Category Archives: Blog

Will Harriet Harman or Peter Mandelson triumph?

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Well – if Peter Mandelson says he wants a clampdown on any expansion of flexi-time or family friendly policies – then it makes the warning I gave on Thursday night very timely!

I warned that the recession would see business hawks targeting the very good laws that already exist and the few beneficial ones to come from the Single Equalities Bill (due in this Parliamentary session) in the name of helping the economy. But actually – giving your staff good conditions is what helps you get the very best staff – and in tough times that’s exactly what firms need! Not to mention families too needing flexible time most when times are tough and people are under pressure.

So it will be war in the cabinet as the business hawks try and strip away equality in the name of business. And in this melee – guess which side the Tories will be on.

Let’s see what Ms Harman is made of as she wades into battle with the business hawks. She clearly lost the battle to have mandatory pay audits – retreating to very weak voluntary audits. Let’s see what she manages this time…

Friends of the Earth and Highgate Library

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Lynne Featherstone in Muswell Hill signing Friends of the Earth petition on renewable energyFirst event of the day is signing a ‘graffiti wall’ to support Friends of the Earth who are campaigning to keep the Government to its promised target of 15% renewable energy.

Given Labour’s long years in power and paltry green energy achievements to show for it – this will be quite a task. Full marks to FoE for their campaigns – some of the most effective I have seen since becoming an MP. I wrote on the wall “Win! Win! Renewables + Green Collar Jobs”. Jobs in the environmental sector are one way to save the planet and come out of the recession!

Finished the day with a lovely event – the official opening of the Highgate Library garden. Susan Chinn is the driving force behind almost everything that Highgate Library has achieved.

Together with an equally enthusiastic team from Highgate Library Action Group and really committed library staff – this garden has been eked out (penny by funding penny) to provide just the most gorgeous space to reflect and inspire. We were treated to songs in Italian by a tenor – and standing in this beautiful garden where children will blossom and adults will breath inspiration – I have to say definitely a joy to be there.

My summer project finishes

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Spent about three and a half hours at Haringey’s Youth Offending Services receiving a thorough briefing on all aspects of how our young people are treated in and around the justice system. I met a number of very, very committed officers and volunteers who are incredibly enthusiastic about the work they are doing.

The area that slightly worried me was around restorative justice – where the people are phenomenal, the effect on dealing with crime justly and cutting crime very welcome – but the funding is minimal.

The Government seems to have very deep pockets when it comes to shoving people in prison – where young offenders learn from the criminal experts and don’t change their behaviour, with the result – very high reoffending rates. But those pockets turn very shallow when it comes to smarter approaches to cutting crime – such as putting in more effort to help change people’s behaviour so that they don’t commit more crime in the future.

Followed by one of my last visits to sheltered housing on my summer project of visiting every sheltered housing or supported housing scheme in Hornsey & Wood Green. Just as last year – when my mission was to visit every shop on every little parade or high street on foot – and I only got to around 60% – so this year I have only managed about 60% of the schemes. However, I may be over-ambitious (and short of time) but it has been so worthwhile – and outside of taking up the key issues which are, as ever, about bus driver behaviour, broken and dangerous paving stones, closure of our local Post Offices and free foot care (lack of) – I have had the most interesting and rewarding time talking to the people I have met about their lives.

Debating equalities

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Have to run off slightly early from Haringey’s Youth Question Time at the Civic Centre to make it for a three-way panel – Harriet Harman, Theresa May and myself, who were invited by WIPP (Women in Public Policy) to debate the new Equalities Bill. Not that we’ve seen it yet – as the Government hasn’t published it yet. Harriet didn’t come – substitute was Emily Thornberry with whom I often appera Westminster Hour.

It was a relatively small group of women who came to the debate in my old stomping ground of London’s City Hall – but a very important and influential one for all that. Very much enjoyed talking afterwards to a woman (who turned out to be a constituent) who is CEO at the Stephen Lawrence Trust and others.

Why I'm so proud of the children at Nightingale School

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Went to Nightingale School to talk to them about the wonderful project they have taken up – Schools for Africa. This is a charity set up by Sally Keeble (the Labour MP I went to South Africa with last year), who has done lots of work on AIDS. The charity basically gets children here to fill boxes to send to Africa for children there who have nothing. It’s not clothes or shoes or money – it’s boxes for Christmas that will have things like colouring books, crayon, pencils, some toiletries and make up and some toys.

I wrote to all the schools in Haringey asking if they would like to join this project – and Nightingale stepped forward. I suspect as the years go by more will join in.

Anyway – on Monday a group of the children came up to Parliament so I showed them around and they then joined children from all over the country who are doing ‘Schools for Africa’ and heard from speakers from the World Food Organisation to Levi Roots (of Reggae, Reggae Sauce fame) telling them about the poverty and AIDS and all that is needed in Africa.

And today I went to the school assembly to tell them about the project, how it would work and who the boxes (24) will go to at Christmas. The particular cause that the Nightingale children will be supporting is AIDS orphans who are in orphanages set up by surviving women with AIDS. There are so many of these orphans – something like 650,000 who simply cannot survive and look after their siblings on their own.

Can’t think of a better way to put a smile on children’s faces – both there and here – than by this really brilliant project. Really proud of the Nightingale children!

Have your say on policing

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The Metropolitan Police Authority (on which I served for five years) is having a ‘have your say’ on policing in London to hear what Londoners think should be policing priorities for 2010/11.

Whatever I think about the new management – for those who don’t get my nuance – I mean Boris Johnson, who has taken over the chair of the authority (which is why Ian Blair went bye-bye) – it is still an opportunity to say what you want the police to concentrate on in future.

The real question is whether contributions will see an affect on outcome as we are all very suspicious of consultation here Haringey. However, born an optimist, I hope people will contribute, and am then happy to do battle to get open and transparent analysis of the submissions and fight for them in the outcomes!

The questionnaire can be downloaded from www.mpa.gov.uk/yourviews/haveyoursay.htm

Haringey Council and Icelandic bank account

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So – the world saviour is enjoying his moment in the sun. Lord knows it’s been a pretty frozen existence for the rest of Gordon Brown’s first year or so. However, the recriminations over the financial meltdowns have kicked off big time and it was him stirring the financial pot and writing the recipes over the last ten years.

Here in sunny Haringey we feel a cold wind blowing in from Iceland – and up until now have been relatively restrained in blaming Labour for what has happened with £37 million of local reserves caught in the Icelandic net of bankruptcy. However, at last night’s full council it was revealed that Haringey Council was moving money into Icleandic accounts as late as the 29th September – way way after the warnings were there. Why on earth were the Labour councillors in charge not screaming at the finance officers to move the money once the ratings had dropped?

Quite rightly, Robert Gorrie (leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Haringey Council) has called for an independent investigation.

This is what he said: “What is clear is that Haringey Council has been caught up in a financial storm that has uncovered real failings in the Council’s economic leadership. Haringey Council was typically slow to reassure residents and are still drip feeding the bare minimum of information out to the public. Repeated suggestions that losing £37 million will not impact future spending plans are simply ludicrous. This loss is almost 10 per cent of Haringey Council’s annual expenditure on services or more than 30 per cent of the Council’s own annual capital expenditure. Something will not get done as a result of this loss and the Council need to be honest with residents where and when that cut will fall.

“We must now have a full and independent investigation to get to the bottom of the decisions made to invest in these banks so the responsible parties can be properly held to account. Every pound needs to be accounted for and all residents’ worries need to be put to rest.”

Too bloody right!

Israel and Palestine

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Guest speaker yesterday at Daphna Wizo – a branch of the hugely important Wizo – the modern Jewish women’s organisation that supports Israel. Hosted by Stephanie and Simon Kester in Highpoint (a block of flats in Highgate) – where I grew up! It was hugely well attended – I suspect more for the lovely buffet luncheon than coming to hear me – but it was a real pleasure and honour to be invited.

After greetings and luncheon I was there to speak about the Liberal Democrat policy on Israel and Palestine. For those who know me of old – they will know I stick firm to the belief that the only way is forward, taking sides is pointless and counter-productive, and blaming each side for sins and wrongs gets us nowhere. My experience is that both pro-Palestinians and pro-Israelis can get cross with me!

That having been said – I am very pleased to go into even the most pro-Israel or pro-Palesinian gathering and make the case for moving forward – not looking backwards. As part of the solution – my belief (and Liberal Democrat policy) is that we need to add the Arab League to the Quartet table (i.e. make it a Quintet)- as we believe that any solution has to be strategically safeguarded and facilitated by a regional and super-power body – leaving Israel and Palestine to negotiate between them as to who moves on what on the key issues of settlements, Jerusalem, right of return and all the very, very difficult issues involved in the Middle East.

Too long to go into here – but it is a reasoned way forward that puts the players together to take it forward.

Not sure that everyone totally agreed with me. There were clearly a few who thought that inviting the Arab League to the table was not the way to move forward and clearly some concern about whether the politics in America were going to change. Given Obama and McCain have both pledged allegiance to Israel – I doubt whether America is likely to change. Of course, the Liberal Democrat proposals take the lead away from America – as we see it as part of the problem rather than the solution. It needs neutral leadership and representatives of the two nations at the table along with funders like the EU.

If no one ever changes their position on the Israeli or the Palestinian side – particularly no negotiation before recognition – then nothing will change. That is why the Liberal Democrat proposals give a framework which allows both sides to move without losing face on that stand-off which has long stood in the way of peace in the Middle East.

As I was leaving, one of the women came up to me and said – thank you for such a well-balanced approach and ‘I’m totally with you’. So – clearly audience weren’t all sceptical!

Haringey's Icelandic money

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So it seems that Haringey Council has invested £37 million in Icelandic banks – and the Chancellor (in his statement earlier this week) made it pretty clear that councils – who he called ‘informed corporate investors’ – could go swing.

I immediately contacted Alistair Darling to ask that he not let Haringey residents suffer as a result.

I am concerned that no information as to details of what is included in the investments is being allowed to me or Robert Gorrie (Liberal Democrat Council Group leader). All the Chief Exec will say that the problem is ‘manageable’ and that the Local Government Association is acting for all involved councils.

Haringey Council is not alone. A hundred councils, police authorities and charities are in similar positions – although Haringey’s exposure is the largest in London.

The Prime Minister appears to have gone to war with Iceland – freezing its assets here by using a law from the 2001 terrorist act. Iceland is not best pleased.

Nigel Scott wins

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Great that Nigel Scott romped home in the Alexandra ward by-election with around 50% of the vote – fantastic! I’ve known him for many years and he’ll be a great councillor.

It was an interesting by-election in that both Labour and Tories really threw everything they had at it in a way they haven’t done for a while.

I guess for the Tories they were trying to see if there was any resurrection possible – they don’t have any councillors anywhere in Haringey – and their answer was no. And Labour were probably both desperate not to come third and can see the writing on the wall for the local council elections in 2010 when the view is that the Lib Dems will take it over after 40 years of Labour rule. Afraid the writing is still on the wall!