URGENT REMINDER: Save Our Ticket Offices March Thursday 5pm onwards

 

From the RMT

RMT members, supporters and campaign groups will march on Parliament and Downing Street on Thursday to save our ticket offices.

They will be joined by passenger groups and disability rights campaigners ahead of the consultation on the future of ticket, offices, closing on September 1.

 

There have been up to half a million responses with the overwhelming majority showing support for RMT‘s campaign.

 

Train operating companies alongside the government are seeking to close up to 1000 ticket, offices and slash 2300 jobs from stations around the country.

 

The demonstration and rally by the union and campaigners will mark the next phase of the campaign. We shall see, increase lobbying of MPs and possibly further industrial action.

 

RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch said: 

 

“We are sending a clear message to the government and profiteering rail operators that our ticket offices must not be closed.

 

“The campaign to save our ticket offices has amassed widespread public support and forced an extension of the consultation.

 

“However, our campaign will continue beyond the consultation deadline.

 

“We need to pressure politicians in every constituency and to highlight the critical role that ticket offices and station staff play in supporting passengers of every type to reach their destinations.

 

“Closing ticket offices will lead to the widespread de-staffing of stations and make the railways inaccessible to thousands of disabled, vulnerable and elderly passengers.

 

“We will not quietly sit back and allow this to happen.

 

“Our members will continue their industrial campaign to save their jobs and to protect railway passengers.”

 

The youthfulness of yesterday's march for a People's Vote as significant as the numbers

I don't 'love the EU' as some of yesterday's marchers chant but neither do I think it was a 'march of the Blairites' as some have claimed.

The reasons why people were marching for a People's Vote on the Brexit negotiations outcome were complex and sometimes  contradictory as one would expect in a march of 700,000 people. Freedom to travel and work in the EU, the security of EU citizens in the UK; safeguarding of trade union, health and safety, food  and environmental standards; fear of the economic consequences of leaving the EU; concern that a 'Little Britain' would be an insular state potentially prey to the extreme right, all played a part.

The march was significant for its youth as well as the fact that it was largely made up of many individuals and families rather than blocks of politcial parties and tarde unionists. I have never been on a march with so few red flags!

Whatever one thinks of the marchers' motives a march of so many, mainly young, people is genuinely significant in the current Brexit turmoil.

Justice Now: Make it right for Palestine - March and Rally on Saturday

National March and Rally 

Saturday 4 November 2017 Justice Now: Make it right for Palestine

Assemble 12noon Grosvenor Square W1K 6LF London - March to Parliament Square

Members of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Brent Stop the War and other local activists will be taking part in this march on Saturday marking the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration on November 2nd which built the path for the dispossession of Palestinian rights.

Speakers at the rally will include"

Dr Mustafa Barghouti / Ken Loach / Andy Slaughter MP / Mick Whelan
General Secretary ASLEF / Gail Cartmail TUC /  Matt Wrack
General Secretary FBU /  Margaret McKee  President Unison /
 John Pilger  / Senator Paul Gavan Sinn Fein / Leanne Mohamad / Hugh
Lanning PSC / Asad Rehman, War on Want / Reem Kelani / Philipa Harvey NEU-NUT
Section / Daoud Abdalah BMI / Ajmal Masrour Imam & broadcaster / Prof
Manuel Hassassian / Tariq Ali / Salma Yacoub / Dave Randall /  Hawiyya
Dance Company / John Nicolson SNP – And many more to be announced.


Organised by Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB), Friends of Al Aqsa (FOA), Stop the War Coalition (STW), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB).

Supported by Unite the Union, UNISON, National Education Union- NUT Section,GMB, ASLEF, RMT, FBU, UCU, PCS, CWU, Europal Forum, CND, Pax Christi, APCUK, Kairos UK, Friends of Sabeel UK, ICAHD UK, Amos Trust, APCUK.

The march is scheduled to set off at around 1:00pm from Grosvenor Square along the following route:

• North Audley Street
• Oxford Street 
• New Bond Street
• Clifford Street
• Cork Street
• Burlington Gardens
• Old Bond Street
• Piccadilly
• Regent Street 
• Pall Mall
• Cockspur Street
• Whitehall
• Ending on Parliament Square

No to privatisation of public assets - StopHDV latest

From StopHDV

A Judicial Review of the Haringey Development (Demolition) Vehicle  is being filed in the High Court this week on the grounds of it not having been consulted on, never having gone to a full Council, equalities impact not having been adequately considered, and on the risk to public finances not being made transparent or explained. There was a successful crowdfunding campaign which along with local collections and donations has raised  £25,000 towards legal costs. The last update on this is HERE

The campaign is a broad coalition of forces including both constituency Labour parties, LibDems, Greens, trades unions, community organisations, residents and leaseholders associations. Despite this the ‘red Tory’ Labour Cabinet led by Claire Kober, who also is chair of London Councils, are determined to go ahead with the £2 Billion transfer of the local authority’s Council estates, land and property including over 500 business units to a partnership with Lendlease. We believe however they cannot sign any contracts while this in legal dispute and a hearing could be any time through the autumn.

September is a critical month in linking this — the biggest attempted privatisation of local authority assets in UK history — with the various similar attempts at social cleansing and depriving ordinary people of their rights to housing across London in favour of corporate developer-led ‘’regeneration’’. We are aware particularly of what Lendlease has done in Southwark, of the Cressingham Gardens campaign in Lambeth, and of new developments in Tower Hamlets, and possibly Camden, and in most cases in Labour-controlled authorities. We wish to mobilise with groups such as the Radical Housing Network, ASH, Defend Council Housing, those demanding justice for Grenfell in K and C, and others to build a fightback across London sufficient to turn the tide against these ‘’regenerations’’ which are attacking the very lives of our communities.
StopHDV is calling a march on Saturday 23 September in Haringey which will have key speakers from elsewhere as well as local and we want as many as possible from across the capital to join. First details below:

The plan so far is to assemble on Saturday 23rd September at around noon at Tottenham Green (150 yards up the hill from Seven Sisters Tube station), then march from 1pm to assemble around 2.30 - 3  at Finsbury Park.  The route should take us past Seven Sisters up West Green Road along Green Lanes to Finsbury Park. Depending on consent from the authorities, we may have to reverse the route and start at Finsbury Park.

Finsbury Park is close to two tube stations (Manor House and Finsbury Park.). It is also where Haringey, Hackney and Islington meet and not far from the Camden borders. No local Spurs match that day  (they'll be playing at Wembley) and no Arsenal one either, so no congestion on transport from football crowds.  

The start and end points should make it fairly easy for most of London to get to and from. It just needs building across London. Please tell your contacts!
More information HERE

'Not One Day More' Say NO to austerity: BBC Broadcasting House Saturday

From the People's Assembly Against Austerity

We're pleased to announce that Jeremy Corbyn is speaking at our NotOneDayMore #ToriesOut - National Demonstration Sat 1 July, Assemble 12pm, BBC Broadcasting House - March to Parliament. The Tory/DUP coalition can't last, they represent some of the most reactionary elements of British and Irish politics, are committed to austerity and defending their privilege at the expense of the many. The Tories actually CHEERED when they successfully voted against a pay rise for our hard-working and brave emergency services. We Say, Not One Day More. Jeremy Corbyn will join a fantastic line up of political speakers from the Labour Party, the Green Party and many more campaigns and trade unions, along with an amazing line up of performers and artists. Speakers include (more tba): Representatives from the Labour Party front bench include, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Diane Abbott MP, John McDonnell MP, Siân Berry from the Green Party, from the Trade Unions, Len McCluskey (Unite), Mark Serwotka (PCS), Frances O’Grady (TUC), Dave Prentis (UNISON), Matt Wrack (FBU) and more... Other speakers include Owen Jones (journalist), Dr Aislinn Docherty (Health Campaigner), Jacqueline Berry (Nurse and Health campaigner), along with representatives from many other campaigns including, The People's Assembly, Momentum, Stop the War Coalition, Stand Up to Racism, Fast food Workers campaigns, and more... Performers include (more tba):Shy FX, Wolf Alice, Peace, Captain Ska, Sink the Pink, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly and more... It's still not too late to volunteer! We need hundreds of people to help us make sure the day runs smoothly. We rely entirely on our supporters to volunteer as stewards. We'll have a stewards briefing in the morning of the demonstration at 10am at the assembly point - no prior experience or training needed. If you're up for joining our team for the day please emailoffice@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk  You can find all the info you need about the march here, and you can take a look at the march route here: See you there! The People's Assembly Against Austerity http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

Route and speakers for tomorrow's Stop the Muslim Ban march

March route (click to enlarge

Tomorrow's march starts at the US Embassy Grosvenor Square (assemble 11am to set off around midday) Bond Street is the nearest tube and goes via the above route to Downing Street. Those unable to march the whole route could join at Picadilly Circus or Trafalgar Square.

Please bring your friends, colleagues and family members along: let us send a powerful response to racism and bigotry.

The list of speakers will include Dawn Butler MP, Catherine West MP, Andrew Murray (Unite the Union), Kevin Courtney (General Secretary of NUT), Moazzam Begg (former Guantanamo prisoner), Giles Fraser (parish priest of St. Mary's, Newington and former Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral), Rebecca Johnson (Green Party), Salma Yaqoob (anti-racism and anti-war campaigner), and others. Video statements from Jeremy Corbyn and Peter Hain will also be shown.

EDUCATION - INVEST, DON'T CUT March & Rally Nov 17th

The cuts being implemented by the Conservative Government put education at risk. Increased funding is desperately needed to safeguard our children’s education. We are asking the Government to change course and invest, not cut.

What the NUT wants:

• School funding – Extra money in the system to support reform of the funding system – and more money for all schools to fund higher costs and the impact of inflation.
• Post 16 funding – Restoration of cuts already made – and real support for sixth form colleges.
• Send and early years funding – fair funding for these vital areas of education
• Funding in Wales – an end to the funding gap.

Invest Don’t Cut Education Funding Rallies

The rallies are an opportunity to make policy makers listen to our concerns about the impact of education funding cuts, and act on our demands to increase education funding. Spread the word and encourage colleagues, friends, family and neighbours to attend and support our aims.

London NUT March and Rally - Thursday 17 November 2016
Assemble for March: 17:00, Whitehall, (Opposite Downing Street)
Rally: 18:30, Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, SW1P 3DW

Where to join the Greens on today's People's Assembly march

The Green Party will be supporting today's People's Assembly march for health, homes, jobs and education.They are in Bloc 11 towards the end of the march. Placards will be available shortly before 1pm at the assembly point in Gower Street, NW1 of Euston Road. Nearest Tubes Euston Square and Euston.

There will be a Green Party stall in Trafalgar Square at the end of the march where placards can be given back. It is likely to be on the Canada House side of the square.

Hundreds of teachers tell Government it has bitten off more than it can chew on academies

Green Bloc & other Bloc meeting points/route for June 20th End Austerity Now! demo

The Green Bloc meeting point has been changed for tomorrow's demonstration. The Green Party will now meet at Cornhill/Royal Exchange for 11.30am.

This interactive map should be helpful:

 
Details of Short March and other information for people with disabilities HERE (Thanks to Alan Wheatley for prompt)

Green's rallying speech at London March for Homes

Greens on the TUC March - Britain Needs A Pay Rise

The Green Party is experiencing a surge in membership following the Referendum in Scotland and UKIP's by-election result.

No More Austerity:Britain needs a Pay Rise-Join the TUC March Tomorrow

Many Brent residents and trade unionists will be joining the TUC March tomorrow. Green Party actvists will be there.

More details about the march and testimonies fro mvarious workers are available HERE

Video: NUT Standing Up For Education March 26th

Defend London's NHS demo in pictures

Brent had a good showing for the Defend London's NHS demonstration today. Fightback supporters were out in force along with a least seven Brent Labour councillors including Muhammed Butt and Brent Central parliamentary hopefuls Sabina Khan and Patrick Vernon.

London Green Party also mobilised for the event and were in evidence throughout the march. Front de Gauche were with us at the start of the march.

from Coalition of Resistance

Green MEP Jean Lambert calls for halt to London A&E closures on eve of NHS March

I hope to see London Greens out in force tomorrow at the Defend London's NHS protest  as well as some of the new Brent Council Executive A contingent from Brent Fightback will be there. They will be meeting on the Southbound platform of the Bakerloo line at Baker St at 1130 tomorrow to travel on together to the demonstration at Waterloo.

 

London  Green MEP Jean Lambert has called on the government to halt the closure of up to nine accident and emergency wards in hospitals across London.


The wards are scheduled for closure, as well as thousands of hospital beds, in what the Keep Our NHS Public coalition has described as ‘the biggest attack on our NHS in a generation’.


Lambert, who will join thousands of people from across the UK in a march to the Department of Health to protest against the closures – and the threat of hospital and community health services being taken over by private companies, said:

This Government promised to defend the NHS – but the reforms it has introduced have done exactly the opposite.

As well as privatising services – allowing Tory donors like Care UK to offer public health care - its cuts and austerity program has caused plans to close hospital wards across the capital.

Greens believe in an adequately-funded publicly-provided NHS, run in the interests of people – not profits – and I will be proud to march tomorrow alongside some of the millions of NHS workers and patients who agree.”