For a National Living Wage Unit

May 18, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Green Party

Everyone, regardless of which party they belong to, has an affinity or commitment to a particular policy, something that makes them really proud to belong to that party. In my case, it is the Green Party’s commitment to a national living wage for the lowest-paid earners.

The origins of this aspiration extends right back into the 19th century with Catholic social teaching, enshrined in Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, which contains an early notion of the living wage (“wages ought not to be insufficient to support a frugal and well-behaved wage-earner”).

The first, real UK campaign for a living wage started with the London Citizens movement, who launched the London Living Wage Campaign back in 2001. During his 2004 re-election campaign, Ken Livingstone proposed the establishment of a Living Wage Unit to calculate the cost of the real minimum wage needed in London to ensure that London’s lowest paid workers received an annual income above the poverty threshold. This unit was welcomed by the Green London Assembly Members (AMs) and remains a cornerstone of Green Party policy in the capital and beyond.

We must now turn our attention to lobby the Government to establish a National Living Wage Unit to highlight the forgotten issue of poverty pay. Whilst cynics out there will doubt that there is any realistic chance of the Con-Dem Government establishing a National Living Wage Unit, if Greens were to lead on this issue, working alongside community organisations, trade unions and faith groups, then the momentum could certainly get behind the initiative.

If we are looking to put down our flag at Westminster, this is it. But, the campaign can go beyond Westminster and feed directly into our local election campaign right across the country in every unitary, county and district authority, all levels of Government have a duty to combat poverty pay within their own structures, but also in their own locales. We must draw upon the campaign success of London Citizens, and propel the issue to the forefront of British politics.

Whilst the other parties are all talking cuts, we can respond by talking about pay, poverty and the ever-growing wealth gap. By running a campaign as a national party, with Caroline Lucas acting inside Parliament raising the profile of the campaign through questions and other Parliamentary means, we can really get the public to ‘think again’ about the party and our trajectory.

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‘No’ to the “progressive majority”, ‘Yes’ to reform

May 11, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Caroline Lucas, Green Party

At the moment, we are hearing talk from Labourites, social Liberal Democrats and even some Greens, about the potential for a “progressive majority” coalition or, as the right-wing press likes to call it, a “coalition of losers.”

Some debate is happening about the role of Brighton Pavilion’s new Green MP, Caroline Lucas, in such a coalition. This morning, on Radio 4’s ‘Today Show’, Caroline Lucas said the following:

“This has been getting called a progressive coalition, but I have to say from our perspective there isn’t very much that’s progressive about Labour or indeed, in many respects, the Liberal Democrats.

So this is hopefully a coalition of reform, but I think in order to earn that name, if you like, then thorough going electoral and political reform absolutely has to be at its heart.”

This couldn’t be more true. As Greens, we really have to question the “progressive” nature of both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Just like the Conservatives, both parties propose cutbacks and further privatisation as a means of “economic recovery”, neither party wants to accept that what we really need is a massive Government investment package in jobs, the scrapping of our entire nuclear arsenal, the cutting off of tax loopholes and the raising of tax for the well-off and, the protection of every last public service that activists and campaigners have fought tooth and nail to see materialise over the last 50 plus years.

We can of course support any move closer to proportional representation and fundamental reform of our electoral and political systems. Our Parliamentary codes and practices have not undergone any radical change since the 19th-century and now, more than ever before, we have to look at fixing the broken system.

Whilst full and proper PR is desirable, it remains unlikely that we’ll see a voting system where every vote counts. The Alternative Vote (AV) isn’t good enough and is not nearly democratic enough, let alone being proportional. As a cynic, I think the best deal progressives could wrangle would probably be a referendum on AV+. Once again, not perfect, but it is considerably better than AV. If anything more proportional looked likely, I would argue for that but, this is significant, throughout the election the Lib Dems were not talking up the single transferable vote (STV), they’re not even discussing that now.

But, what should the Greens demand? We should demand for the most proportional offer that any party is talking about whilst pointing out the faults and deficits of AV and AV+. We should also be talking about how it is not only just Westminster elections that need reforming but local ones too. We need to be arguing for PR to be introduced for local elections right across the country, along with devolving more power and authority to local councils. We should not be forgetting about reform of the House of Lords. We need to remind the public that 2/3s of our democratic institutions are not elected by them, but are either hereditary or nominated by sitting MPs, usually from the Government benches.

However, and this is important, if in the event that the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party decided to enter upon any agreement, be it a “progressive” coalition or a “reform” agreement as Caroline has suggested, then it would be down to Caroline’s constituents, the voters of Brighton Pavilion, to have their say about what kind of role Caroline Lucas should have. It is not for us as a party to decide, it is for those people who did the bold, brave and brilliant thing of electing Caroline to be their MP. A public meeting, open to all shades of opinion from her constituents, would be the most open, honest and transparent way for Caroline to make her decision.

I say, let the voters of Brighton Pavilion be the Kingmakers, not us.

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Momentum!

May 9, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Elections, Green Party

The one thing we can be absolutely certain about from the General Election is the fact that every single party lost. Brown lost seats and lost the popular vote, Clegg lost seats and failed to capitalise on the post-Leaders Debate momentum and Cameron failed to get an overall majority. Only three parties gained seats on the night, the Conservatives, the Alliance Party (who took Belfast East from Peter Robinson and the DUP) and, of course, the Green Party, who took the seat of Brighton Pavilion.

This is an historic first for the Greens. These are uncharted waters made even more complicated by the fact that we have a hung Parliament. However, Caroline is used to firsts and will have no trouble getting to grips with the intricacies of Westminster politics.

But, and this is perhaps the most important thing of all, despite the squeeze felt in London and elsewhere, the Greens have momentum.

For the Green Party in Brighton, this momentum could be translated into another historic first in a year’s time – the first ever Green council. Critics might point out that across Brighton and Hove, the combined vote put the Greens in fourth place, behind the Lib Dems. I don’t dispute this but, and critics need to know this, we were also fourth across Brighton and Hove following  the 2005 election, only to then turn the momentum into 12 council seats (13 since last year’s epic win in the Goldsmid by-election).

So, how can this come to be? Where can the Greens possibly take seats? Well, whilst I haven’t yet had a chance to look at the returns from Thursday night’s count, I believe there are several seats in play come next May.

The Greens need 27 seats to take the council and secure a majority, a big ask but, the Greens have a habit of doubling their council numbers in Brighton and Hove. Let’s see what they can take.

The Greens already have one seat in Preston Park (the always brilliant Amy Kennedy) and should be able to bag the other two this time round.

Following on from Alex Phillips’ win in the Goldsmid by-election last summer, the Greens can target the remaining two seats in the ward.

Another opportunity for the Greens in Hove, might be the ward of Central Hove. Currently Tory, but bordering Goldsmid, Central Hove is a vulnerable seat that may succumb to a Green surge across the city.

Also up for the grabs is the Lib Dem ward of Brunswick and Adelaide. The Lib Dems will be throwing everything they’ve got at trying to hold it but, Lib Dem voters might be swayed into going Green at the prospect of the Greens taking majority control of the council.

Coming back to the Pavilion constituency, all the remaining seats should be Green targets. The Conservative vote has proven to have flatlined across the constituency, including the “heartlands” of Patcham and Withdean. The Greens have every chance to take a seat (or more) in both.

Going after Labour seats, Hollingdean and Stanmer Park could easily fall to the Greens who can now bank on the student vote making a strong showing. With enough work, and careful targeting of their key demographic, the Greens could potentially take all three seats from Labour.

Likewise in Moulscoomb and Bevendean. Currently a mixed ward of two Labour councillors and one Tory, the Greens can force Labour onto the back foot. Considered “safe”, the Tories pinching a seat in 2007 is a sign that this is far more vulnerable than previously assumed.

The final ward which, to some, will seem laughable is, Rottingdean Coastal. Probably the longest shot for the Greens, this “safe” Tory ward has probably been taken for granted, with new voters from the urban city centre moving out to the village over the past three years, the Greens might be able to take at least one seat off the Tories. Don’t rule it out.

So, if I was to work out the numbers on this, the Greens would need to take the two seats in Brunswick and Adelaide, at least one in Central Hove, the remaining two in Goldsmid, all three in Hollingdean and Stanmer, at least one in Moulscoomb and Bevendean, two in Patcham (yes, I am that optimistic), two more in Preston Park, one in Rottingdean (wait and see) and one in Withdean (maybe two). Thus bringing a net gain of 15 new Green councillors. Combining this with the 13 existing councillors (with no losses), the Greens would have a grand total of 28 councillors and a majority administration.

I would not rule out the possibility of the Greens taking majority control. Critics will detract from this but, they will not have factored in the “Lucas effect”, nor the Greens “big mo.”

It is no easy task, far from it, it is a colossal challenge. However, with the current leftwards trajectory, the fact that the Greens are ideologically identifiable as a left-wing party committed to social justice, fairness and protection of public services, makes it far more likely for the Greens to attract idealistic and progressive voters to the party and our positive politics.

In the meantime, the Greens need to get on the ground, to continue campaigning, to further improve our links with trade unionists and the labour movement, to work with community groups, taking on casework from those outside of the wards (and constituency) we currently represent and to make the case for a Green, progressive Brighton in 2011.

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Caroline Lucas: Our First Green MP

May 8, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Caroline Lucas, Green Party

Sorry for my lack of posting anything for nearly a month. I have been absorbed in this election and my energies have been directed elsewhere. But, after a long, hard slog, she did it, Caroline Lucas is now Caroline Lucas MP!

This is a big first, this is massive for the Greens and even bigger for Brighton Pavilion. After seeing the Greens get squeezed in London where, unfortunately, we lost a number of council seats (well done to Darren Johnson holding on in Lewisham and Maya de Souza in Camden), we got the big one.

Caroline Lucas MP (I can’t stop adding MP) will raise the Greens national profile tremendously. It dispels all the old myths that the “Greens can’t win”, that “a vote for the Greens is a wasted one” or, my favourite one from Labour activists, “voting Green lets in the Tories.” Actually, a vote for the Greens lets the Greens in.

Brighton has done something amazing. Voters in Pavilion ignored the politics of fear whipped up by the two parties that it is either going to be Labour or the Conservatives and instead voted for something they wanted. They have given the Greens a majority of 1200 on an 8.4% swing from Labour. A massive well done to Brighton Pavilion voters, you have done Britain proud.

A another big well done (and a massive thank you) needs to go to everyone in the Green campaign team, all the councillors, all the volunteers, even those who came from far away and abroad (yes, a couple of Canadians came over to help Caroline). Without the help of every last person, from the press office to those delivering leaflets, it could not have been achieved without the input of every last person who was involved in the campaign.

The hard work now begins. Caroline and the party have a lot of people to thank, a lot of people to see and a lot of people to work on behalf of. Caroline’s priority is to Brighton Pavilion and her constituents. Her record will be judged by Pavilion voters and Pavilion voters alone. I have no doubt that Caroline will be an excellent constituency MP. As an MEP she always put the South-East first, she put her constituents first, and she will do the same for the people of Brighton Pavilion.

Commiserations to Nancy Platts and Charlotte Vere. I know both put a lot of  time and energy into fighting the seat. But, at the end of the day, voters ignored the national polls, they ignored the national picture and they voted for what they wanted, a Green MP. That is what they got, they now have a local champion in Caroline Lucas MP.

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Former Labour Chairperson backs Greens in Lancaster by-election

March 31, 2010 · Filed under Green Party, Lancaster

I just saw this from UK Polling Report, I hope Gareth Webb doesn’t mind me posting it here:

“All the signs are that Ian Chamberlain will take the seat for the Green Party – I wish him good luck. As the ex Chairperson of the Labour Party Constituency of Lancastr & Fleetwood, I resigned my membership of Labour (disgusted with Iraq and the expenses scandal). I recently joined the Green Party in Lancaster and am working hard to convince floating voters to use their vote wisely on 1st April and vote GREEN. It is the only option in Lancaster, progression, transparency, accountability and above all honesty and real connection with the electorate. This IS the Green Party & Ian Chamberlain has my full support and backing and of course my VOTE on 1st April 2010. He will make a formidable city councillor. I urge anybody who is ‘unsure’ to vote GREEN on 1st April 2010.”

For those of you who might be interested, Gareth comes from a family with a proud commitment to progressive politics, his grandfather was Maurice Webb, the Food Minister in the 1945 Labour Government.

Well done, Gareth, it’s great to have you in the Greens.

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Tory red-bashing is dirty campaigning

March 31, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Charlotte Vere, Conservative, Green Party

Tory PPC for Brighton Pavilion, Charlotte Vere, has sunk to further depths by continuing to paint the Greens ‘red’.

She continually tries to compare the Greens to both the ‘Communist Party’ (there isn’t one in the UK, only the CPB and CPGB) and Respect, a moderate left-wing force focussed in a few areas and headed by firebrand MP, George Galloway, and the impressive Salma Yaqoob, the Respect candidate for Birmingham Hall Green.

Charlotte Vere’s logic is, that because the Greens have shared a platform with Respect (as well as CND, Oxfam, Friends of the Earth and others), and, because Respect had the participation of ‘communist’ parties, the Greens are somehow in bed with the ‘Commies’ doing the dirty. The only dirty thing here is Charlotte’s style of campaigning, which is anything but clean.

I share The Independent’s analysis that the Greens are ‘radical social democrat’, but I’m proud to say that we’re a party with clear egalitarian principles. To paint the Greens as ‘Marxist’, or somehow part of the ‘old Left’, is deceitful and sign of a paranoid hysteria. Maybe someone needs to tell Charlotte Vere that the Cold War is over and that red-bashing fell out of favour with Joe McCarthy.

Yes, there are a few reds about and yes, we have socialists and other leftists in the Green Party (as does Labour – believe it or not – and the Church of England), but the Greens are a democratic, egalitarian and open party. The ‘Policies for a Sustainable Society‘ (PSS) is open for everyone to see and our twice-yearly conference is open to anyone wishing to attend.

Charlotte’s attempts at smearing the Greens are not only deceitful, they are also laughable. It only further damages her campaign and, if she’s not careful, she might well end up getting the nickname ‘ Charlotte-does-Smear’…alot.

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An Open Response to ‘A Guy Named Guy’

March 29, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Elections, Green Party, Labour, Nancy Platts

The following post is the development of some of the points I raised in response to a post by an interesting left-of-centre Brighton blogger. ‘A Guy Named Guy’ , who blogs at ‘Cut the Crap‘, makes an interesting case as to why he is voting for Nancy Platts in Brighton Pavilion.

Here is my post with some added bits:

“I think we have to remember, despite Nancy Platts being as decent a candidate as she is, she is deceiving voters in Brighton Pavilion.

Despite where Nancy stands on a whole range of issues (and I agree with almost all of her policy positions), she is asking voters in Brighton to return a Labour government and a Labour manifesto that will stand in stark contrast to Nancy’s own values.

The Labour manifesto will include cuts in higher education (despite Nancy standing on a picket line opposing higher education cuts), cuts in social and public services (despite Nancy sending a message of support to the Brighton anti-cuts demo), the replacement of Trident with a new nuclear system that will exacerbate tensions in the Middle East (Nancy is in favour of ditching our nuclear arsenal completely), a continuation of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (Nancy opposes both these wars), no repeal of anti-trade union legislation (Nancy calls herself a trade unionist) and the continuation of illiberal anti-terror legislation that will undermine civil liberties.

Labour has been given 13 years in office to push through radical and far-reaching change and they have fallen short. From reforming the House of Lords into a fully democratic chamber to introducing proportional representation (PR) for general and local elections, they have failed to make even the most moderate of changes to the political constitution, let alone advancing on a programme of addressing the deep inequality that exists in society.

I for one find it an absolute betrayal of the principle of ‘fairness’ that the wealth gap has increased under 13 years of Labour and inequality is more entrenched in society than it was before 1997.

Voters in Brighton Pavilion have a unique opportunity in helping shift the “progressive consensus” to the left with the election of a Green MP.

The Green Party is arguably a ‘radical social democratic’ party whose main focus in recent years has been on developing the value of fairness. Not just fairness in opportunity, but fairness in all that an active State does.

The Greens are the only party arguing against the consensus that savage cuts are needed, instead, we have taken a similar understanding of David Blanchflower’s analogy that recession (and the fragile recovery) is a war and (despite the Green anti-war irony here) the only way to fight a war is to throw money at it, you don’t budget or make cuts on the front line.

There is a real danger of a double-dip recession and we need strong, independent voices in Parliament asking difficult questions, lobbying for cross-party support on early day motions (EDMs) that chime with Green policy (take a look at my post on a recent example http://bit.ly/aczQ7f) and shifting the goal posts of what is possible for the centre-left to achieve.

Climate change is a serious, pressing issue, one that has been forced on the back foot by an emboldened climate change denial cabal, nothing sends a stronger message to that cabal than the election of a Green MP.

Having a Green MP(s) will elevate the urgency for action on climate change in Parliament. It will send a powerful message to the next Government that it is an issue that must be addressed in its entirety.

If, and heavens forbid if it does happen, Nick Griffin wins in Barking; we can expect whatever Government to be more xenophobic, more hostile to immigrants and asylum seekers and more likely to pander to far-right voters. This will only create breathing room for the BNP. Already we have heard Gordon Brown talk about “Strengthen[ing] fairness in communities through controlled immigration… .”

Gordon Brown is right when he says that voters should take a second look at Labour, then a long, hard look at the Tories but, I would advise all voters to look back at Labour’s 13 years, look back on their successes and failures, but think more about what they haven’t done and what they’ve failed to achieve.

Despite Nancy’s credibility as a sound candidate, think about what she is asking voters in Brighton to do. They won’t be voting for Nancy’s policies, they’ll be voting for Gordon Brown and the whole Labour cabinet and a manifesto that will give Labour a mandate to inflict savage cuts, to continue with the “war on terror”, to develop costly and dangerous weapons of mass destruction and for a Government that will pander to the far-right and further legitimise the BNP and their vile politics.

The Labour vote in Brighton has collapsed. The 2007 local elections and the 2009 European Parliament elections proves that. The danger of voting Labour in Brighton Pavilion is the possibility of a Tory MP, but also more of the same from Gordon Brown and co.”

However, it is a pleasure to see a new blogger in Brighton and I want to wish Guy well on his blogging adventure in the run-up to the General Election.

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Can the Greens make it 3 in 4 weeks?

March 26, 2010 · Filed under Elections, Green Party, Lancaster

March has been a pretty good month for the Greens. We’ve taken our third town council seat in less than a year in Totnes , an amazing feat for any local party. I’m prepared to say that Totnes might even become a potential Green target seat in 2014 and might well be the party’s best chance of taking a Parliamentary seat off the Tories. Time will tell, of course.

However, last night saw Mid-Suffolk Greens take the Haughley and Wetherden council seat off the Tories with a whopping 61% of the vote, a 33.2% net swing from the Tories since the 2007 local elections. The Independent has called it a “bombshell on major parties”, whilst The Evening Standard hailed the win as a “shock” to the main parties so close to a General Election. Jim Jepps has the full breakdown of the results.

The Mid-Suffolk district council win comes off the back of the Greens getting a second Councillor Dean Walton after a Babergh district councillor resigned the Tory whip and joined the Greens. Quite the conversion and not one we’re particularly used to, but a welcomed addition to the growing ranks of Green councillors in the country.

On April 1st, less than a week away, voters in the John O’Gaunt ward in Lancaster go to the polls to elect a new city councillor following the resignation of a Labour councillor. Ian Chamberlain has been selected as the Green Party candidate and is keen to join fellow Green and current John O’Gaunt councillor, Jude Towers. If the Greens win the by-election they will become the largest party in the Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency with a total of 13 seats. However, Lancaster and Fleetwood is a Labour ‘must hold’ and a Tory ‘must win’ if they wish to form a majority Government.

The by-election represents the last challenge for either Labour, the Tories or the Greens, to throw down their marker at this election. A Green win will only reinforce the idea that many voters are tired of Labour and the Conservatives and are seeking a different kind of change to the one being talked-up by David Cameron. A Labour win would give the party a much-needed boost of morale before an election is called and for the Tories, a win would represent a turn around in their recent misfortunes.

In the words of Greg Wallace, “it doesn’t get much tougher than this.”

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Does Labour really have a chance in Brighton and Hove?

March 25, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Caroline Lucas, Elections, Labour

There is little doubt that the race in Brighton Pavilion promises to be one of the most exciting in the forthcoming General Election. All three main candidates, Caroline Lucas (Green), Charlotte Vere (Conservative) and Nancy Platts (Labour) are giving it their all.

A little while back, in some discussions with friends, I predicted that the campaign in Brighton Pavilion would be a sour and bitter one. The threat posed by the Green Party is enough to undermine the status quo of the big three and to upset their predominance in UK politics. A Green win, even in one seat, is enough to challenge all presumptions and conceptions about the party and new forces breaking through at Westminster.

Some will argue that one Green MP won’t make any difference, however, they would only be lying to themselves if they didn’t believe the kind of impact it would have. A breakthrough for the Greens at Westminster would be significant, even if not immediately recognisable. The Greens are a national party with councillors up and down the country and with a policy manifesto that envisages the long-term. What has always been lacking up to this point is a real chance of making a breakthrough at a General Election

For far too long the party held onto a vague sense that Labour would deliver PR or a democratic crisis would become so apparent that changing the electoral system was the only hope of recovery. I am glad to see that the party has since shifted in its tactical and strategic thinking and recognised the necessity of employing a genuine target seat strategy.

This has led a large amount of resources, attention and focus going into Brighton Pavilion. The Green campaign in Brighton Pavilion certainly dwarfs both Labour and the Conservative campaigns. However, we must remember, nationally at least, Pavilion is not a top Tory target seat – it’s number 135 on their list; whereas Hove is 8 and Kemptown is 29.

Brighton Politics Blogger has reported on the shortfall in Nancy Platts election funds compared to those of Simon Burgess, the Labour candidate for Kemptown. Given that Simon has a higher profile in the Labour Party than Nancy (just take a peak at Simon’s record), it is no surprise that he has managed to wrestle more money for his campaign away from Nancy’s and Celia Barlow’s (the Labour MP for Hove).

Labour has a lot more to lose from a Green win in Brighton Pavilion than the Tories. If Caroline Lucas successfully takes the seat, then Labour would struggle to come back as the leading, left-of-centre force in Brighton politics.

There is a real possibility that next year, in the Brighton and Hove city council elections, that Labour could be reduced to having a core rump of councillors from East Brighton and Moulsecoomb and Bevendean. The Greens could certainly take Labour’s seat in Goldsmid, their two seats in Preston Park, the Lib Dem seats in Brunswick and Adelaide, as well as picking up one in Withdean, Hollingbury and Stanmer and maybe even a third in Goldsmid from the Tories.

This does of course have the potential of seeing the Tories return with an increased majority and overall control of the council, but Labour would of course be decimated, such would be the knock on effect of a Green victory in Pavilion.

If Labour were reduced to four, five or even six councillors, it could very well be the end of them in Brighton politics. If Labour fail to hold on to Hove (which they have next to no chance of doing so), or Kemptown (in which there is an outside chance they will hold on to) or in Pavilion (maybe no chance), then Labour, as a force in Brighton, will be no more. It would not be long before they are seceded by the Greens as the main progressive force in Brighton and Hove politics.


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This and that: A week in the life of…

March 24, 2010 · Filed under Brighton, Elections, Kent Union, Labour

I have been away from the blog for a week, doing this, doing that. Now I’m back and ready to be as scathing and scrutinising as ever before.

Kent Union elections

I was absent for most of last week because my attention was on the Kent Union elections, particularly the battle for VP Welfare.

I was backing the popular and dedicated Aaron Kiely, who faced tough opposition from the incumbent VP Welfare, Samantha Kennedy. Unfortunately I was unable to be there through most of campaigns week because of my work commitments; however, I was able to do my bit on Friday for the final push.

After a long day in which the weather worsened, it hit 4pm and the polls had closed to the relief of everyone, especially Aaron. That night, we had a nervous wait in store until 11pm when the results were announced. It went to three rounds and Aaron was shy of just 200 votes. The final tally was 1400 to Sam Kennedy, 1200 to Aaron Kiely and 700 votes to the third placed candidate. Whilst the results were disappointing after a long, hard slog, all of us were immensely proud of Aaron’s effort and those of his campaigns team.

Congratulations should go to Zoe Scandrett, Damon Reid-Williams and Tom Pengelly, who were all elected to the positions of Women’s Officer, Ethnic Minorities Officer and LGBT Officer respectively. Kent students are lucky to have three excellent people leading the liberation campaigns for the year ahead.

Victory for Kent staff and students

However, despite the disappointment of Friday night, a silver lining emerged in the dispute between the University management and staff in the Biosciences department at the University of Kent. Yesterday, at 3pm, after a meeting between the University and the UCU, the following statement was released:

“The University and UCU have had further constructive discussions in relation to the future of the School of Biosciences and have agreed upon an acceptable resolution of the matters in issue between them. This successful conclusion to the discussions indicates a renewed spirit  of constructive partnership between management and UCU, and both parties are committed to entering into a Redundancy Avoidance Agreement for the future.   As a result, the threat of compulsory redundancies has now been lifted from UCU members in Biosciences, and UCU has therefore cancelled the planned ballot of its members on taking industrial action which was to commence on Friday 26th March 2010.”

You can read more about this tremendous victory for the UCU and for student-led activism from Aaron Kiely and the Kent staff themselves.

Nancy Platts blocks me from Twitter

In other news, it seems as though the Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion, Nancy Platts, has blocked me from following her on Twitter.

I for one am shocked and saddened by this move. As a public figure, whose Twitter profile is their candidate profile, Nancy’s move is unprecedented and surprising. Sure, I have criticised Nancy and Labour policy, but never on a personal level. In fact, I have the utmost respect for perspective parliamentary candidates (PPCs). Running for Parliament is no easy thing; it requires time, effort and, perhaps above all, maintaining a cool head. If Nancy thinks my soft criticism of her policies is bad, she has no idea what it would be like if ever she was elected to Parliament. I would appreciate it if Nancy could specify as to why she has blocked me but, if I have caused her any upset, I do apologise.

Shame on David Lepper

In further Brighton Labour news, the BBC has reported that Pavilion MP, David Lepper, has broken Parliamentary rules on overseas trips. Mr. Lepper has been visiting Cyprus every year since 2004 and has tabled 29 early day motions (EDMs) relating to the country. Mr. Lepper failed to register an interest when he tabled a Parliamentary question on 13th January 2009, as well as four EDMs between 2006 and 2009.

Whilst David Lepper has apologised for not registering an interest, he has not apologised for using up valuable Parliamentary time in which he should have been focussing on the concerns of his Brighton constituents. He owes his constituents a massive apology for not working in their interests, but instead for the Municipality of Morphou, the Municipality of Famagusta and the Association of Cypriot Municipalities, who paid for his free holidays to Cyprus.

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