Wednesday, February 25, 2009

“On the knocker” for Labour in Royal Docks

Tonight after work I joined a Newham Labour party canvass team which went out knocking doors and talking to residents about the Council by-election next month and our candidate Steve Brayshaw.

I managed to arrive on time for the briefing and we were soon sent out in various teams to cover the ward. My team went to the more traditional Labour heartlands in the ward which lie towards the Woolwich Ferry.

I thought that we had a good reception. I felt that people were pleased to be canvassed for their views. Even amongst those few who said they would not vote for Steve I felt that there was no real hostility to Labour. I didn’t see any opposition supporters at all in the ward.

We had 3 Newham Councillors with us in our team of 7 (which was a bit too large). Local Royal Docks Cllr Anthony McAlmont (and his son!), Cllr David Griffin and Cllr Amarjit Singh.

What I was really pleased about was the state of the housing stock which I believe is largely run by Newham Homes (the Council owned ALMO). The stock and the street seemed to be well maintained and cared for which is a credit to the residents and the housing staff.

The only problem we had that night was when Labour stalwart John Whitworth tried to hand over our vote ID returns to HQ and he had to fend off Steve’s dogs at the front door who were busy trying to lick him to death.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting calling card. I didn't know that Steve Brayshaw owned his own printing press in his own personal home.

Does Alec Kellaway have a key to your house - sorry, printing factory?

Anonymous said...

Nice quotes from Steve Brayshaw in the Docklands 24 just a year ago, before he joined Labour:

"A call has been made for the application to expand London City Airport to go to a public inquiry. Would you like your say on the plans?”

"London City Airport should go to public enquiry. The airport measures noise over time so it can average out noisy planes with the silence in between. That's not the way my ears work. The planes are noisy and more planes equals more noise. With crossrail being given approval the entire remit for the airport should be considered not expansion.”

And John Gray says people don't worry about noise and pollution! It seems Steve Brayshaw did once why not ask him how his 'ears' work now?

Keep going as the hole just gets bigger. No wonder voters have no faith in labour anymore, even those of us who were once members. Hardie would turn in his grave.

Anonymous said...

I think I'll have to start calling Steve Brayshaw 2 face as he cannot be trusted. He has already lost me with his 2 face (labour) change to London City Airport.
Same as the rest of the Weasel Wales Mob in Newham. Just out for what they can get and sc** the rest of you.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon 1
No – not a clue what you are wittering on about?

Anon 2
I have talked to a lot of real residents about a huge range of issues and no-one repeat no-one has brought up the airport. No doubt it is an issue – it’s an issue to me and I live in the Forest Gate flight path but I can only assume that people are broadly supportive of the Council’s balancing trick between local jobs and environment. This is what politics is all about. If people think the Labour Party has got it wrong they will vote for another party. That is called democracy.

Anon 3
There is nothing like reasoned debate is there?

Anonymous said...

Hey John,

Where's the reasoned debate on your blog?

I've requested that you invite sitting Newham Labour councillors to respond to some of my points via your blog. Any progress with that?

John Gray said...

Hi Mike
Well I suppose reasonability is always subjective?

You can invite them Mike but I suspect (I do not know since I haven’t asked them) that they don't think that anything useful will come out of any debates with you?

Anonymous said...

Of course they wont debate with Mike Law - He has the actual facts of what has gone on and the incedious way they have looked after themselves.

Anonymous said...

Okay John,

Then, what's your take on the number of paid advisors (elected members) the Mayor has on his payroll and the allowances they receive?

Do you think £111,000,000 plus for Building 1000 is good value for money?

How is the Mayor able to deliver on his financial commitments as outlined in his contract without the borough gaining inner London status?

Anonymous said...

"Interesting calling card. I didn't know that Steve Brayshaw owned his own printing press in his own personal home.

Does Alec Kellaway have a key to your house - sorry, printing factory?"

I think John if you had ACTUALLY read the flyer you will see it says it was PRINTED at Kellaways house.Was it?

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
Incedious? Isn’t that a tree?

Hi Mike
I can’t see anything wrong with the principle of paid advisor posts? I wish you would reference your claims (I have asked you this before) but I would have thought that anyone could see that there is a business case at least for centralising back office services in one borough building. Process is another thing.

Outside Newham we have councils who are privatising and externalising services left, right and centre. Back office functions and call centres are being taken out of boroughs and placed elsewhere in the UK and even abroad.

No doubt being a Tory you think it is a good thing that decent Newham Council jobs on NJC terms are taken out of the borough and given to workers outside London on minimum wage rates in the UK or off-shored?

Hi Anon
Please read things properly – its “on behalf” he publishes for the purpose of electorial law not that Alex lives there. This wording is commonplace in elections. He is (I will type this very slowly for the dim and slow witted) the agent.

Anonymous said...

I did reference my post: paid advisors (ELECTED members!!!!!!!)

Wales pays half of all Labour councillors for various bogus posts; no other elected Mayor in the country does this - I've done the FOI research and can send you the responses if you want me to "reference" this post.

No doubt being a Labour member you think this is fine because you aspire to become a councillor and you wouldn't say no a to paid post in Wales' inner circle.

I love the way you tell others what they think and believe but get irritated when anyone does the same to you. You're an asset to the Labour movement.

John Gray said...

Hi Mike
No you don’t reference things – I was actually referring to building “1000”. BTW Confirm what and when you mean by “contract”?

There are a number of arguments in favour of paid advisor roles. You and some others do not agree with them. That is your right.

But Mike, why is it that when anyone who disagrees with you over practically anything it is because they are “corrupt”. That is scumbag politics and I think you know it.

Anonymous said...

John,

The contract I refer to is the much publicised Mayor's contract (a PDF copy of which is on the Council's website) - do you actually read the propaganda that gets pushed trough your letterbox from the Town Hall?

The situation regarding paid advisors (elected members) on Newham Council is farcical. Explain how, if the remuneration for each position is dependant on a "job description", how is it that two members swapped positions (Anti-social Behaviour and Public Realm - there, that's a reference) the job descriptions for each position didn't change, yet each member kept the allowance that went with their previous post?

When did I state that anyone who disagrees with me is corrupt? Again, if you cannot respond to a point cogently and rationally, you resort to abuse. Now that truly is scumbag politics and YOU know it.

John Gray said...

Hi Mike
You have clearly accused me in your comments of amongst other things being a racist liar and a corrupt person. If you don’t mean these things then please proof read your comments before you make them.

In my view, for what it is worth, you should be ashamed of yourself for saying these things. Thank God you are now a Tory.

Anonymous said...

When did I accuse you of being a racist liar and corrupt?

I think you're an arsehole and you can quote me on that.