Posts

Education round-up: worrying developments at Davies Lane and George Tomlinson

December 11, 2016 Academies, George Tomlinson, LBWF, Waltham Forest Schools

In previous posts, I’ve looked at some of the worrying developments that are occurring in relation to the governance of Waltham Forest schools. Now word reaches me of two further instances which set alarm bells ringing. Davies Lane Primary School recently was taken over by the Arbor Academy Trust. Almost simultaneously, the governors took the decision to dismiss NUT representative Tobias Hayden. According to the union, this occurred after a disciplinary hearing held in Mr. Hayden’s absence, and stemmed from two particular aspects of his activity, which are described as follows: ... »

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LBWF backs down on proposed changes to its Council Tax Support scheme

December 2, 2016 Council tax, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Labour Party

Some good news for a change. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Labour’s plan to drastically increase the proportion of council tax that the poorer sections of society would be required to pay in the forthcoming financial year. However, I now understand that, due to pressure from Labour’s rank and file, in tandem with the opposition of ‘some’ councillors, the rate will stay the same as before, higher than other London boroughs, true, but at least flatlining. It would be nice to think that this volte-face represents a significant turning point, and that after disasters... »

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Waltham Forest Labour and anti-semitism (2)

November 18, 2016 anti-semitism, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Labour Party

This speaks for itself and is fairly shocking: http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/166110/labour-branch-chair-praised-activist-suspended-over-antisemitism In the past, Labour and anti-semitism stood at opposite poles, but now it seems to be a different story. »

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Cllr. Clare Coghill and her ‘little list’

November 16, 2016 Cllr. Chris Robbins, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Shabana Dhedi/Qadir, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

Politicians who brandish ‘little lists’ seem more prone than most to getting into trouble. The prime example is of course one-time Minister Peter Lilley, who pulled this trick in a speech at the 1992 Conservative conference, received widespread opprobrium, and then disappeared into obscurity. Now Labour Councillor Clare Coghill – thought to be Leader Chris Robbins’ choice as his successor – may be in danger of reaping the same whirlwind. The scene is a jolly gathering of comrades at a local hostelry. Cllr. Coghill holds court. The conversation turns to the future, and how the Labour Grou... »

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Council Leader Chris Robbins finally bobs off UPDATED

November 14, 2016 Cllr. Chris Robbins, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Labour Party

Several well-placed Town Hall sources tell me that, yes, it is finally true: Council Leader Chris Robbins is standing down, perhaps by Christmas, certainly by next May. Robbins has always been nervous around selection time, looming now, but in the past, he was at least able partly to control the process. However, with the influx of new members, Waltham Forest Labour is now a rather different kettle of fish. It is a reasonable assumption that most of the recruits are left-leaning, if not actually Corbynistas, and few will have much time for Robbins’ top-down’ style of managing colle... »

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LBWF’s perfidies in microcosm

November 14, 2016 LBWF, LBWF spin

A couple of weeks ago, one of my neighbours showed me the letter pasted below. The story it relates to begins some months ago. LBWF announced that it wanted to place a cycle storage pod in Odessa Rd., and contacted 100 households living on both sides of the road near the proposed site in order to get their response. As the letter reveals, 12 households replied, and of those, the (albeit narrow) majority were against. At that point, LBWF could have gracefully admitted defeat. But what it actually did – as the letter candidly admits – was fiddle the figures. Outside of the consultati... »

LBWF: it’s parsimony for the poor, but kerching for councillors

November 9, 2016 Council tax, LBWF, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

Like many people who have followed Waltham Forest politics over a number of years, I often wonder what the Labour administration in the Town Hall imagines is its overall purpose, its mission in life. Two recent developments have increased my sense of bafflement. Let’s start with an issue that directly impacts on the borough’s poor. Until 2013, every household in England struggling with low income or on benefits was part of the centrally administered Council Tax Benefit (CTB) scheme, and as a result was exempt from council tax. Subsequently, the government has replaced this system with the Coun... »

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The Conservative Party in Waltham Forest: a twitching corpse, maybe, but one that affects us all

November 2, 2016 The Conservatives in Waltham Forest

One notable fact about Waltham Forest politics is that the Conservatives have very little public presence. The party’s 16 councillors huddle in Chingford and its immediate environs. At elections, little effort is expended anywhere else. Between times, while public controversies come and go, it is difficult to recall a singe example of a significant Conservative or Conservative-led response. Symptomatically, as regards the serious matters covered by this blog – mismanagement of public funds, asbestos, religious extremism, and so on – the Conservative silence has been deafening. Indeed, as a gro... »

Extremism in Waltham Forest: an update (2)

October 28, 2016 Prevent

Two recent media stories again underline the extent and pernicious nature of the religious extremism which currently permeates Waltham Forest. In early October, the estimable Evening Standard journalist David Churchill reported that a booklet ‘which says “any Muslim should kill” those who insult the Prophet Mohammed’ had allegedly been distributed at the Dar-ul-Uloom Qadria Jilania mosque in Walthamstow, prompting a police investigation. A few days ago, the blog Harry’s Place revealed another facet of the extremism – virulent sectarianism directed towards Ahmadis. It had discovered that at the... »

Extremism in Waltham Forest: an update (1)

September 8, 2016 Prevent, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

In recent weeks, various commentators on social media have questioned why a Pakistani preacher called Muhammad Hassan Haseeb ur Rehman has been allowed into Britain to tour mosques.* For Muhammad Hassan Haseeb ur Rehman is a fervent supporter of Mumtaz Qadri, and the latter is a very controversial figure indeed. The story starts in 2011. Qadri was a policeman guarding the liberal governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, when one day he shot him dead. Quadri’s motive was straightforward: he abhorred the fact that Taseer had advocated the reform of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws. Subsequently, Quadr... »