corbyn. Oh dear.

 

[Rushy]

I'd like to hear more from her in relation to the late night economy and nuisance being experienced by locals. She was so prominent in dealing with similar problems in Clapham High Street. It was obvious a long while ago that Coldharbour ward was heading the same way and now it is even worse (and likely to deteriorate).

It would have been so much easier to manage the growth of the night time economy than try to reign it in later.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I see from her Twitter she is fan of Chuka and not Corbyn. Oh dear.

Hardly surprising that Lambeth Labour would wish to replace Heywood with someone more in tune with the Progress politics they practice. Just look at Lyin' Luke Murphy over in Gipsy Hill!

 

[Gramsci]

I notice from Cllr Rachel's email that she now has herself as "Independent Labour".

Tragic really. As ViolentPanda says what we are getting as replacement is Nu Labour/ Progress Cllr.

 

[CH1]

I'd like to hear more from her in relation to the late night economy and nuisance being experienced by locals. She was so prominent in dealing with similar problems in Clapham High Street. It was obvious a long while ago that Coldharbour ward was heading the same way and now it is even worse (and likely to deteriorate).

It would have been so much easier to manage the growth of the night time economy than try to reign it in later.

It was like "Taxi Driver" down Coldharbour Lane at 10 o'clock tonight (I was riding the P5). Hoards of hedonists mixed with the traffic which was at a standstill due to gas repairs by Gresham Road. The only thing missing was the transvestites. Took a good ½hour to get from Lidl to Loughborough Junction.

Don't think Cllr Heywood could turn back the tide of Brixton decadence now - it's just gone too far.

 

[ViolentPanda]

It was like "Taxi Driver" down Coldharbour Lane at 10 o'clock tonight (I was riding the P5). Hoards of hedonists mixed with the traffic which was at a standstill due to gas repairs by Gresham Road. The only thing missing was the transvestites. Took a good ½hour to get from Lidl to Loughborough Junction.

Don't think Cllr Heywood could turn back the tide of Brixton decadence now - it's just gone too far.

If she stands as an Indie, she'll get masses of support in Coldharbour ward. More than that picklehead Donatus would in the same situation.

 

[Rushy]

Don't think Cllr Heywood could turn back the tide of Brixton decadence now - it's just gone too far.

I don't agree that nothing can be done but it it's certainly more difficult and any improvements would have to be measured from a more extreme position. Which is why, given her experience working to improve things for Clapham High Street residents after the night time economy there was allowed to expand out of control, I have been surprised at the relative silence whilst the same thing has been happening in Coldharbour ward. I have heard nothing meaningful from any councillor. That's not to say that nothing has been done - but I've not heard of anything.

 

[Gramsci]

Scrolling through Emma's tweets.

She was chosen as replacement for Rachel on 6th April.

Anti Corbyn. Supported Owen Smith for leader. Apart from bees her tweets are full of anti Corbyn remarks. Pre general election.



One reason being she wants a "kinder gentler politics". She won't find an inclusive kinder gentler politics in Lambeth Labour.

Ironic she is replacement for Cllr treated very nastily by the ruling Progress group in Lambeth.

 

[David Clapson]

Her husband is a councillor for Streatham Hill ward @IainSimpson . He was a parliamentary candidate for Broadland in Norfolk at this year's general election Election 2017: Keith Simpson holds Broadland seat

 

[Gramsci]

Her husband is a councillor for Streatham Hill ward @IainSimpson . He was a parliamentary candidate for Broadland in Norfolk at this year's general election Election 2017: Keith Simpson holds Broadland seat

Thanks. I didn't know that. So she is safe pair of hands.

His tweets are the usual Blairite cleverly disguised as being really concerned about issues like affordable housing.

What gets me is how EVERYONE is concerned about low pay, (in) affordable housing, etc.

Heard PM saying on radio yesterday that she got into politics to he!p those "left behind".

It's like if you say you are really concerned about inequality, low pay, lack of affordable housing you can't be disagreed with. My reading of this is that one can be a right Tory in essence, or "centre" ground Blairite , as long as you say you are really concerned, no one can say anything. And if they do they obviously aren't building a consensus around the centre ground. I see it with some posts here.

Corbyn and McDonald have brought back Class as a category around which discussion of the problems in this society can be discussed. That's very uncomfortable for some. It's also the something that was derided for years. And still is in Nu Labour.

The trouble with Mr and Mrs Cllr is that they can't see that . From looking at there tweets. They don't see beyond Corbyn as a personality. To see what he represents.

Corbyn might still be pushed aside. So the "centre ground" can return to running by the show.

 

[David Clapson]

What worries me is that there is so much acceptance of poverty wages as an inevitable consequence of globalisation. We buy from China, so 40 hours a week is not enough to put food on the table. End of discussion. Nobody has a plan to fight this. Huge swathes of the population must apparently live in poverty to keep us competitive. The working poor have no status, no recognition, nothing. No wonder they voted for Brexit. You would think that pro-Brexit politicians would tap into this and argue that by setting our own trade terms we can pay more to the working poor. But they don't bother, because nobody in politics or the media, the chattering classes, gives a damn about the working poor. Why is nobody trying to emulate economies where the working class have a good standard of living, e.g.Scandinavia?