Greenpeace have bought a plot of land where the Heathrow third runway would be. They are splitting this piece of land between ‘beneficiary owners’ who don’t have to pay anything but will be signing up to show support. I’ve signed up – as have Susan Kramer and Simon Hughes. So if you’re interested visit the Greenpeace site.
Category Archives: Blog
New Statesman and the NUJ
I was shocked to find that the New Statesman (owners I assume) is refusing to recognise the NUJ. It is incomprehensible to me how the ownership can be so piggish. Perhaps (and I understand that Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson still owns around half) it is because their intentions are entirely dishonourable. Is it sackings for recession? Is it sackings linked to wanting to impose a new direction editorially? I don’t know but when – of all things – a left-of-centre magazine refuses to recognise the key union for their staff – we can only fear the worst. This stinks. Shame on you Geoffrey and co!
Ada Lovelace Day
Been emailed to highlight an excellent idea – Ada Lovelace Day. As the blog post that kicked it off says:
I’ve mainly stayed away from the discussion of gender issues in technology. I didn’t think that I had any real expertise to share. But over the last six months, after many conversations, it has become clear that many of my female friends in tech really do feel disempowered…
Thus was born Ada Lovelace Day, and this pledge:
Ada Lovelace Day is an international day of blogging to draw attention to women excelling in technology. Women’s contributions often go unacknowledged, their innovations seldom mentioned, their faces rarely recognised. We want you to tell the world about these unsung heroines. Whatever she does, whether she is a sysadmin or a tech entrepreneur, a programmer or a designer, developing software or hardware, a tech journalist or a tech consultant, we want to celebrate her achievements.
It doesn’t matter how new or old your blog is, what gender you are, what language you blog in, or what you normally blog about – everyone is invited to take part. All you need to do is sign up to this pledge and then publish your blog post any time on Tuesday 24th March 2009. If you’re going to be away that day, feel free to write your post in advance and set your blogging system to publish it that day.
More about the idea behind the day here, along with how you can take part / publicise.
Sharon Shoesmith loses her appeal
Briefly – Sharon Shoesmith has lost her appeal over her sacking by Haringey Council.
UPDATE: More in The Guardian today.
Getting people back to work
Turned on Daily Politics only to find same old same old – a competition for viewers to guess how many sitting days at Parliament until their next break because parliamentarians had had a three week ‘break’ over Christmas.
Parliament was not sitting – that is not the same thing as a ‘break’ or a holiday! Do those who work in the media only care about what happens at Parliament and not the constituencies – ‘cos I think it is they who are guilty of perpetuating the idea that only Parliament matters. It may be all they care about – but it is not the only part of the job.
However, not wishing to start the year off by arguing with the media (too much!) but was soooooooooo dreary to find first political program of the day looking for miserable things to say about MPs – and then thinking themselves soooooo amusing. Bad form!
In this time of miserable news internationally and at home, with recession and crunch at every turn there is certainly plenty to keep government and Parliament busy. However, I just do not think the Government’s initiative on giving a golden hello of £2,500 will work – ‘cos surely if you are an employer after the dosh – you will just take someone who has been unemployed for 6 months in preference to someone who has been unemployed one month. So it doesn’t create a job – it just switches it from one person to another with some dosh. Or have I missed something?
And what about the company that ‘creates’ a real extra job – surely that would be a better place to put reward rather than a displacement policy?
Why the rules on use of mobile phones in hospitals should be reviewed
Earlier this week the government relaxed the ban on the use of mobile phones in hospitals. I’ve now written to the chief executives of the Whittington, North Middlesex and Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust (TPCT) calling for an urgent review of their policies.
Allowing the greater use of mobile phones will allow patients to avoid costly in-house phone services that often charge near premium rates for making and receiving calls.
Some of our local hospitals already have progressive policies on mobile phone use, but I hope they will seize this opportunity to review their policy and give patients the greatest freedom possible to stay in touch.
Of course there must continue to be sensible restrictions to preserve tranquillity and protect privacy. However, I think it’s easy to underestimate the holistic benefits of being able to receive a goodnight text from a loved one when you’re ill.
Heading up the party's Technology Board
I am so excited about fronting the new Technology Board for the Party. Clever move by Nick Clegg I think as I think / hope this will be a good match between me and the need for a non-geek, non-nerdy human being to lead the way (vital and lovable though geeks and nerds are!).
I have always used the internet to campaign – and to communicate with all the different people that I have wanted to reach for different reasons, different issues and to achieve a variety of outcomes. And behind the scenes, I’ve always appreciated the importance of technology to make both campaigning and casework efficient and manageable.
Now Nick is unleashing me formally on the wider world. And I will have his backing to take the party where no party has gone before – not exactly his words – but my interpretation!
Seriously – this is the new frontier and is still in its infancy. The Lib Dems have already been ahead of the game vis a vis the internet with an army of bloggers and e-campaigning enthusiasts pushing the envelope already – now is the time to continue and expand our operations. So – priority obviously will be outward facing – but the internal e-campaigning at the grassroots will also be expanded.
Nick acknowledged that my ‘technical’ technology knowledge wasn’t the reason for wanting me to be the image of a modern, cutting edge Lib Dems (thank goodness) – but it is the way to bring it on!
So – Obama schmama – watch this space. Of course – the Board itself is not yet in existence – so much to do and so little time to do it!
Rest of mini ‘reshuffle’ is over on the party website.
Making a croissant at Dunns
I made a croissant! No – I didn’t completely make the dough – but I rolled it. It was at Dunns (the bakers in Crouch End) where I went to work for an hour yesterday morning – they said it was so good that if things didn’t work out in the future I could always have a job!
I was there to really show solidarity with our local shops and small businesses – as they face the dreadful economic downturn and struggle to survive. Now Dunns (owned and run by Chris Freeman – fourth or fifth generation bakers) has seen and survived many ups and downs and works tirelessly to make sure that all that can be done will be done.
All their staff will keep their jobs – and if things go better than expected – then they will reap extra reward. Quite frankly – keeping all your staff in work is the real key that will stave off the wolf from the door and enable people to continue paying the mortgage or rent etc.
Dunns is a fabulous shop – and although I have been in there many times and walked past many times – I have only ever seen the bright welcoming interior, stuffed with fabulous cakes, bread, rolls and everything patisseriewise you could wish for – somehow I never wondered how it all got done on the site. But yesterday I was allowed behind the scenes where the baker’s elves were all working – rolling dough, baking, shaping, decorating, cutting, making and turning out the array that everyone sees in the counters.
There are many issues facing our local traders, and we the people must try and shop as locally as we can so that as many of them survive the downturn as possible. After all – our areas are just fantastic – and they are fantastic because of our wonderful local traders. So – go local and be vocal! Meanwhile – I will see if there is anything that I can do my end to help.
And just a final note – having come from a family business background myself – Dunns reminded me of my family’s business and how the knowledge, experience and understanding of trading really makes a business work in a way that no amount of systems and tick boxes ever will!
In the newspapers today: Walter Tull and Post Office queues
Two stories from the Journal:
SUPPORT is mounting for a life-size bronze statue to be built remembering a pioneering black footballer and First World War hero at the new Spurs stadium…
Early backers of the online petition include Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, and Walter Tull’s biographer Phil Vasili.
Mr Blumsom said: “I’ve always been fascinated by Walter Tull’s story. He had to overcome prejudice and racism both in his career as a footballer and as a soldier.
“I’ve suggested that this statue should be placed in a prominent position on the approach to the new stadium.” (Full story here)
And then also more on the problems of queues at our Post Offices in the run-up to Christmas:
URGENT talks will be held with Post Office bosses after MP Lynne Featherstone attacked excessively long Christmas queues after half the branches were axed.
The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green said queues outside the Crouch End post office stretched far down the pavement during the festive season despite promises from the Post Office.
She said: “It’s plain to see that the remaining post offices are finding it difficult to cope with the increased customer pressure.
“It’s not exactly rocket science that closing every second post office locally would result in larger queues at the remaining shops.”
Six branches across Haringey were given the chop this summer including two in Crouch End – Ferme Park Road and Weston Park – leaving the remaining branches struggling to handle the additional customers. (Full story here)
Sharon Shoesmith
A flurry of calls from the media following the not entirely unexpected news that Sharon Shoesmith is appealing against her dismissal and apparently seeking compensation – Evening Standard jounalist said up to £170,000.
I hope her appeal fails because she signally failed in her child protection responsibilities – that was the damning conclusion of the Ed Balls ordered investigation. This concurs with my own experiences of trying to get her to deal with cases where there was a complaint against something in her department. The answer I often got was ‘children’s services are working fine’. She seems to be more interested in defending her department than dealing with the issues I brought to her.
If she were now to get paid for failure it would send out a message to those in these incredible responsible and vital positions that they can fail with impunity – and get paid for their trouble.
UPDATE: Daily Express has more, including the reaction from my colleague Robert Gorrie:
Robert Gorrie, leader of Haringey’s Liberal Democrat opposition, said: “We have said from the outset that those responsible for this tragedy should be held to account and that there should be no rewards for failure.
“Sharon Shoesmith was responsible for the council service that failed Baby P. I hope the original council decision to terminate employment without payment of notice is upheld.”
Lynne Featherstone 