A note for readers…
This is a personal blog, which aims to scrutinise the powers that be in Waltham Forest, from the Council (hereafter London Borough of Waltham Forest or LBWF), both elected members and staff; to our MP... »
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Education round-up: worrying developments at Davies Lane and George Tomlinson
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... »
LBWF backs down on proposed changes to its Council Tax Support scheme
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... »
Waltham Forest Labour and anti-semitism (2)
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 ... »
Cllr. Clare Coghill and her ‘little list’
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 ... »
Council Leader Chris Robbins finally bobs off UPDATED
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... »
LBWF’s perfidies in microcosm
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.,... »
LBWF: it’s parsimony for the poor, but kerching for councillors
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. ... »
The Conservative Party in Waltham Forest: a twitching corpse, maybe, but one that affects us all
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, litt... »
Extremism in Waltham Forest: an update (2)
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 journali... »
Extremism in Waltham Forest: an update (1)
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 Hass... »