Towerblock loses Tatler nickname

 

Cllr Shama Shilesh Tatler was introduced and took the oath in the House of Lords on Tuesday having been created Baronness Shah of Wembley. She was supported by Lord Evans of Sealand and Lord Katz (formerly Mike Katz and now Baron Katz of Fortune Green.)

 Shah was the councillor's family surname before her marriage.

Green Party statement on the situation in Iran - solidarity with people of Iran who are risking their lives and opposition to US military intervention

Responding to the the repressive and violent crackdown on protesters by the Iranian regime, Dr Ellie Chowns MP, leader of the Parliamentary Green Party, said:

The Green Party stands in solidarity with the people of Iran, who are demonstrating extraordinary courage, putting their lives at risk, in order to protest against the despotic Iranian regime.

We defend the right to peaceful protest and demand that Iranians are granted freedom of speech; we acknowledge that these are human rights that the people of Iran – women and girls in particular – have spent many years fighting to achieve. Their determination and bravery in the face of brutality is nothing short of heroic.

The scale of repression and bloodshed with which the regime has responded to protests – killing hundreds of protestors, and cutting off Iranian citizens’ access to the internet and global communication – is intolerable, and we welcome the UK Government’s new sanctions against the regime. We urge the government to use every possible diplomatic, economic, and legal lever available to hold those responsible for the persecution of protestors to account.

The right to freedom of expression and the right to protest are fundamental. Enabling those rights to flourish unhindered inside Iran is essential if voices and parties who support democracy and human rights are to survive and shape the country’s future.

We strongly oppose US military intervention as this is likely to result in more deaths and chaos. The US record of interference in the Middle East is a sorry one, be it invading Iraq under false pretences with no post-war governance plan, or failures at proper nation-building in Afghanistan; American intervention has nearly always led to intensified regional instability. Instead, every effort should be made to use all other available levers to sanction Iran and to support those campaigning for human rights and freedom in Iran.

GOOD NEWS 2: Heba Muraisi ends hunger strike

 

Heba Muraisi (a Brent West constituent), Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello, pro-Palestine activists ended their hunger strike yesterday. They will need careful medical attention to ensure a full recovery.

The Prisoners for Palestine group said: 

The decision to end their hunger strikes came as it was revealed that Elbit Systems UK was denied a vital £2 billion army training contract with the Ministry of Defence, a key demand of the hunger strikers.
 

The abrupt cancellation of this deal is a resounding victory for the hunger strikers, who resisted with their incarcerated bodies in order to shed light on the role of Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons manufacturer, in the colonisation and occupation of Palestine.

Another Brent prisoner, Qesser Zuhrah, ended her hunger strike before Christmas. 

GOOD NEWS 1: London Labour councils and the London Mayor will oppose limits on the Freedom Pass

 With the petition against changes that would limit the use of the Freedom Pass reaching tens of thousands of signatories, London Labour boroughs have seen the threat of a revolt at next year's May election. They issued the statement below yesterday;

Cllr Claire Holland, leader of London Councils’ Labour Group, said: “The previous Conservative government slashed funding for the Freedom Pass scheme, leaving councils to foot the bill.

“It’s clear that we need to ensure the Freedom Pass is funded sustainably, but this cannot be done at the expense of older Londoners.

“We know the Freedom Pass is a vital lifeline for our older residents and we must defend it. Labour councils will oppose any changes that would see restrictions placed on who can use it and which modes of transport it applies to.”

Sir Sadiq khan said: “The Freedom Pass is crucial for older Londoners, enabling them to travel around the city and stay connected to friends and family.

“While I have no control over the 66+ pass, Labour councils have my full support in committing to keep it.

“As Mayor, I am ensuring hundreds of thousands of older Londoners are also able to enjoy free travel by continuing to provide the 60+ Oyster card alongside other concessions for Londoners.

“The previous Tory government wanted to get rid of the 60+ Oyster card. It’s clear that only Labour can be trusted to protect concessionary travel for Londoners.”

LETTER: Hunger strikers are being subjected to cruel injustice - at least Barry Gardiner has been willing to speak out.

 

The Hunger Strikers

Dear Editor, 

With the ongoing situation of dangerous inaction, and criminal neglect from the British government in response to the hunger strike, it was refreshing to see Heba Muraisi's MP, Barry Gardiner, speak up for his constituent Heba, in the Houses of Parliament on 7th January 2026.

Heba Muraisi has been on hunger strike since 3 November 2025. Today, she has been on hunger strike for a staggering 73 days, which raises extremely grave and immediate concerns for her life, concerns of the utmost seriousness. She was among the first to go on hunger strike. She has vowed to continue with her hunger strike, and hasn't paused it, even temporarily. This means that, out of the group, she has been on hunger strike for the longest duration. She is at risk of dying suddenly at any given moment. After her prolonged hunger strike, she is at high risk of irreversible physical effects, such as organ failure, neurological damage, hearing loss and sight loss. The UN has issued serious warnings about the hunger strike, confirming what's already known: that the Prisoners for Palestine on hunger strike are at risk of immediate, serious and irreversible physical effects, and sudden death. 

Qesser Zuhrah paused her hunger strike, after severe health complications and hospitalisation, as did Amu Gib, who was also hospitalised, with the risk of organ failure and other acute complications. Umer Khalid, who has muscular dystrophy, paused his hunger strike due to life-threatening effects, but recently restarted his hunger strike, leading to renewed fears for his life and health. Lewie Chiaramello has type 1 diabetes, and is on hunger strike on alternate days, which still carries a very real risk of death. Even when a hunger strike is stopped, the refeeding process can be deadly, if not approached correctly with medical supervision. This means the prisoners who paused their hunger strikes are still not out of the danger zone.

It's been the biggest coordinated hunger strike in prison since 1981. Bobby Sands died after 66 days of hunger strike, in Northern Ireland's Maze Prison, and nine other deaths followed. 

Heba Muraisi began her hunger strike after being moved from HMP Bronzefield, to New Hall Prison in Wakefield, Northern England, without justification or explanation. She is hundreds of miles away from her constituency of Brent, her family and support system. As Barry Gardiner stated in Parliament, Heba's disabled mother can't make the journey to visit her.

Now New Hall has agreed to transfer Heba back to HMP Bronzefield, but the decision remains with Bronzefield as to whether they will accept her transfer. This has led to further, unnecessary delays, as Heba is fighting for her life with every hour that passes, and time is of the essence.

Along with the other individuals known as the Filton24, Heba's demands are as follows:

Immediate bail 

End to all Censorship of Communications in Prison  

Right to a Fair Trial, including disclosure of relevant documents that have so far been kept hidden 

Deproscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation  

Shut Elbit Systems down and all its subsidiaries in the UK 

So far, Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy, has refused to meet with any of the hunger strikers' family members or legal representatives, despite widespread calls that he does so. Shockingly, he's chosen to ignore the hunger strike. He has failed in his duty of care to these prisoners of conscience, and his actions have been nothing short of wreckless, showing arrogant disregard for the lives of the hunger strikers. 

The deterioration of Heba's health, and that of the others currently on hunger strike - Kamran Ahmed, Teuta Hoxha, Lewie Chiaramello, and Umer Khalid, who recently restarted his hunger strike after a brief pause - was fully preventable, had David Lammy and Keir Starmer intervened early on.

Their deaths now seem imminent. But the circumstances leading to their continued hunger strike could have been addressed by the British government, whose actions, or rather inaction, indicate that they would prefer these brave activists to die. These prisoners of conscience have not been convicted of anything. Their loved ones and supporters wake with dread every day, scared that they'll hear the bad news they have died. 

Going on hunger strike must be regarded as the very last resort of prisoners of conscience, whose rights have been denied repeatedly. They have exhausted every avenue available to them, and been met only with discrimination and unlawful treatment. By denying them their fundamental human rights and subjecting them to such cruel injustice, the actions of the British government are tantamount to inflicting murder upon them. The government has had ample opportunity to act, and must be held to account. They are answerable to the public, and their response to this emergency is not simply optional, but a requirement of their roles. 

The hunger strikers ask only for their basic human rights and the government must be compelled to grant them, as the government itself is shamefully breaking the law with regard to these young people, whose lives are hanging by a thread. In a broader sense, the active complicity and participation of the British state in the genocide of Palestinians, is the underlying cause of the avoidable tragedy unfolding with the hunger strikers in UK prisons. 

Barry Gardiner has shown himself to be one of the few MPs of conscience who's willing to speak up. We call on him to continue to exert pressure on Keir Starmer and David Lammy, to grant the hunger strikers immediate bail and their other legitimate demands, and uphold their human rights, and the rule of law. David Lammy must meet with the hunger strikers' family members and legal representatives. We request in the strongest terms that Barry Gardiner uses his influence as an MP to raise the concerns that the hunger strikers are at immediate risk of death, and immediate action must be taken by the UK Government to prevent their deaths.

We also call on all people of conscience to write to their local MPs, even if they've already done so, to highlight the urgent need to take action to save the lives of the hunger strikers, before it's too late.

Saba Chaudry

(Address supplied)

Sarah Wooley (BAFU) to speak at Brent Tades Council AGM - Januay 21st 7pm online

 

BREAKING: Woodfield Special school strikes paused while negotiations take place

 The NEU has paused the long-running strikes at Woodfield Special School in Kingsbury as the dispute goes to ACAS. The strike pause is in exchange for the academy trust  pausing the staffing restructure while negotiations take  place.

Greens take up key scrutiny roles on Brent Council as new appointments announced ahead of tonight's Council EGM

The full list of Cabinet and Committee changes has been published ahead of tonight's Extraordinary General Meeting of Brent Full Council.  The changes follow the creation of a Green Group when 5 former Labour councillors made the positive choice to transfer their allegience to the Green Party.

Cllr Ishma Moeen (Wembey Hill ward) will succeed Cllr Harbi Farah in the revised portfolio of Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion. Cllr Moeen has wide outside interests in addition to her councillor responsibilities:

 

The full changes are appended but it is  worth noting that Cllr Nerva is replaced by Cllr Farah on the General Purposes Committee and that Cllr Dixon comes off Planning. Cllr Dixon becomes Chief Whip succeeding Cllr Ahmadi Moghaddam who has joined the Greens.

The need for effective scrutiny and full transparency has long been a theme of the Green Party in Brent Cllr Mitchell, leader of the Green Group) is on the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee and Cllr Ethapemi on the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee. Cllr Gbajumo joins the Audit and Standards Committee and Advisory Committee.

Cllr Bajwa, currently revelling in the role of Deputy Mayor, comes off the Licensing Committee and is replaced by Cllr Ethapemi.

Greens now take over the role of second opposition party from the Lib Dems.

The appointments come on the eve of what I understand is a return visit of the Campaign Improvement Board that made the Labour selections for May 2026.