Archive for May, 2007
The Labour Party Deputy Leadership contest is getting hot, hot, hot.
On Tuesday, Jon Cruddas (whom I am backing) romped home in a national television debate of the candidates on BBC Two’s Newsnight programme.
A million viewers got to see why those of us who’ve met Jon, and spoken to him about his views on the Labour party Deputy Leadership, are right behind him in this campaign.
Jon Cruddas is a breath of fresh air and exactly what our party needs.
I’m delighted he’s now published his manifesto and a range of other lovely campaign materials.
Click on the red links to download Jon’s Charter for Working People, his short A5 Campaign Booklet and a special postcard Jon’s supporters can send to their mates asking them to vote for him.
Very well done to all of Jon’s campaign team for producing these. You’re doing great.
Come on Jon!
Only three weeks to go! 
JUNE 5TH UPDATE: JON CRUDDAS’ FULL CAMPAIGN MANIFESTO PUBLISHED
May 31st, 2007
I watched today’s Daily Politics Show (on BBC 2) earlier and am feeling really, really emotional.
Back in March, the producers contacted me to talk about a feature they were looking to do on anti-social behaviour.
To cut a long story short, I told them that we had this fantastic youth club being run in Leyton ward, with no premises and little funding, and that I thought it would be good for the Daily Politics to do a piece on them, to show some of the positive work the group is doing.
Fast forward a couple of months and we get today’s truly excellent show featuring Leyton ward’s Kreative Culture Klub (KCK)!
The group was the star of today’s programme and I am so so proud of them all!
I really hope that, as a result of seeing KCK’s superb apperance today, someone will now help the group secure the LONG TERM funding it desperately needs.
Well done again all!!!
You did Leyton ward proud today and I feel so proud to be your local councillor!!
To contact KCK, email Yvonne Bailey on: kck_enq@hotmail.com
To watch today’s marvellous Daily Politics show, featuring Leyton ward’s Kreative Culture Klub, click HERE.
May 9th, 2007
Regular visitors to this website will remember that back in November, I posted this story about an energetic campaign being run my one of my Leyton ward constituents, Tom Wright (pictured above left) and his partner Valeria Martinelli (pictured above right) to get loud music on buses banned.
A couple of days ago, I received an email from Tom and Valeria informing me that, as a result of their excellent campaign, Transport for London (the body that runs London’s buses) has now changed its policy and has finally agreed to prohibit all playing of openly loud music on buses!
This is really excellent news and shows what can be acheived when people who feel passionate about an issue take action and campaign for change.
Very well done both!
Here’s to a more peaceful bus journey the next time I take the 69
Below is the text of Tom and Valeria’s email
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Hi everyone,
We just wanted to share some fantastic news regarding the Music Free Buses Campaign. As you may remember, in March, Transport for London told us that new signs would be installed on all London Buses to combat the problem of loud anti-social music. The signs read “Please keep your music down.”
We wrote to both the Mayor and to TfL to express our utmost dissatisfaction with the proposed sign, indicating that it was both ambivalent and inappropriate. We honestly did not expect anything to change as TfL’s representative had told us in no uncertain terms that the sign would not be altered.
Imagine our satisfaction and surprise then when we received the following message from TfL last Friday:
“You?’ll be pleased to know that we have now changed our on-bus publicity regarding the playing of music. As you can see from the attached PDF files, the signs, which are now mandatory on all buses, clearly ask passengers to turn off music that could be played through a speaker; while those with headphones are asked to use them with consideration.
The general bulkhead notice will be updated in all our buses over the next 4 months. And the specific Turn it off; Keep it down notice will also be posted inside the bus, at the back, on both decks; as this is where the inconsiderate playing of music tends to happen most. ”
We are so pleased! We never thought this would happen, but it seems that our efforts have been rewarded in the end. TfL have eventually listened to their customers and taken an active step to try and discourage one aspect of antisocial behaviour. We look forward to seeing the signs on London Buses soon…and to pointing them out to the mindless few who think it is acceptable to share their noise with everyone on the bus. We have enquired as to whether the signs will also be displayed on the tube network but as yet we haven’t had an answer.
Kind regards
Valeria Martinelli & Tom Wright
Music Free Buses…and Trains!
May 6th, 2007
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