There is more to being environmentally friendly than Alan Titchmarsh would like people to recognise

The MailOnline -- and BBC Gardeners' World -- report:

Hypocrites! Alan Titchmarsh blasts green campaigners who block pave their gardens or swell their carbon footprint by eating out-of-season fruit and veg

• He said saving planet is not matter solely for land management and industry
• He took aim at those who may criticise the Government for not doing enough 
• Titchmarsh, 70, also attacked those who buy fruit in the winter months 

By Emma Powell For The Daily Mail

Published: 23:09, 29 December 2019 | Updated: 23:20, 29 December 2019

Alan Titchmarsh has criticised green activists who lecture others about the environment but then block-pave their own gardens or buy imported strawberries in January.

The TV gardener said saving the planet is not a matter solely for agricultural land management and industry, but for individuals who can do more to 'make a difference to the health of planet Earth'.

'Those of us who cherish that bit of land that comes with our houses have a duty of care that is every bit as vital as that incumbent on the owners of vast estates,' he told BBC Gardeners' World magazine.

He took aim at those who may criticise the Government for not doing enough to curb global warming and climate change, in particular Extinction Rebellion protesters, yet do not do enough themselves domestically. 

'I hope that none of the Extinction Rebellion protesters has a block-paved front garden,' he said.

Note the difference between the headline's "green campaigners who block their gardens" and Titchmarsh's, "I hope that none of the Extinction Rebellion protesters has a block-paved garden."

Alan Titchmarsh's income is largely built around his persona as gardener and TV broadcaster, and he has gone on from that to fronting advertising for Sun Life Funeral Plans https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-planning/funeral-plans/

Sun Life Guaranteed Funeral Plan is fronted by Alan Titchmarsh who says it's
"One of the most affordable ways to cover a funeral."

We might ask how much he is making from that promotion in addition to his income from BBC broadcasting that notoriously showers high salaries on presenters.

I would add that a great many Extinction Rebellion younger supporters have not been taught gardening as a basic skill but they do realise that government policies have let climate crises fester.

We live in the legacy of how the robber barons and Enclosures Acts that helped carve the way to capitalism in which people lose touch with the land. As people have lost touch with the land, we have become more dependent upon others' produce via an increasingly global market, and that was one of the driving forces of the Industrial Revolution going hand in hand with British colonisation of other lands and import-export arrangements.

If capitalism is the root cause, ecosocialism is the antidote

I believe that the antidote is ecosocialism, and refer readers to the Green Left Blog http://greenleftblog.blogspot.com/ and London Green Left Blog http://londongreenleft.blogspot.com/ on ecosocialism, and Prof. Guy Standing's book Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ACYBGNRFPlaY8m160tA809ez94dd7WZLrA%3A1577787706249&ei=OiELXor2DoSi1fAPxoWOgA0&q=%22guy+standing%22+%22plunder+of+the+commons%22&oq=%22guy+standing%22+%22plunder+of+the+commons%22&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i30.9113.11069..14984...0.2..0.154.994.0j7......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i7i30.zyawUCDTC5Q&ved=0ahUKEwiK-4ue1d_mAhUEURUIHcaCA9AQ4dUDCAo&uact=5

accompanied by the communal wonders of community gardening
https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/search?q=gardening

See also 

https://newsforwardsfromalanwheatley.blogspot.com/2019/11/government-policy-and-global-investment-as-plunder-of-the-Commons.html

Post Script

I especially welcome the comment below from 'Unknown', and point out that comments submitted anonymously are not altogether ruled out for their anonymity:

I remember Alan Titchmarsh writing in the Radio Times about a decade ago questioning the science of climate change, trotting out the tired old cliche that weather has always been variable. He and others in high profile positions (eg David Bellamy) who have questioned climate science over the years have done more to damage our chances of keeping global warming to a safe level than any number of XR activists who might buy fruit out of season or have a paved front garden.

Google search link "alan titchmarsh" "climate change denial" 

The following search link was created by using keywords "alan titchmarsh" "climate change denial"

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=%22alan+titchmarsh%22+%22climate+change+denial%22

NB: Use of all lower case letters as above in a Google search is quite acceptable, even when using 'proper names'; and quotation marks are a handy device for ensuring that the exact phrase or name combination is located.

Advice for Renters of London Borough of Brent December 2019 Newsletter

I am republishing this here from https://mailchi.mp/e9af43fe0c94/merry-christmas-and-a-happy-new-year-from-a4r to help illustrate the fact that council funds can and should be used to help restore socio-economic justice.

It also contains information about national UK — or at least England & Wales — housing legislation that private tenants in other local authorities can apply to their area.

Advice4Renters December 2019 Newsletter

Starfish in tank observes star on top of Xmas tree and comments: "Now, THAT'S gotta hurt..."

From everyone at Advice4Renters
We would like to wish all of our readers, clients and supporters...
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

In this edition...

We are looking forward to 2020 and the legal changes that are coming up;

• If you signed a tenancy agreement before 20 March 2019, after 20 March 2020 you can use the Homes Fitness for Habitation Act 2019 (unless you sign a new tenancy or your tenancy becomes a monthly rolling contract). However, you should still contact your local council if you are worried about conditions in your home. They have powers to take action on your behalf, at no cost to you.
• ...and we flagged this up in our last newsletter but the government have been looking at ways to end of section 21 no-fault evictions. If they can get this right it could mean a huge shift in the way tenants are treated.  Roll on 2020!

Its cold out there, and at this time our thoughts turn to people sleeping on the streets. If you are concerned about someone sleeping rough, send an alert to StreetLink by visiting www.streetlink.org.uk, via the mobile app, available for Apple and Android devices, or by calling 0300 500 0914. 
 

---

2020 Resolutions 

You probably haven’t started to think about New Year Resolutions yet, but take it from us, the guilt about the amount of booze and plum pudding will raise its head on 1^st January, so we thought we help by giving you some suggestions.

First, for all private renters, 

“I won’t wait until my landlord is threatening to evict me; I will give Advice4Renters a call at the first sign of trouble so they can help me to nip it in the bud.”

For the landlords who read our newsletter (believe me there are some…)

“I’ll get my surveyor to check for any disrepair as soon as they can, and I’ll get things fixed promptly to make sure that my tenants are warm and dry in their homes.  The only cold thing will be my RENT FREEZE.”

For our voluntary sector partners,

“We resolve to look at how we can work more closely together in 2020, learning more about who provides what services, and making sure that residents who come to us, know how to access other services beyond our own remit”

For our local Councillors,

“We will not only support the voluntary sector, and listen to what they say, we will address the changes that they suggest are needed, which are not all dependent on resources, but will often save the Council time and money.”

For Council Officers,

“I resolve to accept that when A4R criticise us, it’s because they care passionately about getting a better deal for private renters, and I will work with them to see how we can address their concerns.”

To our great team of volunteers (and potential volunteers):

“I will start, or I will continue, to give a few hours a week to helping Advice4Renters with their valuable work, because I believe in their cause, but also because it’s fun.”

For all our wonderful grant funders,

“We will continue to support the voluntary sector and will remember that the number of disadvantaged groups in the private rented sector is growing every year, and they need more support.”
 

For any potential donors who receive our newsletter (regular readers please share!),

“I resolve to support vulnerable low income renters throughout the year by donating to Advice4Renters!”

Err... That’s enough Resolutions, Ed.
Have a very happy New Year!

Jacky.

---

It's All About Money

Please share our new social media tags for facebook and twitter far and wide. It’s All About Money is an Advice4Renters service to help those wishing to improve their financial circumstances, capability and resilience. Check out the current posts to find out how a ‘small gift can make a BIG difference’ this Christmas.

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Disability News Service: GE2019 post-mortems on disability issues

Disability News Service [weekly] uploads from Thursday 19 December 2019 were the first before the electoral tsunami that brought in a far greater majority for Tory Government. Thus four of this week's DNS stories lead with the same tag:

1. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/election-post-mortem-disabled-activists-will-regroup-and-fight-on/
2. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/election-post-mortem-activists-pledge-to-continue-austerity-fight/
3. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/election-post-mortem-number-of-disabled-mps-may-have-fallen-to-just-five/
4. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/election-post-mortem-frustration-over-campaign-failure-to-focus-on-disability/

A paragraph from the General Election Post-Mortem: Frustration over campaign failure to focus on disability story particularly caught my eye as a former Green Party Spokesperson on disability-relaed benefits issues:

Sue Bott, head of policy and research at Disability Rights UK, said:

“The level of debate about disability rights was minimal during the election campaign and even when hustings were organised to give disabled people an opportunity to question the political parties, they were cancelled because of the failure of most them to engage."

 As Green Party Spokesperson on Disability some time between 2007 and 2010, I received an invitation via Green Party Press Office to speak on behalf of Green Party of England & Wales to a British Deaf Association [British Sign Language users] alongside other parties' spokespersons. I accepted that invitation only to be told that the event had been cancelled because of non-engagement by the other parties.

And in 2010 as Green Party Spokesperson on Social Care, I received an invite via Prof. Peter Beresford to join him and spokesperson for other political parties on a panel hosted by Sir William Beveridge Foundation regarding social care and the welfare state. I attended alongside Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson) while Labour Party's Andy Burnham had perhaps been too embarrassed by his attempt to tackle potential 'cost savings' related to Disability Living Allowance.

The Conservative or Tory Party failed to send a spokesperson either.

Full list of latest Disability News Service headlines

Latest Stories

Election post-mortem: Disabled activists ‘will regroup and fight on’

Election post-mortem: Activists pledge to continue austerity fight

Election post-mortem: Number of disabled MPs may have fallen to just five

Election post-mortem: Frustration over campaign failure to focus on disability

DWP silence after PIP success rate plunges by a fifth in just a year

Deaf election candidate plans legal action over government’s access costs refusal

Ministers allow transport industry to break access laws… again

Iconic activist warns of threats to rights after ‘horrific’ election result

Election 2019: De Cordova pledges Labour will hold inquiry into DWP deaths

"Election Result: No Sweeping Changes at the end of a Grim Year for Department for Work & Pensions," says Benefits & Work Publishing

I preface this forward of latest Benefits & Work Publishing Ltd Newsletter by quoting two paragraphs:

[T]he Conservative manifesto made it clear that the use of the Human Rights Act and judicial reviews to wrest justice from over-powerful government departments will be made more difficult.
 
This last move comes as no surprise given the role that the courts played in making the last 12 months grim ones for the DWP.

It is doubtful that even a significant portion of those who voted Tory in their droves read the Conservative manifesto or even knew of what a 12 grim months the Department for Work & Pensions has had via charities such as Child Poverty Action Group taking legal action against it, but the more people that do know this sort of stuff, the more difficult we can make it for whatever elected tyranny to plough ahead with what amounts to yet further corporate manslaughter.

Alan Wheatley

Benefits & Work Publishing Ltd Logo:Guides you can trust

It’s probably an understatement to say that this wasn’t the election result the majority of our readers wanted.

And when we said last week that we would send out a brief post-election update today, we were hoping to have some optimistic news.

But the chance of seeing an end to the roll out of universal credit, the removal of private sector companies from benefits assessments, an increase in ESA for claimants in the work-related activity group and all the other improvements that parties other than the Tories promised, have now been crushed.

The one consolation, if it can even be called that, is that it is very unlikely we will see any sweeping changes to the benefits system in the next few years.

If the Conservative mantra for the election was ‘Get Brexit done’ the DWP’s mantra for the next few years will be ‘Get universal credit done.’

There is likely to be little enthusiasm for taking on new challenges whilst the incredibly delayed and utterly flawed roll out of universal credit continues to lurch towards its distant goal.

Aside from rolling out UC, we will see the continued attempts of the Tribunals Service to move as many appeals as possible online.

And the Conservative manifesto made it clear that the use of the Human Rights Act and judicial reviews to wrest justice from over-powerful government departments will be made more difficult.

This last move comes as no surprise given the role that the courts played in making the last 12 months grim ones for the DWP.

It began with the news that Amber Rudd, remember her, was having to postpone legislation to transfer millions of legacy benefits claimants onto UC and go ahead with a pilot only, such was the concern that the whole thing was going to be a PR disaster for the Conservatives.

This was followed by the announcement that claimants in receipt of the severe disability premium (SDP) would no longer be moved onto UC by natural migration, due to a court defeat for the DWP the preceding summer.

Still in January, there was the revelation that far from cutting the cost of disability benefits by 20 per cent as the DWP intended, PIP had resulted in an increase in costs of 15 to 20 per cent.

In February the DWP had to widen the scope of its project to check whether claimants who were moved from incapacity benefit to ESA were given the wrong award. It now covered 600,000 claimants.

In April, the Royal College of GPs was amongst those demanding the DWP rewrite its misleading fit note advice to claimants because it was endangering patients health. The DWP bowed to pressure and complied.

May saw the start of a fight back against the DWP’s fake news campaign in support of UC.

It would end with the advertising watchdog finding the DWP guilty of publishing misleading adverts.

September witnessed the demise of Amber Rudd after less than a year in office. Her replacement, Therese Coffey, has yet to make her mark. Judging by how long previous ministers have lasted, she will not have long to do so.

Also in September we had the news that the success rate for both PIP and ESA appeals had risen again to an all-time high of 75%.

In October, the DWP revealed that it had so far paid out over £37 million in to claimants who lost out on the severe disability premium (SDP) when they were migrated from legacy benefits such as ESA and UC.

Still in October, the DWP announced that, following another court case it had lost, it would be checking yet more PIP decisions to see if claimants were entitled to additional payments.

November saw Benefits and Work readers crowdfund a legal bid to end the DWP’s cynical practice of forcing claimants to undergo a mandatory reconsideration before they can appeal a decision. The case should be going ahead soon.

And so, into a new year in which we will hope for further victories for claimants before attempts to nobble the judicial system can be put in place.

Whatever the coming months bring, we plan on still being here to support claimants, as we have done for the last 17 years.

Meanwhile, in this brief period of calm, we would like to wish all our readers a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

We’ll be back on 15 January.

Good luck,


Steve Donnison and The Office Team
Benefits and Work Publishing Ltd
Company registration No. 5962666

 See also https://newsforwardsfromalanwheatley.blogspot.com/2019/12/scandal-of-disabled-and-ill-people-denied-benefits.html

Payday Men's Network supporting whistleblowers Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning

(I apologise for late posting: I've only just received this info.

Alan Wheatley)


From Payday Men's Network/Refusing to Kill

Refusing to Kill is not Crime

Payday - a network of men working with the Global Women's Strike

Dear friends

We hope you can join these events in support of Julian Assange.

As it is Chelsea’s birthday on 17 December, we also invite you to write to her and/or send us a message which we will include in a birthday card we are sending to her. Take photos too with a birthday message calling for her immediate release.

FREE Julian Assange

No extradition

PROTEST 19-20 Dec 2019

 No US extradition - Protect our Publishers & Sources

ASSANGE US EXTRADITION CASE MANAGEMENT COURT HEARING

FRI - 20/12/2019

FROM 8AM

JOIN US

Westminster Magistrates Court,

181 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5BR

Nearest tube: Edgware Rd, Marylebone

  VIDEO  Actions

 NO US EXTRADITION - PROTECT OUR PUBLISHERS & SOURCES

PROTEST CIA'S ILLEGAL SPING AGAINST JULIAN ASSANGE

A Spanish judge will question Assange about the spionage suffered in Lonon

The United Kingdom authorises the magistrate of the National Court José de la Mata to investigate whether illegal listening was delivered to the CIA

FRI - 20/12/2019

FROM 9AM

JOIN US

Westminster Magistrates Court,

181 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5BR

Nearest tube: Edgware Rd, Marylebone

 

Chelsea Manning

Herefordshire City of Sanctuary and asylum seeker and refugee prospects elsewhere

Herefordshire City of Sanctuary home page

Hereford is Herefordshire's City of Sanctuary. The Herefordshire City of Sanctuary home page says:

We are creating a culture of welcome and belonging in Hereford

What do we do?

We run a weekly Drop-In on Friday Mornings between 10-12 a.m. at the Friends Meeting house, King street, Hereford for such things as help with English, local information, and craft activities.

Some volunteers are matched with refugees who have asked for specific help.

Not every place in Europe is truly welcoming of asylum seekers and refugees though, as a new film '21 Miles' illustrates. More at Camden New Journal website.

Dan Carrier of Camden New Journal reviews the fact-based film '21 Miles'

Launch of the Homelessness Bill 2019 on youtube

Taxpayers Against Poverty banner

Social Housing, Affordable Rents & Elimination of Homelessness Bill

Here is the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOV3i6TolJU&feature=youtu.be

The launch started at 2:30PM Today, Monday, 16 December 2019.

Agenda of the Launch

2.30 p.m.
Welcome -  Jennifer Nadel of Compassion in Politics

2.35 p.m.
Why launch this Bill? -  Rev Paul Nicolson

2.55 p.m.
“Housing and inequality in the UK - Inequality street" - Daniel Tomlinson, Resolution Foundation [The data referred to by Daniel is available via https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/inequality-street
]

3.15 p.m.
"The impacts of demolishing council estates and why we need more council homes" -Professor Loretta Lees [A major focus here is how London's 'out of borough placements' translated as gentrification' and loss to those displaced and thus alienated. In some cases this amounts to 'genocide', she says. Precariousness -- living on a prayer -- is rife as a cumulative result of right wing government policies. ]

3.35 p.m.
"The Social Housing, Affordable Rent and Elimination of Homelessness Bill" - Ian Wise QC

[Ian outlines the obligations his Bill places on local authorities to monitor housing issues in their area, and also the corresponding obligations placed upon the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government that are legally binding and enforceable.]

3.55 p.m.
Response from Councillor Zena Brabazon, Deputy Leader Haringey Council. Labour Party. [Zena was elected to Haringey Council in 2018 after campaigning actively against the Haringey Development Vehicle that Paul Nicolson was campaigning against. Through her campaigning she also met Prof Loretta Lees. Council housing policy has since been informed by inputs from Zacchaeus 2000 Trust, Child Poverty Action Group and other organisations. As a ward councillor she has also been informed by contact with ward constituents and her work as a school governor in recognising the extent of child poverty. She also acknowledges the life foundation given her by a caring state -- "not a nanny state: just a decent state."

She also thanked Paul Nicolson for his pre-2018 Haringey Council elections campaign of civil disobedience in refusing to pay Council Tax while many in that borough were made poorer by its Council Tax Reduction Scheme ignorance of their plight. Full Council Tax Reduction has been restored to the poorest families and Paul's refusal to pay Council Tax has ended.

She thinks the Bill drafted by Ian Wise is "a brilliant initiative" against the inhuman constraints imposed by right wing central government.

4.15 p.m.
Questions and discussion 

4.55 p.m.
Conclusion - Jennifer Nadel of Compassion in Politics

5.00 p.m.
END

NB: The event was originally to be chaired by Debbie Abrahams MP, but as a family friend of the late Frank Dobson MP she was attending Frank's funeral

See also https://newsforwardsfromalanwheatley.blogspot.com/2019/10/government-and-fiona-bruce-backing-for-mipim-uk-summit-2019.html

After the landslide victory for demonisation of anti-Zionists, what next?

I believe it would be fair to say that the Tory landslide victory at UK General Election 2019 has been largely spearheaded by the false attacks on Jeremy Corbyn as 'antisemitic'.

Map highlights Tory landslide outside of Scotland.Tory seats in blue, Scottish National Party seats in yellow.Source: Electoral Reform Society

So, in effect, we have had more than Russian meddling into our national democratic process, but also Israeli meddling, as Tony Greenstein highlighted a few years ago.
https://azvsas.blogspot.com/2017/06/labour-friends-of-israel-zionists-are.html
Tony is himself an anti-Zionist Jew.

Now, the Jerusalem Post reports that Boris Johnson plans to ban the Boycotting, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) of produce from the State of Israel:

Jerusalem Post reports that Boris Johnson's Government will banBoycotting, Divestment & Sanctions of Israeli produce as 'anti-semitic'

Jerusalem Post reports:

The new Conservative government in the UK will pass a law making it illegal for public bodies to engage with BDS, UK Special Envoy for post-Holocaust issues Eric Pickles said at the International Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s conference in Jerusalem on Sunday.

BDS is deemed 'anti-semitic', just as any opposition to the actions of the State of Israel are deemed anti-semitic by the State of Israel and its supporters in the subjugation of Palestine.

Meanwhile, there are Jews who advocate Boycotting, Divestment & Sanctions of Israeli goods, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods.

J4BIG banner on their Facebook site

So, if you do Facebook, you might like to contact JBIG.

Scandal of disabled and ill people denied benefits

I thank Hereford Times for Peter John’s special investigation ‘Scandal of disabled and ill people denied benefits’ (December 12 print edition, p4).

I believe it will be helpful for me to add from my experience as a successful disability benefit tribunal appellant, former Green Party spokesperson on such matters, and former activist with Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group (KUWG) before moving to Hereford, and regular reader of specialist Disability News Service.

A vital issue regarding assessments for eligibility for the disability benefits Employment & Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment is captured in the golden motto of KUWG: “Never attend anywhere official alone.” The presence of a ‘McKenzie Friend’ at the face-to-face assessments provides the claimant with a potential witness as well as moral support. Unpaid case workers from KUWG had an excellent record of supporting claimants all the way, and attending with case worker often stopped the need for tribunal in the first place.

It is also essential with regard to the ‘Work Capability Assessment’ (WCA) for Employment & Support Allowance eligibility, that the claimant and/or their form filler understands the ‘descriptors’ of both the ‘Work Capability Assessment’ itself and the related ‘Low Capacity for Work Related Activity’ (lcwra) and how these relate to the claimant’s condition. Descriptors for the latter define whether the claimant enter the sanctions-free-zone of ‘Support Group’ entitlement that also comes with more income. KUWG subscribed to specialist guide papers regarding ESA and PIP assessments.

The matter of claimants being routinely re-tested as Disability United spokesperson points out is inappropriate. My ESA tribunal in December 2009 put me into the Support Group; the £1200 back money was not processed into my a/c till end of February 2010, and the issue of re-assessment papers that August left me bent double with shock after being a decades long disabled jobseeker. I eventually managed to make my 2012 WCA my last bout of ‘Russian Roulette’ procedures before 2018 retirement via appeal to DWP copying in my MP.

In closing I add that Tory Government’s response to the cost of the tribunal system [and appellant’s DWP-shaming success rate] has not been to reduce the pressures on the assessor companies to rule claimants ineligible,(1) but to attempt to remove the tribunal panel’s live access to the claimant. Specialist lawyer Steve Donnison has said of making the assessment entirely on the basis of ‘the papers presented’: “Appeal panels have to make a decision about the honesty and credibility of an appellant. It’s far easier for them to make this judgement if the claimant is in front of them answering their questions.”

This disadvantage is exacerbated by the fact, which advocates stress, that many claimants appealing a decision aren’t actually aware of the criteria for being eligible for benefits. “And when the appeal is by paper, the tribunal has no way of filling in the gaps in the evidence,” Donnison adds. “So they can’t make an award.”(2)

Alan Wheatley

Notes

    1. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/wca-death-doctor-dwp-put-immense-pressure-on-atos-to-find-claimants-fit-for-work/
    2. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/12/online-benefits-appeals-tribunals-disabled

Jeremy Corbyn's 10th time as Islington North elected MP declaration speech in full

I am posting this to help highlight the human decency of the man.

Due to the competitive nature of election campaigning, policy emphases and tribal allegiances, such matters tend to distract from what we have in common.

Enough said by me at present on this matter.

Alan Wheatley

From Islington Tribune newspaper

Read Jeremy Corbyn’s declaration speech in full

Source:  http://camdennewjournal.com/article/jeremy-corbyns-declaration-speech-in-full

Labour leader of four years announces plans to step down

13 December, 2019

Jeremy Corbyn arriving at the count. Photo: Islington Tribune

(Islington Tribune is the sibling paper of Camden New Journal.)

ISLINGTON North MP’s full speech after announcement he had retained his seat.

Could I start by saying a huge thank you to the returning officer and all the staff and the police that have ensured a fair and democratic election has taken place today.

And also to congratulate and thank my fellow candidates for their participation in this election. And also a very heartfelt thanks to the people of Islington North for electing me again for the 10th time to represent Islington North in Parliament.

I’m very, very proud to do so and I’ve learned so much from the people of Islington North and it’s my pride and my pleasure to continue to be their representative in Parliament.

I also want to thanks Ruth Hayes our agent for this election, and all of the wonderful friends, comrades and supporters in Islington North Labour Party for the huge effort they put in in this election campaign and they put in all the time to carry a message of hope and justice, all over our constituency and through me, I hope to a wider world.

The pressure on those surrounding politicians is often very, very high indeed. The media intrusion on people’s lives is very high indeed. And the attacks that take place against family and loved ones of politicians continue and they are disgraceful and frankly, they are disgusting.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my family, my close friends, and those that have been close by and been very supportive during this and every other election campaign. I want to thank my three sons for the huge support they give me and I thank my wife, Laura Alvarez for all which she puts up with because of the way in which the media behave towards me, towards her and indeed, towards my party during this election campaign.

This is obviously a very disappointing night for the Labour Party with the results that we’ve got. But I want to say this, in the election campaign, we put forward a manifesto of hope, a manifesto of unity and a manifesto that would help to right the wrongs and the injustices and inequalities that exists in this country. For those who need housing, those who need an effective health service that will deliver for them. And those children that need a school that is properly funded, and they’re not being taught in oversized classes. And a manifesto that gave hope in dealing with the environmental crisis the world faces, by investing for the future through a green industrial revolution.

All of those policies were extremely popular during the election campaign and remain policies that have huge popular support all across this country. However, Brexit has so polarised and divided debate in this country, it is overridden so much of a normal political debate. And I recognise that has contributed to the result that the Labour Party has received this evening all across this country. The issues of social justice and the issues of needs of people will not go away. Just because Brexit is dealt with in the way in which Boris Johnson presumably plans to deal with at the moment, all those issues will come back centre stage in the debate.

And the fundamental Labour message about justice and equality within our society is going to be one that is there for all time because it’s the very core of what my party believes in and what I will always advocate on behalf of my constituency, and on behalf of my party.

I want to also make it clear that I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign. I will discuss with our party to ensure there is a process now of reflection on this result. And on the policies that the party will take going forward. And I will lead the party during that period to ensure that discussion takes place and we move on into the future.

I’m very proud of the trust that our half million members put in me to lead this party. And I’m very proud of the way that we fought this election campaign. We did not descend into the gutter, we did not undertake personal abuse, we undertook the task of getting a message of hope and justice to every part of this country.

And I’m very grateful to the Labour Party in Islington North for being very tolerant to the fact that I didn’t spend as much time in this election campaign in Islington as obviously I would want to do because I’ve been traveling around the whole country to ensure that Labour message is put there.

But I want to say this, I will remain the MP for Islington North and I’m proud to represent the people of Islington North, and I’m proud in Parliament and outside, that we will forever continue the cause for socialism for social justice, and for a society based on the needs of all rather than the greed of a few.

That is what makes our party what it is. And I’m very proud of the achievements of our party and the development of its manifesto and its ideas.

And I tell you what, those ideas and those principles are eternal, and they will be there for all time. I thank the people of Islington North once again, for putting their faith and trust in me. I will work as I always have to represent and defend the people of my constituency, because they’re very special and I owe them so much and they have all taught me so much. Thank you very much.

How would UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'fix' social care?

Photo of Liz Truss from Disability News Service

Recent reports in Hereford Times (1) (2) (3) flag up quality deficits in social care provision in the County that I recognise as borne largely of cuts in public spending that actually predate the 2010 General Election and the 2008 banks collapse. And those deficits  –  relating to residential homes and social worker working conditions – are likely to be exacerbated by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’ vow to “get Brexit done” (4) while Government Minister Liz Truss has stated that the Social Care Green Paper [public consultation document] that Johnson claimed would ‘fix’ social care’ does not exist!(5)

I was born with an invisible disability and that helped me connect with adults with learning difficulties when I was a Basic Education Learning Support Volunteer in 2004 and latterly domiciliary care worker to learning disabled adults in 2005/06 on 3 hour contact sessions with inadequate in-service training due to cuts in central government funding of local authorities. My metaphor for the latter role was ‘an all-terrain vehicle’: the term ‘learning difficulties’ covers a very broad constituency.

Nowadays, many care sessions are just 15 minutes long, and the workers are still not paid for travel between care sessions and/or preparation time. Low quality, negligent care arising from this has been identified in a Kings Fund charity report “consistently identified by service users, carers and families, policy-makers and people working in the sector. ”(6)

Like the NHS, UK social care is largely dependent upon skilled staff trained abroad, including EU migrant workers without whom social care in the UK would be the poorer.

Boris Johnson said in Downing Street in July after becoming prime minister: “… and so I am announcing now – on the steps of Downing Street – that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared.” (7) With prospective post-Brexit trade deal terms and conditions  yet to be determined, I am reminded that as Green Party Spokesperson on Disability in 2008 confronted by a ‘No-one written off: Reforming welfare to reward responsibility’ Green Paper in which the consultation questions related more to ‘rewarding’ work-for-your-benefits global corporations than even recognising the existence of disabled jobseekers of which I was one.(8)

Alan Wheatley

Notes

1. http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/18011020.damning-cqc-report-herefordshire-nursing-home/
2. http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/18011020.damning-cqc-report-herefordshire-nursing-home/
3. http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/18084096.social-workers-in-tears-huge-workload/
4. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=%22boris+johnson%22+%22get+brexit+done%22
5. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/election-2019-minister-thinks-social-care-green-paper-does-not-exist/
6. https://www.maturetimes.co.uk/social-care-a-new-view/
7. https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/election-2019-minister-thinks-social-care-green-paper-does-not-exist/
8. http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/GPEW_writing_off-workfare_final.doc

WALKING! Grenfell silent walk this Saturday 14 Dec - 2.5 years on

Ruth of Fuel Poverty Action, London writes the afternoon after Boris Johnson [the former Mayor of London who had gutted the London Fire & Rescue Service in the name of 'cost cutting'] was elected back as Prime Minister:

Now more than ever, for obvious reasons, it's important to have a huge turnout on 14 December, walking in a spirit of remembrance and continuing resistance, come hell or high water.  And taking inspiration from this unvanquishable community.

https://www.facebook.com/GrenfellSilentWalk/  

I'm definitely going -- anyone like to hook up with me?

Ruth

Greenfell Tower Facebook site proclaims:

Posts

Grenfell Tower - Silent Walk

38 mins ·

Please join us on the silent walk tomorrow leaving from Kensington Town Hall. The walk will now begin at 7pm instesd of 6.30pm.

1313

1 share

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As it's very difficult for me to get to London from Hereford these days, I can at least blog this message in solidarity as a means of 'hooking up' with Ruth and whoever, and can perhaps do a 'silent walk' in Hereford at about the same time -- 7pm Saturday, 14 December 2019.

Clarifying what this is about for a global readership

 In the past week, this blog site has received a global readership, probably attracted by my use of GE2019 'search labels' for blog posts.

Entry	Pageviews
Saudi Arabia	138
Ukraine	125
United Kingdom	74
United States	36
Portugal	6
Ireland	4
Germany	2
Belgium	1
Japan	1
Mexico	1

To help educate such readers a little about the Grenfell Tower disaster, I refer such readers to

Search Results

Web results

Grenfell Tower fire - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Grenfell_Tower_fire

Grenfell Tower was part of the Lancaster West Estate, a council housing complex in North Kensington. The 24-storey tower block was designed in 1967 in the Brutalist style of the era by Clifford Wearden and Associates, and the Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council approved its construction in 1970.

Deaths‎: ‎72

Location‎: ‎Grenfell Tower‎, ‎North Kensington, L...

Date‎: ‎14 June 2017; 2 years ago

Non-fatal injuries‎: ‎74 hospitalised

‎Grenfell Tower Inquiry · ‎Piper Alpha · ‎Cladding · ‎Summerland disaster

I also add in closing that Fuel Poverty Action, London, has a campaign for proper Safe Cladding and Insulation Now (SCIN) https://www.fuelpovertyaction.org.uk/affiliation-2/
and I believe that after London Government Office Region voters in 2016 showed strong support for the UK to Remain in the European Union, memories of his London Mayoral legacy consolidated the tendency for London voters in 2019 to go against the national trend toward a biassed mass media-induced fervour for Boris Johnson as Prime Minister instead of Jeremy Corbyn.
https://ge2019.electoral-reform.org.uk/region/london

And walking helps 'get my brain and all of my being in gear' for what to do next!

Alan Wheatley