There is a long article in today’s New Statesman about Dr. Stella Creasy’s recent visit to the Calais refugee camp: http://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2016/09/calais-stella-creasy-how-politicians-are-trying-change-refugee-policy For sure, there will be the usual accusations that this is another example of her penchant for grandstanding. But I doubt if such comment is fair. Dr. Cr... »
I hear from a number of sources that, as Corbynistas increasingly dominate the local Labour Party, thoughts are turning not just to the de-selection of one or more local MPs, but also to the de-selection of councillors. Whether any such thing will happen is a moot point. There are certainly some on the Labour benches who have contributed little or nothing, and richly deserve to be replaced. But th... »
Our man with a finger on Council Leader Chris Robbins’ pulse reports as follows: ‘When some weeks ago Chris Robbins put his name to a petition got up by Labour councillors calling on Jeremy Corbyn to resign, he must have thought it was only a matter of time before the Labour Leader was toast, and, with a replacement appointed, his own quest for honours would be back on track. Subsequently, h... »
Mark Baynes’ blog Love Wapping is fast becoming indispensable for those interested in how East London is developing. A couple of days ago, he published part one of his investigation into Islamists in Tower Hamlets: http://lovewapping.org/2016/07/tower-hamlets-london-borough-hijacked-by-fundamental-islamists/ It makes a very interesting read, and I’ll be posting the follow-ups here in ... »
According to Companies House, the Registrar has discontinued the compulsory strike-off of the E11 BID Co.. On the other hand, the visitor who uses the Companies House webpages to check on the E11 BID Co.’s progress is still greeted by the following: As I’ve pointed out before, it does seem strange that an organisation which depends solely for its income on the hard work of local trader... »
In the last couple of days, both Private Eye (‘Haq Attack’, see below) and the Waltham Forest Guardian have published versions of the Ali-Haq story. It is notable that the latter does not mention Senator Haq’s rantings about ‘Jews and Christians’, spineless journalism at its worst. Meanwhile, a rumour going round the Town Hall is that Mayor Khan has declined to re-app... »
Oliver Shykles writes as follows: ‘I chair the Highams Park Forum which is working together with the Highams Park Planning Group and The Highams Park Society to protest against LBWF proposals which could drastically affect library provision in Highams Park. At the time of writing, 3,956 people involved with Highams Park have signed a detailed petition against the Council’s scheme, whil... »
A local resident writes: ‘As your blog has previously noted, LBWF plans to demolish our impressive Edwardian Primary School and replace it with a new “modular” prefab alternative, which has been described on the BBC website as an “Austerity school”. It is confirmed that this proposal will go to the council’s Planning Committee on 12 July. As you have reported, too, SAVE Br... »
A previous post (see link below) looked briefly at George Tomlinson primary school in Leytonstone, and the fears of some that it was surreptitiously being prepared for academisation. Since then, much has changed. The school has new governors, and a new management team, the latter led by Executive Head Lynne Harrowell. However, the sense of general unease seems if anything to have increased. Variou... »
The Waltham Forest Guardian today quotes Cllr. Liaquat Ali pontificating about community safety: ‘“Our sense of community and of belonging, and the need to always treat others with respect, helps to make Waltham Forest such a great place to call home. We’ve been shocked and saddened to see the various news reports that have emerged in the aftermath of the EU Referendum result, indicating a r... »