A couple of days ago something genuinely terrible happened. My eldest child ran away from a park where he was playing with a friend after school. It all happened in a split second; the two boys were messing about, not wanting to go home, much to the irritation of the adults. Then they suddenly vanished. […]
Posts under ‘Local Government’
Lutfur Rahman: the case for reinstatement
Sep 22nd, 2012 by Anton Wahlberg.Although Tower Hamlets has the wealth distribution profile of a least developed country, the borough has made big improvements in education, housing and other social services, both under Labour control and now under an ex-Labour executive Mayor. Even so, in the media it has become a by-word for corruption and incompetence, but that reputation owes […]
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Glasgow scapegoated for Labour’s failure in Scotland
Sep 20th, 2012 by Jim MacKechnie.As Autumn 2011 saw Scotland preparing for this year’s local authority elections, party officials masterminded a massive cull of Glasgow City’s Labour councillors. Fifteen out of forty-seven sitting councillors were rejected for the panel of candidates. Another three were denied an interview as they had previously been placed under suspension – one for almost two […]
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Labour and the 2015 progressive majority
Aug 20th, 2012 by Carl Packman.Though we have about 1000 days until the next election, Plaid Cymru have offered the Labour party a deal by way of a strategy should we find ourselves with a hung parliament in 2015. Jonathan Edwards, MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and a key advisor to Plaid Cymru’s leader Leanne Wood, said: “We would […]
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Tower Hamlets Labour: first as tragedy, then as farce
Aug 9th, 2012 by Keith Wright.But it seems like the days when they attacked each other with dodgy dossiers alleging Islamic extremism are over. Since July 20th, the Tower Hamlets Labour official Twitter account (@TH_Labour_Party) has devoted itself almost exclusively to broadcasting pictures of rubbish.
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Devolution max for the North?
Jul 28th, 2012 by Robbie Scott.The population of England and Wales has increased by 3.7 million since 2002 which represents a huge logistical challenge not just in terms of planning local services but also in terms of addressing the widening democratic deficit in England which host the lions share of the increase. We ought to forget talk of an English […]
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This poorest-hating government is twisting poll tax screw to hit them harder
Jul 24th, 2012 by Michael Meacher.Can you believe it? The Tory view of society seems to be a version of Dante’s Inferno, with seven descending circles into Hell. At the top are the 0.003% of the population whose wealth on the latest estimates is now valued at £414bn, including gains in the last 3 years of £155bn. These are very […]
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Labour must challenge the canard: public sector bad, private sector good
Jul 18th, 2012 by Michael Meacher.Nothing shows more starkly the relentless grip on the public consciousness (and above all the politicians) that the corporate sector has secured than the absurd fixation with outsourcing. It is automatically assumed to be more efficient, more innovative, more dynamic. Sometimes it is, sometimes it all ends in tears and the State has to pick […]
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Police commissioner candidate selection results
Jun 18th, 2012 by Jon Lansman.With all regions now declared, here are the selection results for Police & Crime Commissioners. Where it states “elected unopposed“, this referes to these candidates shortlisted only. In some cases, a shortlist of one was drawn up even where there were more than one applicant. Left Futures is very far from convinced that this is […]
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Centre-Left candidates for Labour councillor elections
May 28th, 2012 by Jon Lansman.Labour councillors will receive additional ballot papers to elect their representatives on Labour’s national executive and policy forum. In the election for two NEC representatives, Jay Kramer of Hastings Borough Council will contest with Dave Sparks, leader of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, and Ann Lucas of Coventry. For the four national policy forum places, Steve […]
