A couple of weeks ago, one of Barnhill's Labour councillors stopped me outside the Town Hall to urge me to join the Labour Party. I told him that I had left the Labour Party 47 years ago and couldn't rejoin as I still had some socialist principles. He told me that I was wasting my time with the Greens and should join up so I could help change local Labour from within.
I am afraid I guffawed.
There are decent people in Brent Labour Party, and I count some of them as friends, but I don't respect the lack of democracy that is evident in their policy making and decision making. With an all powerful leader, acquiescent Executive, backbenchers limited to ward working and a browbeaten rank and file membership, the party has become separated from ordinary people.
Michael Pavey, Labour's candidate for Barnhill, dropped me a friendly note earlier this week and I am sure that he is a fine fellow: 'I think most people who have dealt with me, think I'm a pretty straight sort of guy and I am..' as Tony Blair said. Having talked to councillors from various parties I recognise that most of them started out as local community activists who wanted to see improvements in their area. Often the choice of party when they decided to stand for the Council was almost incidental, depending on who they bumped into and who asked them, but it is what happens once they are elected that concerns me.
Cllr Ann Hunter remarked recently that she put her ward before party and it is clear that she has had her disagreements with the Lib Dem leadership, and was of course a Labour councillor until she resigned from Labour over Iraq. She said this openly while some backbench Labour councillors have let it be known privately that they are opposed to library closures and some of the other council cuts, and there are persistent rumours that in the Executive George Crane has his reservations and Jim Moher is more aware of the contradictions than many.
Despite all this, not one Labour councillor, Executive or backbencher, has come out openly to question any of the policies apart from Cllr Claudia Hector who made her opposition to the demolition of the Old Willesden Library public in a message to the Keep Willesden Green public meeting. Once enmeshed in the part machine the activist becomes another rubber stamping, silent and privately resentful, automaton.
So given all that I have some basic questions for Michael Pavey:
1. If he is elected, what will he do if there is a clear difference between the interests of people in Barnhill and a particular Council policy?
2. Will he urge his fellow Labour councillors to initiate a London wide Labour Council resistance against the cuts demanded by the Coalition government?
3. If this does not happen and the cuts are clearly damaging local people, at what point will he vote against implementation?
4. Does he support the way Brent Council has ignored the thousands of people opposed to its library closure programme and more recently the regeneration of Willesden Green Library?
5. What will he do to restore the credibility of Brent's consultation system, criticised by many residents, campaigning groups and our respected local newspaper?
6. Where does he stand on privatisation of council services, council sponsorship of a free school and academy conversions?
7.. What are his policies for Brent Council action (apart from support for the 'back to work scheme'.) Like the Labour candidate in Wembley Central his literature only refers to GLA and Government issues, and not to what Brent Council have done or will do.
I am afraid I guffawed.
There are decent people in Brent Labour Party, and I count some of them as friends, but I don't respect the lack of democracy that is evident in their policy making and decision making. With an all powerful leader, acquiescent Executive, backbenchers limited to ward working and a browbeaten rank and file membership, the party has become separated from ordinary people.
Michael Pavey, Labour's candidate for Barnhill, dropped me a friendly note earlier this week and I am sure that he is a fine fellow: 'I think most people who have dealt with me, think I'm a pretty straight sort of guy and I am..' as Tony Blair said. Having talked to councillors from various parties I recognise that most of them started out as local community activists who wanted to see improvements in their area. Often the choice of party when they decided to stand for the Council was almost incidental, depending on who they bumped into and who asked them, but it is what happens once they are elected that concerns me.
Cllr Ann Hunter remarked recently that she put her ward before party and it is clear that she has had her disagreements with the Lib Dem leadership, and was of course a Labour councillor until she resigned from Labour over Iraq. She said this openly while some backbench Labour councillors have let it be known privately that they are opposed to library closures and some of the other council cuts, and there are persistent rumours that in the Executive George Crane has his reservations and Jim Moher is more aware of the contradictions than many.
Despite all this, not one Labour councillor, Executive or backbencher, has come out openly to question any of the policies apart from Cllr Claudia Hector who made her opposition to the demolition of the Old Willesden Library public in a message to the Keep Willesden Green public meeting. Once enmeshed in the part machine the activist becomes another rubber stamping, silent and privately resentful, automaton.
So given all that I have some basic questions for Michael Pavey:
1. If he is elected, what will he do if there is a clear difference between the interests of people in Barnhill and a particular Council policy?
2. Will he urge his fellow Labour councillors to initiate a London wide Labour Council resistance against the cuts demanded by the Coalition government?
3. If this does not happen and the cuts are clearly damaging local people, at what point will he vote against implementation?
4. Does he support the way Brent Council has ignored the thousands of people opposed to its library closure programme and more recently the regeneration of Willesden Green Library?
5. What will he do to restore the credibility of Brent's consultation system, criticised by many residents, campaigning groups and our respected local newspaper?
6. Where does he stand on privatisation of council services, council sponsorship of a free school and academy conversions?
7.. What are his policies for Brent Council action (apart from support for the 'back to work scheme'.) Like the Labour candidate in Wembley Central his literature only refers to GLA and Government issues, and not to what Brent Council have done or will do.
