Sudan arrests

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I am contacting David Miliband to ask him to make urgent representations to Sudan about the arrest of 51 women activists in front of the court in Khartoum this morning. This is completely unacceptable. According to an email forwarded to me three of those women have been injured and had to be taken to hospital.

And what were these activists protesting about? The trial of Lubna Hussein. Lubna Hussein is a Sudanese woman faces a flogging and lashes for wearing trousers. She resigned her UN job which would have afforded her immunity so that she could fight for Sudanese women’s human rights.

The Times has a fuller version: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6824037.ece

I suggest anyone reading this should email David Miliband immediately to call for the release of the 51 women and the ending of such archaic and repressive laws.

Local Liberal Democrats call for better battery recycling in Haringey

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In a bid to make it easier for local residents to recycle their household batteries, local Liberal Democrats have today called on Haringey Council to increase the number of battery recycling points in the borough.

Currently, residents can only recycle their batteries at Haringey Council’s two recycling centres – in Hornsey or Tottenham. In contrast, several local authorities across the country run successful schemes that give residents the opportunity to recycle their batteries in special battery recycling points on the streets or in local shops.

Lynne Featherstone MP and Liberal Democrat Green spokesperson Cllr Bob Hare, are today calling on Haringey Council to look at innovative options that will make it easier for residents to recycle their batteries instead of throwing them in the normal rubbish.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

‘Batteries, especially if old or broken, can be very dangerous to people and the planet. Throwing them away with the normal rubbish sadly means they end up on the landfill, with potentially very worrying long-term consequences.

‘Recycling needs to be easy and accessible – we all want to do our bit for the planet – but if that means driving half-way across Haringey to recycle our batteries, many may feel it is not worth the extra effort or the extra carbon foot-print.

‘That’s why we are calling on Haringey Council to look at options to help residents make the green choice when it comes to disposing of old batteries.’

Cllr Bob Hare adds:

‘I hope Haringey Council will take a good hard look at the many innovative and simple options out there that will make it easy for residents to recycle their batteries, either by dropping them off in battery points on their street, at their local library or shop.’

Labour do not care about Finsbury Park residents say Liberal Democrats

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Liberal Democrats have demanded that a Labour councillor stand down from a local regeneration board after it was revealed that the councillor has not attended for nearly two years.

Cllr Gina Adamou, who is councillor for Harringay ward, has not attended a meeting of the FinFuture board, which aims to improve the Finsbury Park area, since early 2008. This has prompted local Liberal Democrats to say that Labour do not care about improving the area and that she should make way for a Liberal Democrat councillor to attend the meetings.

Figures show that since 2007 Cllr Adamou has only attended four of the twenty board meetings that have taken place. This news comes on top of the announcement from Haringey Council earlier this year that they would scrap funding to improve the area.

Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:

‘It clear that Labour does not care about the Finsbury Park area. It is time that Cllr Adamou stood down from the FinFuture board and let a Liberal Democrat stand up for the residents of the Finsbury Park area.

‘The area around Finsbury Park is used by thousands of Haringey residents, and is in desperate need of regeneration. It beggars belief that Labour thinks that this is such a low priority.’

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

‘In June this year Labour pulled funding for anti-dumping officers for streets around Finsbury Park. Now we have a Labour councillor who is either unable or unwilling to be Haringey’s voice on an organisation that helps to regenerate the local area. This is totally unacceptable and a symptom of Labour’s neglect in this area.’

Notes

In June 2009 it was revealed in a message from the Chief Executive of FinFuture that despite problems with fly-tipping, littering and graffiti in the area, Haringey Council has ceased funding that funding for two environmental officers from 1st April 2009. Hackney and Islington Councils, who also support Finfutures financially, continues to fund one officer.

Full details of Cllr Admaou’s attendance at FinFuture board meetings:

  • In 2007/08 there were 13 Board Meetings, of which, Cllr Adamou attended 4
  • In 2008/09 there were 6 Board Meetings, of which, Cllr. Adamou attended 0
  • In 2009/10 there has been one scheduled Board Meeting so far and Cllr Adamou gave her apologies.

We're sick of jam tomorrow!

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Just watched Trevor Phillips on Andrew Marr saying that tomorrow the Equality Commission are going to publish (finally) their report into unequal pay in the financial services sector – and ‘it’s shocking’! No kidding? We know that – so presumably it’s even worse than we thought and women are not only getting unequal pay and unequal bonuses (setting aside the issue of size of bonus momentarily) but the differential will be staggering. So much so – that the Equality Commission says that if the City doesn’t come to heel – they will have to use their statutory powers. Oooooooh! Warm wards indeed.

And yet – the biggest flunk this century in terms of ending pay inequality comes from the Equality Commission itself who rant on about the importance of the Equality Bill currently going through Parliament yet failed to do anything really significant on women’s pay in the Bill. In the Bill was / is the opportunity to make all companies publish their pay scales and value male and female jobs.

The Equality Commission, clearly in cahoots with the Labour Government and running scared of the CBI, refuses to endorse mandatory pay audits saying that they will leave publication and valuation as a voluntary code for four years and then if the private sector continue on the naughty step – only then will they make it mandatory. (Forty years ago when the Equal Pay Act came in – the then Government gave business five years to get its house in order – and we are still waiting!) And whilst the Equality Commission chief equivocates his remarks by saying how hard the city is trying – it doesn’t mask what is obviously going to be a damning indictment of the lack of success it has had in so doing.

Surely what we will see tomorrow is a clarion call for all sides of the House of Commons at the Report Stage of the Bill to introduce mandatory pay audits. It was a LibDem amendment at committee stage and will be again at Report Stage. So I expect the Equality Commission to put its clout where its mouth is. It cannot be right that the Commission can investigate the financial sector – which means looking at pay scales and work value – find it to be hideously biased in its pay practise – but then draw back from supporting legislation which will make all companies publish and therefore put power into individuals to see whether they are being discriminated against to take a case forward.

I asked the Commission to look into another sector a while ago – and was told that they couldn’t because they were busy conducting the investigations into the financial sector. Equality shouldn’t have to wait until the Commission has time and resource to investigate. They cannot do everything – so give us the information to see and do for ourselves!

Lockerbie: shades of Alexander Litvinenko

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When Alexander Litvinenko was murdered (in Muswell Hill), poisoned – I challenged the Government and then Home Secretary John Reid to pursue his killer without fear nor favour, however close the trail got to the Russian establishment.

That is the promise I got from him – but in the end – and despite taking Mrs Litvinenko for a private meeting with David Miliband in which he also promised to bring this to the European table to put pressure on from that angle – justice has never been done.

And it will never be done – because not only is there definitely fear and favour – but it would seem that real justice will always take second place to trade deals and arms deals, with political expedience coming way above the justice that ordinary folk believe in.

If the Libyan bomber had genuinely been released for genuine compassionate reasons because he was genuinely going to die within three months and we are a compassionate country and there were genuinely no other considerations – then we could argue the genuine debate about whether he should have died in prison or be released.

As it is – we have been duped again. It is quite clear, after all the leaks and all the published papers of correspondence and the contradictory statements (contradicting themselves usually)that Straw and Brown have made, how justice gets treated as an expendable add-on. The size of the tragedy at Lockerbie highlights throws into sharp relief that expendable face of justice.

Local MP helps kick-start YMCA's season of special coffee mornings

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To help kick start a year long project of activity-filled coffee mornings for the over 60s, Lynne Featherstone MP this week attended a special launch at the Hornsey YMCA.

The sessions, which will be running every Tuesday and Friday morning, will give local residents over 60 the chance to socialise, get advice on issues such as heating, dental care and housing, and get a chance to learn new and fun skills. Apart from exercise classes at the YMCA gym, residents will also get the chance to catch up on skills such as drama and drawing.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:
‘These coffee mornings are just brilliant – it’s an excellent opportunity for local residents to meet new people and learn some great skills.

‘At the same time, some great advice is on offer to help you manoeuvre through life’s jungle of bureaucracy. I hope residents will take advantage of these brilliant sessions and come along for some fun.’

Mark Odenore, Hornsey YMCA Housing Director adds:
‘Hornsey YMCA would like to thank all those who attended the launch. We have been working with older people in the community for a long time, and we are patronised by many older people in the community who use our restaurant.

‘We felt that this project would help to combat isolation, exclusion and help local residents to develop a sense of community.

‘We hope that as the project grows, it will serve as a reference point in the weekly activities of older people in the local area. We would also like to invite any member of the community aged over 60 to join the sessions, and to make use of our restaurant where we provide subsidised lunches for older people.’

Haringey to get new Chief Executive!

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Got a surprise this morning – Ita O’Donovan – Chief Executive of Haringey is retiring. Good! That means that another person who presided over the Baby Peter tragedy and aftermath is going.

I always thought it was strange that the Chief Executive’s voice was hardly heard at all during the Baby Peter case. Sharon Shoesmith – for all her faults – was out there taking the full force of public, media and everyone’s disapproval.

Anyway – moving onward and upward is the most important thing for Haringey Council. So – hopefully not only will we get a top notch new Chief Executive – we will also have a new administration next May when we have local elections – a Liberal Democrat one!

Haringey Council spends £ millions on consultants

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Haringey Council just gets worse and worse. This latest is jaw-dropping. The Government has been granting money to local authorities to help with schools buildings – ‘Building Schools for the Future’. It is a good program as so many schools have dilapidated buildings and no local authority would have the money to renew or repair to really make those schools up to date, modern with a clean, good feel. I think the environment for learning is very important – so very much welcomed this approach.

Now Haringey received something like £214 million for this program. Yesterday we found out that they spent £24 million or thereabouts on external consultants. To be fair – some of the money went on architects’ fees – which may be legitimate – but to spend 10% of the amount granted on external consultants is way out of order. The guidelines recommend 3% on consultants. So – needless to say – I will be making enquiries as to just what on earth Haringey Council has been doing. They have always been appalling at procurement – and almost every PFI deal they have negotiated has been dreadful for Haringey and very good for the developer! Robert Gorrie, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Haringey Council (who is a very experienced businessman) will be demanding to see the breakdowns and the figures. Given he is likely to be Council Leader if the LibDems win the Council from its 40 years of Labour misrule in next May’s elections – he is very, very concerned about the finances.

One thing concerned me though, was the newspapers focus on what part Sharon Shoesmith may have played in this. She was Director of Education – but how much procurement involved her I am not sure. It needs looking into – but whilst I believed that she should lose her job because she was in the accountable position in Baby Peter’s case – she has lost her job. I don’t think she should come in for a battering on everything to do with education in Haringey – and in fact – she had a very good reputation in terms of her education role. It was the child protection and social services side wherein the problems lay.

Sky has the cojones!

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Three cheers for Sky TV! At last – a broadcaster has the cojones to try and force a leadership debate. The nation demands. Sky will deliver.

Nick Clegg and David Cameron have accepted the gauntlet laid down by Sky – but guess who’s late to the party?

Now he’s damned if he does – but probably more damned if he doesn’t. Gordon’s nightmare just got worse – and no – he can’t send Mandy in his place.

I remember threatening, when I was Chair of Transport at the London Assembly and South West Trains would not turn up to an emergency meeting to try and avert a strike, to place a ‘tub of lard’ in their empty seat. This wasn’t an original idea – alas – but stemmed from Roy Hattersley’s famous failure to appear on Have I Got New for You as Paul Merton’s team mate.

Could the famous tub of lard be resurrected and placed on the threatened empty chair promised by Sky if Gordon flunks it.

I digress.

The question Gordon really has to answer is which is worse? Going on the show and making a complete stuff up? Not going on the show? A nasty choice. Of course – there is a third way – he could prep for it and answer honestly. That’s his only and best bet.

Social workers needed!

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I watched Ed Balls this morning on GMTV. He was there to launch the Government’s new campaign to recruit more social workers. The campaign uses actors to give a voice to those in society who are in trouble and need the support of social workers. And I really welcome the move as we are having some trouble attracting social workers to Haringey (not surprisingly) – but also generally throughout the country it is a job that people are reluctant to take on.

And I thought the GMTV interviewer was spot on when she said to Ed Balls – who was banging on about the use of the actors in the ad -that it wasn’t about an ad or a campaign, but surely it was much more about what they were paid, what support they got and the importance of training and good management. Absolutely right.

Balls said that they were putting a lot of resources into training and support – so let’s hope that is the case. As to the campaign to attract social workers – I hope it works. It must be one of the most important jobs there is to do – and to do a job that can and should do so much good and bring so much hope and help into the lives of people at their point of need must be worthwhile.