Before you vote this evening in #Alperton #Barnhill #WembleyCentral Brent by-elections READ THIS!

Green Party Willesden Green Election Action Day Sunday June 17th

Action Day for Willesden Green by-election. Join us, take pics, help out, ask questions, grab posters & find out about @TheGreenParty! Sunday 17th June 11am-1pm Willesden Green station.

Sian Berry (Green Party Assembly Member) and Rashid Nix (Green party activist from Lambeth) will be joing us. 

Our candidates are Shaka Lish (above), William Relton and Peter Murry.

Ken Montague: an appreciation

Ken Montague, a well known and respected local Brent activist who had recently moved to Brighton, died on Friday not quite a month after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

In perhaps his last email to friends and comrades after the diagnosis Ken finished by saying, 'Please pass on the word to those that need to know and say that I am relying on you to keep up the fight for better and more sustainable world. My only regret is that I'm bailing out so early. In comradeship, Ken'

I have offered to host tributes on Wembley Matters and begin with this from his colleagues in the University and College Union:

We regret to announce the death of Ken Montague, known to many of us as a socialist, climate change activist and member of the UCU London Retired Members branch. His contribution will be sorely missed. We send our condolences to his comrades, friends and family.

Merilyn Moos, vice chair of the retired members branch, who knew Ken for many years, has written this obituary.

I knew Ken as a comrade and friend from when we were in our early 20s. His sudden death, at 70, is a terrible blow, politically and personally.

Ken became an FE lecturer, first in what was then Kilburn Polytechnic (where I taught), then at Barnet. Before he retired, he did some part-time teaching at Middlesex. His main area was literature but he was deeply involved in Media Studies. His students loved him, especially those he took on annual pilgrimages to Cannes so that they could witness the iniquities but also the ‘alternative reality’ of the film industry for themselves. He was the Branch Secretary for what I suspect he felt was far too long, fighting the college management’s petty vindictiveness as well as the grander issues of conditions and pay. One of the crucial (and ultimately successful) campaigns he was crucially involved in was for the reinstatement of John Fernandes, a black lecturer at the College of North West London who was being dismissed for revealing the racist content of essays by police cadets whom he taught.

He was a member of IS, (International Socialists) then SW (Socialist Workers Party), an organisation which, with a couple of outs and ins, he remained a member of for all his life. He was passionate about his politics but never became a hack nor did he become bureaucratically compromised, retaining a fundamental commitment to grassroots struggle all his life.

The first massive class struggle I remember him in was at Grunwicks. He was the Secretary of Barnet Trades Council at the time and was on the Grunwick strike committee. From the beginning he stressed the importance, especially given the concealed racism, of solidarity between white, male, manual workers and Asian women and was vociferous in demanding, mass pickets to shut down Grunwick. As Ken wrote in SW: ’There was lots of talk of support from the top of the unions but it was mostly just talk.’ Indeed, as I remember vividly the turning point in the dispute came when, after a few weeks of mass pickets, the TUC (in the figure of Jack Dromey, then of Brent Trades Council, and indeed, Scargill,) marched us away from the gates. Ken would not have been in agreement with that.

 
Ken continued to be active, campaigning for example for the Respect candidate in Brent in a number of elections. But his next major and long-term involvement was over climate change, which, in recent years, including campaigning against fracking. He emphasised throughout the importance of trade union support and organisation. He was instrumental in setting up the Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group (CACCTU) and became its Secretary. He took a leading part in organising and promulgating the influential ‘One Million Climate Jobs’ booklet and campaign, both in Britain and internationally (supported by Jeremy Corbyn though one wouldn’t know it).

Last year he attended the Paris Climate talks as part of the Global Climate Jobs movement. Global Climate Jobs is the network of all the national climate campaigns, which he was instrumental in setting up. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) held an alternative summit in Paris, attended by approx 40 climate jobs activists from 20 countries, which launched a Global Climate Jobs campaign. Ken always emphasised the crucial role of trade unions.

As he wrote afterwards about Paris:

It is clear that the leaders of all the countries in the world have failed us. They did so because nowhere did we have the political and social power to make them take decisive action on climate… We have to mobilise... After all, we need cuts of 80% in global emissions, as soon as possible.

We have to fight to leave the coal, gas and oil in the soil, he said. So we need to replace fossil fuels almost entirely with renewable energy. Ken could always be found doing the organising, writing and distributing the leaflets, speaking at meetings and rallies (which he didn’t enjoy), making the contacts, arguing with rank and file trade unionists - but never claiming the lime light.

The last event he was organising was the Conference Climate Refugees, The Climate Crisis & Population Displacement. Building A Trade Union & Civil Society Response (to be held on Saturday 11 February 10pm - 5pm, NUT, Hamilton House) Let’s support it.

Ken died too young and we shall all miss him.

Pete Murry, fellow UCU member and Brent Green Party and London Green Party TU Liaision Offcer, Secretary of Green Left wrote: 

For much of his life Ken lived in Cricklewood and was active in many local campaigns against, council and goverment cuts, against racism and against war. He was the founder and backbone of the Brent Campaign Against Climate Change and a key organiser in Campaign Against Climate Change nationally and its Trade Union group. It was an honour to have worked with him on these campaigns and as a fellow UCU member.

Greens call for immediate and full reinstatement of suspended lecturer Indro Sen

Indro Sen

Peter Murry, Trade Union Liaison officer for the London Federation of Green Parties and for Brent Green Party has issued the following statement in support of Indro Sen, suspended by the management of the College of North West London:

As Trade Union Liaison Officer for the London Federation of Green Parties and for Brent Green Party, I was shocked to learn of the suspension of Indro Sen as a lecturer at the College of North West London. It is suggested that this is because of his strong opposition to a proposed merger with the City of Westminster College, and his support at an employment tribunal, of a sacked colleague’s claim of unfair dismissal and victimisation.

Both of these are actions are entirely proper for a University and College Union Branch Secretary to carry out. If Indro Sen’s suspension is a result of his performing the legitimate duties of a UCU Officer, then he himself seems to be threatened with unfair treatment and victimisation.

As a former Lecturer in the College and a retired member of UCU , I am saddened that the College, which provides a valued service to the communities of North West London., and Brent in particular, might bring itself into disrepute because of its treatment of Indro Sen. I am sure that members and supporters of the Green Party, UCU members , and the local communities will support my call for the immediate and full reinstatement of Indro Sen as a lecturer at the College and no further interference with his activities as UCU Branch Secretary.

Labour win Kilburn by-election

Labour swept to victory in the Kilburn by-election which saw a turn out of 44% compared with 32% at the last Brent Council election.

The result was:

Tilly Boulter Lib Dem 459
Elcena Jeffers Independent 35
Peter Murry Green Party 452
Janice North UKIP 232
Barbara Pitruzzella Labour 2841
Calvin Robinson Conservative 802
4898 votes cast
77 spoilt papers

Pete Murry's vote of 9% was one of the best the Greensha ve had in Brent Council by-elections.

If you think Kilburn needs a true opposition voice on Brent Council - Peter Murry is your man

Pete Murry protesting at plans to build on green space at B&Q Cricklewood

Regular readers will know about the apparent problem that Kilburn's Labour councillors and residents have had with the Labour ruling group on Brent Council.  This has meant that Cllr John Duffy was sidelined for challenging the Council to raise Council Tax last year to help fund vital services including Stonebridge Adventure Playground. In addition he has acted as a one man Scrutiny Committee on the Veolia waste contract and the out-sourcing of litter enforcement LINK.

Residents of the South Kilburn Estate, undergoing regeneration with a substantial degree of gentrification, have been fighting the Council on the issue of the HS2 vent to be situated next to St Mary's Primary School on the Estate LINK Again they have received an unsympathetic response from the Council. Cllr Duffy had his own difficulties in trying to involve residents in discussions with the Council. LINK

The Green Party is opposed to HS2 in its totality and in a recent posting on their blog LINK has set out their Kilburn by-election candidate's platform:

Peter Murry will be standing in this Council by-election caused by the death of a Labour councillor.

PETER MURRY has been a Brent resident for over twenty years and during many of these he worked in Kilburn as a lecturer at the College of North West London. He worked for the College in Harlesden, Kilburn and South Kilburn, where he taught on Access and Information Technology courses.

He was an active Trade Unionist in the Universities & Colleges Union (UCU) and is currently the Green Party’s London Trade Union Liaison Officer.

He took early retirement from the College in 2006 for ill health reasons, partly because he suffers from arthritis, which has meant that he has been disabled for almost a decade. This has given him first hand experienced of the problems that disabled people are forced to cope with, especially those faced by people with impaired mobility in using public transport and gaining access to some buildings.

He is also an artist and member of Brent Artists’ Resource.

The key points that he is campaigning on are

• ·       A cleaner greener Kilburn
• ·       No more council cuts
• ·       Defend trade union rights
• ·       Campaign against climate change

He thinks that the environment and quality of life in London in general, and Brent in particular, need many improvements. More housing at prices that people with average and low incomes can really afford is urgently needed and Brent council should be working to provide this. Its “regeneration” schemes, such as the one on the South Kilburn estate, should produce homes for people not business opportunities for property profiteers. 

It should also take whatever steps it can to drastically reduce the air pollution that causes huge health problems in Kilburn.

As an Eco-socialist, Pete believes that ecological damage and the free market economic policies of British governments are the basic causes of problems such as these. These are not problems caused by local government, or the people of Kilburn, but they have to deal with the consequences.

Attacks on Trade Union rights, such as those currently planned by the government, just make workers into scapegoats for government mistakes.

Climate change needs to be stopped and the quality of life needs to be improved; even local councils can do their bit, instead of just making life worse by cutting services.

Brent Council needs an opposition voice. This is a task that the Green Party can do for the people of Kilburn.

POLLING TAKES PLACE ON MAY 5TH ALONGSIDE THE MAYORAL AND GLA ELECTION

Peter Murry says end 'politics as usual' in Brent - Vote Green in Kilburn on May 5th

Peter Murry, Green Party activist,  trade unionist and climate campaignerwill be the Green candidate in the Kilburn By-election. Polling is on May 5th in Kilburn ward in addition to the Mayoral and GLA election. He is calling for ending politcis as usual, a cleaner Kilburn and an end to Council cuts

Click on images to enlarge

BRENT’S INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (Don’t mention a ’C’ word unless you’re asking for a cheese sandwich)

Guest blog by Peter Murry
 

As a disabled Brent resident, I was invited  to the International Day For People With Disabilities event held in Brent Civic Centre on 3^rd December 2015. Attending this event was my second visit to the Civic Centre since its opening in June 2013.

The event gave certain Brent Councillors, (Cllrs Butt, Hirani & Pavey), an opportunity to grandstand Brent Council’s achievements for People with Disabilities. Perhaps because many in the audience may not have understood some of the speeches, or were attending as paid carers for other audience members, the councillors were able to express their concerns for People with Disabilities without anyone asking any awkward questions, like:

·       How will the London Borough of Brent implement central government austerity policies without harming People With Disabilities or other vulnerable Brent residents?

Or

·       Will Brent Council make any effective attempt to resist these central government austerity policies or even visibly protest against them, in view of the fact that these policies are now forcing even more severe cuts than those that Brent has already carried out?

We heard a lot about ongoing improvements to Brent Civic Centre, which was apparently still the ‘greenest public sector building in Europe’. It is indeed an impressive edifice, but I suspect, most Brent residents use it even less frequently than I have; still it’s nice to think about the council workers having such a wonderful warm spacious atrium to sit and eat their lunches in, instead of being outside on cold, wet, winter streets.

The various stalls from a variety of organisations at the PwD event were quite useful although the display table shared by Unison and the GMB, didn’t seem to have many anti-cuts leaflets on it.

The Choir and Dance group, both featuring performers with disabilities, were good and it’s nice for a diabetic like me to get a few sweet biscuits  once in a while; however once I’d had my free cheese sandwich lunch, I’d had enough, so I never found out if the elephant in the Civic Centre trumpeted and stomped on Councillor Pavey during his closing address