Disabled People Against Cuts protest March 23rd

From Disabled People Against Cuts

 


 Dear friends,

Protest at Parliament
10am onwards Wednesday 23 March
London SW1A 0AA
Westminster tube

Please come to this protest called by Disabled People Against Cuts to press MPs against cuts to disability benefits.  We’ll be there! And we don’t want them to put the squeeze on pensioners now instead...  Please let us know if you can come, email back or call us on 020 7482 2496.


From Disabled People Against Cuts:

URGENT Call Out for Wednesday March 23rd

Many apologies for the very short notice which we know will make it impossible for some people to get to this. Due to the unexpected events of the last few days and the sudden resignation of IDS and what seems to be an increasing number of Tory MPs that the attacks they’ve made against disabled people for the last 6 years are unjust means we feel it is important we have a presence in parliament before PMQs.

Please meet at visitors’ entrance to parliament at 10 am or inside the main lobby if arriving later.

If you can definitely get to this could you please drop us an email to mail@dpac.uk.net
 
Later on Wednesday there is the prptest against forced academies 5pm Assemble, Westminsstre Cathedral

NUT calls on governors, teachers, councillor and students to challenge government plans

Lycee litter annoys locals

Locals have stopped me to complain about litter and neglect in the former munical gardens outside the old Brent Town Hall,  now belonging to the Lycee de Londres Winston Churchill. The litter is dropped by passersby rather than the school but residents suggest the school is responsible for clearing it up as the land belongs to them.

Apart from the litter there is a pile of rubble and no spring planting has taken place in the flower beds. The gardens contains contain several memorial trees and the plaques remain.

The French School wanted to excavate a basement swimming pool on the gardens on the southern side of the building but their application was twice refused by Brent Planning Committee.

The main school grounds are beautifully landscaped and maintained.  The gardens on Forty Lane appear to be a neglected no man's land.

Barnet Green Party EU Debate Tonight with Syriza speaker

We need this spirit now - 40 years since the Grunwick Strike in Brent

Labour decision to back HS2 will anger local campaigners

The Independent, which sadly  publishes its last Sunday edition today, reports that Jeremby Corbyn and John McDonnell, despite earlier opposition, will whip Labour MPs to support the HS2 Bill when it goes to the House of Commons on Tuesday LINK

The newspaper reports that Sir Keir Starmer,  Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras, a fierce opponent of HS2, may be persuaded to support the Bill via a Labour amendment that would protect social housing around Euston and mitigate construction disruption. Starmer was opposed at the General Election by Green Party leader Natalie Bennett. The Greens oppose HS2.

In the  South Kilburn Estate opposition arose when Brent Council who are in favour of HS2,  persuaded HS2 to move a vent shaft to a site right next to St Mary's Primary School on the Estate. LINK 

Pete Firmin gave evidence on behalf of South Kilburn residents to the Select Committee. LINK

Kensal Triangle Residents Association have been vehemently against the project.

Corbyn raised issues around HS2 and its impact on other necessary rail projects as recently as last October LINK  leading to this comment from the Stop HS2 Camapign:

Stop HS2 Campaign Manager Joe Rukin responded:

“It is a breath of fresh air to have a party leader who is actually trying to assess what the real-world implications of HS2 would be, opposed to simply swallowing the spin put forward by proponents. It has been clear since the outset that spending such a vast amount of money on HS2 would only mean other, more deserving projects will be squeezed out, and even the Department for Transport have admitted that HS2 could suck up all the rail investment money.” 

“Following the on-off and now delayed status of some rail upgrades, there is still the Hendy report to come which will surely cut back on other projects. In this climate, we simply cannot see Mr Corbyn getting the guarantee he seeks.”

“With the costs of HS2 set to spiral when they are finally worked out on current prices, there is no way other projects can be guaranteed. We welcome the fact Mr Corbyn is seriously looking at the implications of HS2, and remind him that if he finds the project to be deficient, it can be stopped when the bill comes back for third reading.”

100k petition against forced academisation wins consideration for parliamentary debate

From Anti Academies Alliance

The public have spoken – they want an inquiry into academies!

The Anti-Academies Alliance is delighted that our petition for a public inquiry and referendum into academies has raced to hit 100,000 signatures in under four days.

The speed with which the public have reacted shows that they understand just how damaging and dangerous the government’s latest education white paper is.

The ironically titled ‘Education Excellence Everywhere’ will force all schools to become academies, cut the need for consultation, get rid of parent governors on school governing bodies, and remove the need for qualified teachers in school. This is the complete dismantling of state education. It is a scorched earth proposal.

We fully expect the government to hold the inquiry that the public have demanded. If they do not we will work with parents, students, unions and academics to build our own. If academies are the educational panacea that the government claim they can have nothing to fear from a full and forensic examination of the evidence.