Riots: The danger of growing inequality mixing with a culture which puts consumerism above citizenship.- Caroline Lucas

As I posted Barry Gardiner's comments on the disturbances earlier it is only fair that I report what Caroline Lucas, the only Green MP, said in the same debate on August 11th:

We reject and condemn the horrendous violence, arson and looting that we have seen on the streets of Britain. But we must seek to understand why this happened to prevent it being repeated. If we stop at denunciations and crackdowns, nothing will be learned about why sections of our own population feel they can riot, loot and treat their neighbours and communities so appallingly.

The bigger picture has to be considered. Britain is deeply unequal. Last year, London's richest people were worth 273 times more than its poorest. Given the growing evidence, from Scarman onwards, that increasing inequality had a role to play in at least some of the rioting, the government must commit to an impact assessment of any further policies to establish if they will increase inequality.


If individuals are defined as consumers not citizens, there is danger that those who cannot afford to consume feel they have no stake in their community and become more likely to turn against it.


The Prime Minister has said this is 'Not about poverty but about culture.' But it is about both. It is about inequality and culture and how dangerous it is when you mix growing inequality with a culture which puts consumerism above citizenship.
 

Young Voters' Passionate Debate on the Disturbances

Last night's Young Voters' Question Time on BBC 3 focused on the recent disturbances. The young people in the audience were passionate and articulate. A wide variety of views were expressed and at the end I felt optimistic and a sense of admiration for them. That verve and energy harnessed to promote real change would be incredibly powerful. LINK to BBCiplayer

Barry Gardiner's interventions in yesterday's Disorder Debate

Barry Gardiner intervened several times in the debate to question the Prime Minister and Michael Gove.  Has anyone heard anything from Sarah Teather?

 

Deferred Division: Public Disorder

Barry Gardiner: Despite what the right hon. Gentleman has just said, does he understand the concern not just in the House but across the nation that a public inquiry should be held into the events that have gone on? This has been a national event; it has affected people in every part of the country, and if it is simply left to a Select Committee, they will not feel that it has been properly addressed.

Deferred Division: Public Disorder 

Barry Gardiner: Does my right hon. Friend share my hope that when Parliament resumes, those hon. Members whose constituencies have been affected but who have not been able to engage in this debate due simply to lack of time today will have a chance to revisit the issue and put on record their constituents’ concerns, including about their livelihoods, which have been threatened?

Public Disorder 

Barry Gardiner: Does the Prime Minister accept that the events of the past five nights in London have changed the nature and context of the debate about police cuts? If he persists with them, the people of London will not understand and they will not forgive. Even his own party’s Mayor now opposes him on that policy.

Give Our Kids a Future! Demonstration on Saturday in Dalston

Brent Fightback's demonstration against street sweeping and crossing patrol cuts is now going to be limited to 30 minutes 11am-11.30am (Kilburn Square) so there will be time to get to this important demonstration in North London:

A North London Unity Assembly Demonstration

Give Our Kids A Future!
Saturday 13th August, 1pm
Assemble Gillet Square, Dalston, N16 at 1pm. March to Tottenham Green, N15

Our communities need a united response to both the riots and the causes of despair and frustration that can result in riots.

We call for:

- A culture of valuing, not demonising, youth and unemployed people
- Support for those affected by the rioting, including the immediate rehousing of people made homeless, grants for affected small businesses, and restoration of damaged areas
- Reversal of all cuts to youth services in our boroughs
- No cuts to public services! Instead, investment into community-led regeneration of our communities, including access for all to decent housing, jobs, education and sports facilities
- An independent community inquiry into policing methods in our boroughs, and an end to discriminatory stop and search
- Availability of legal support for all those people arrested by police. Young people face potential sentences that will affect them, their families and their wider communities for years to come. Recommended solicitors are Bindmans 0207 833 4433 and Hodge, Jones and Allen 07659 111192

We are responding to the events of the last few days, in particular the Tottenham protest over the killing of Mark Duggan and the disturbances that followed in Tottenham and Hackney.

By coming together and calling for unity we want to encourage all sections of our local communities, young and old, black and white, residents and workers, to work together to find solutions to some of our long-standing problems.

We know there are all kinds of strong feelings and differing views. We do not claim to represent the whole community, but merely seek to promote unity in the communities in which we live and work.

Simply labelling rioters as opportunistic criminals does little to relieve tensions and provides a poor explanation for the worst riots in decades. While the shooting of Mark Duggan provided the trigger, against a background of oppressive policing, especially towards ethnic minorities, the root causes are deeper.

Our communities have been blighted by high levels of deprivation, poverty and lack of opportunity for decades. Inequality is growing and recent funding cuts to local services, particularly youth facilities, along with rising unemployment, and cuts to EMA and benefits have exacerbated the conditions in which sections of frustrated young people turned to rioting, which unfortunately has resulted in people losing their homes and small/family businesses losing their livelihoods.

Britain is a wealthy country, but with deep inequality. The economic crisis created by greedy bankers and financial speculators is further impoverishing already poor areas like Tottenham and Hackney. The £390 billion of combined wealth of the richest 1,000 people in Britain should be redirected to fund the services we all need.

In the last few months we have seen mass local protests against cuts, student occupations to defend free education, a half-a-million strong demonstration on March 26th, and 800,000 public service workers out on strike on June 30th.

We need to build on these and other inspiring local and national struggles. Let's work together for a decent society, based not on greed, inequality and poor conditions, but on justice, freedom, sharing and co-operation.

The North London Unity Demonstration has been called by an ad hoc open assembly of 70 community activists on Tuesday 9th August. It is supported by the Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services, Haringey Alliance for Public Services, Haringey Trades Union Council, Day-Mer (Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre), NLCH (North London Community Centre), Day-Mer Youth, Alevi Cultural Centre, Fed-Bir, Kurdish Community Centre: Roj Women, Halkevi, Gik-Der (Refugee Workers Cultural Association). Britania Peace Council: Hundred Flowers Cultural Centre, TOHUM, Socialist Party, Youth Fight For Jobs, Right To Work, Red Pepper.


There is a thoughtful posting on the recent social unrest on the Haringey Green Party blog HERE

Children's Rights and Responsibilites - a practical approach

Kim Beat, Braintcroft headteacher, and pupils

In the wake of the recent disturbances there has been a lot of discussion about responsibilities - of children, parents, schools and the wider society. The concept of 'rights and responsibilities' is not new in Brent schools and something that is very much part of the ethos of many.  Schools have often drawn up agreements in consultation with children and their parents on everyone's rights and responsibilities.

Braintcroft Primary School in Neasden has gone further in embedding these issues into the way the school is run and in April of this year were awarded UNICEF's Rights Respecting Schools Award Level 1  The award is based on the implementation of the values of the UN  Children's Rights Charter.  The school was visited by assessors who talked with parents, children and staff  and watched the school in action.

Here are some of the assessors' comments:

All the staff and children interviewed by the assessors had excellent knowledge of rights and confirmed that in addition to lessons they learnt about rights through charity work, their allotment and healthy schools. Parents were informed through a booklet on rights and a stall at the Winter Fair. Children took a petition to 10 Downing Street as part of the 1 Goal Campaign which had a big impact on the whole school appreciation of global issues. Teaching and learning takes place in rights respecting classrooms. The children confirmed that they are being encouraged to take learning into their own hands; that they felt empowered to ask for help and to contribute to the planning process. They also confirmed that since Rights Respecting was introduced to the school there is greater engagement with learning as “before everyone just got distracted”.

All classrooms had a negotiated charter and the assessors noted high levels of good practice. The charters emphasised respect as well as rights and responsibilities and the children valued this move away from rules. Teachers used the charters to encourage children to reflect on their behaviour and put things right. Staff and students are modelling the language and behaviour of Rights Respecting in the classrooms. The whole school charter was developed with wide consultation and parents were able to vote with the children to prioritise the rights to be included.

Braintcroft School Council interview Sarah Teather

Braintcroft has a well established student council which has already interviewed Sarah Teather; their MP. The children valued the opportunities offered for voice and understood that; “school council takes your point of view to another level, you know that if you tell the school council it is going to be done”, The children believe that their voice has contributed to practical change in school – like new chairs and playground equipment. It has made school safer for some children and made school more welcoming for new children; “At Braintcroft everyone is welcome”.  The assessors noticed that school council minutes had become increasingly more positive as the school year had gone on. The children we met were confident and they knew that their teachers were helping them to make informed decisions. There is an active newspaper club which produces a school magazine clearly aimed at the general interests of the readers. Children took part in Day for Climate Change and were filmed by UNICEF. Students exchanged places with the teachers and took their responsibilities very seriously. They undertook a learning walk and reported their findings with perception and sensitivity.

Through participation and empowerment of pupils and parents this approach encourage values that go well beyond those of celebrity and consumerism. Of course it cannot cure inequalities in society but it can nurture the skills and commitment that will allow children to challenge such inequalities in a positive and informed way.


Declaration of Interest: I am a governor at Braintcroft Primary School

Brooms and Lollipops Protest in Kilburn

Brent Fightback are to hold a protest in Kilburn Square, Kilburn High Road from 11am on Saturday.

Supporters will be bringing brooms and 'lollipops' to protest against Brent Council's cuts in street sweeping and school crossing patrols. Veolia, the borough's cleaning contractor will make up to 50 street sweepers redundant in October and details of the numbers of school crossing patrols to be cut is currently under review.

The street sweeping cuts will mean that outlying residential streets will be swept just once a week instead of the three times they were swept under the previous administration.  All street sweeping in the borough will end at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. Council officers said the event days at Wembley Stadium, when local streets are often scattered with beer cans and takeaway cartons, will come under a different budget but details have not been made clear.

The additional seasonal leaf clearance service will also end. Officers said leaves will be cleared in the normal scheduled sweep but as that it only once a week it is unclear whether workers will be able to keep on top of the job. Previously leaves were bagged and sent for composting and again it is unclear whether that will still be done. If it isn't Brent green credential will take a battering.

Concerns have been raised by residents about street safety if rotting leaves are left on pavements and become wet and icy in the autumn months.  Safety concerns have also been expressed about the safety of school children if school crossing patrol cuts go ahead. Both groups of workers suffer from low pay but are vital to the well-being of the community.

Brent Fightback welcomes any support. Please bring brooms and home-made lollipops, plus placards to Kilburn Square at 11am on Saturday.

Section 60 Stop and Search Likely to be Extended

 Matthew Gardner, Brent Borough Commander, Metropolitan Police in a message to the local community has confirmed that a Section 60 stop and search authorisation was granted for the whole of Brent for a 24 hour period on August 8th. He says that it will be reviewed and is likely to be extended.

Gardner said that although there had been no large scale incidents two officers had been hurt while dealing with offenders. He continued:

We will tackle any further disorder whilst continuing to deal with normal policing across the borough and keeping our people and businesses safe.  Throughout the weekend we continued to make sure emergency calls were dealt with and that major events - like the Community Shield at Wembley and Olympic test events - passed off safely and successfully.

 

Officers from Brent will be working closely with you to assess any impact of the London-wide disorder.

 

The Metropolitan Police Service has set up an investigation team whose sole purpose will be to identify those people responsible for violence, disorder and crime. We will take every opportunity to bring criminals to justice.  There have already been an unprecedented number of arrests across London for public order, violence, and theft (looting) offences.

 

In relation to the shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham last Thursday. It is absolutely right that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigate the circumstances. The communities of London clearly want this and deserve it.

 

I understand that you will be concerned and appalled at the recent events and are looking to the police to make sure you can go about your lives without fear of disruption and violence, wherever you are in the city.  I urge you to ensure you know where your children are during these challenging times. Please keep them at home during the evenings whilst this unrest continues so that they do not confuse a situation by being present when disorder is taking place. This will greatly assist my officers and staff by enabling them to get on with the difficult job we have to do - addressing the actions of a mindless few.

 

Campaign against disabled children's benefit cut

Message from Sam Royston, Policy Officer for Family Action

25 national organisations including the Children’s Society, the TUC, Barnardo’s and Action for Children have come together to call for a change in the Government’s plans for a substantial cut to welfare support for disabled children under the new “Universal Credit”.

Sign our petition! The new system will result in many of these children losing up to £1400 per year (£27 per week) compared to the current system – by the time a disabled child reaches 16, this could cost the family £22,000.

In total the Government estimates that 100,000 disabled children would lose out under this change – other estimates suggest the number could be considerably higher.

* * * * * *
Antony Best, 23, from Bradford, is a full-time father after losing his wife to swine flu last winter. He has three children to look after and two of them also have a disability. Casie, 4, has Down’s syndrome, while her eight-month-old brother, Alfie, has cerebral palsy.

Antony is already relying on family and friends to help him out with caring from time to time and his budget is at breaking point. He receives £197 a month from the tax credit and disability allowance systems.

I can spend more than that just getting the basics for the kids, and that is before I have thought about feeding myself.Any cut to what we survive on now would have a real impact on our living. So many of the things we need every day, like milk for my youngest and nappies, are already more expensive . . ..We just about manage.

£27 is more than half the average family’s food budget – enough to mean the difference between a family meeting their child’s basic needs, and being left simply unable to cope.

The Comprehensive Spending Review announced that £2 billion will be set aside over the next four years for the introduction of the Universal Credit. At a time of strict financial constraints, we believe that the Government cannot justify a commitment to such additional spending, if it fails to support the most vulnerable families with disabled children.
Please:
- sign the petition now and
- promote it on your Facebook, Linked In and Twitter accounts.
We have a one-off opportunity to make a real and important change for disabled children and young people; together we really can make the Government think again on this.

LINK to original post on Liberal Conspiracy