Camden Labour is joining forces with families across the Borough in a campaign to Save Our Sure Start children’s centres from Tory plans to cut their funding and prevent access to these valuable services for families on middle and modest incomes. You can support the campaign at www.saveoursurestart.com.

Instead of the universal service Labour has created for all families, the Tories have said they would cut £200 million each year from the Sure Start budget – which could see one in five children’s centres being forced to close.

Read the rest of this entry »

.

Campaigners and users were dismayed at news that Camden Council Executive voted to plough ahead with cuts to UK online centres across the Borough.

Protestors outside Camden Town Hall

Labour councillors had urged the Lib Dems and Tories to not to proceed with a staggering 83% cut to the funding the council gives the centres, suggesting that they use the councils recession fund to at least guarantee fundingfor the coming year.

Read the rest of this entry »

.

Camden Labour is supporting the Crown tenants in their campaign to prevent their landlord, the Crown Commissioners, from selling off their homes to a speculative developer. The proposal involves 539 units of social housing in Regents Park Ward. Many of the residents are elderly and have Rent Act protected tenancies. More recently, flats have been allocated to “key workers” under assured shorthold tenancies.

Local residents, Mary and Bill Greenleaf with Cllr Heather Johnson, Frank Dobson MP and Cllr Nasim Ali

Read the rest of this entry »

.

Michael epitomised the true socialist values and beliefs of the Labour movement; whether as a Leader of the Party from 1980 till 1983; or as Member of Parliament from 1945 for Plymouth Devonport constituency for 10 years and then losing the seat. He became MP for  Ebbw Vale  and held cabinet posts including that of Employment Secretary.
 
Born in 1913; he was for part of his early life Liberal following the political views of his father, Isaac Foot. He was a passionate advocate of freedom of the press with his famous call for “we must fight, fight, fight” to defend freedom of speech. He led the then Old Labour Party until 1983  and resigned as Leader after the Party’s election defeat and was succeeded by Neil Kinnock. 

Read the rest of this entry »

.

Regent’s Park councillors and Action Team members are taking a firm stance on the Northern Line closures. It has been reported that the Northern Line will be closed for 82 weekends. Last week Action Team member Tulip Siddiq wrote a letter to the CNJ demanding that Camden Council start to lobby Transport for London properly about these closures. It will severely impact the lives of Regent’s Park residents who regularly use Mornington Crescent tube for their main method of transportation.

Councillor and Leader of the Labour Group Nasim Ali has also voiced his concerns about this closure. Regent’s Park will be exerting more pressure on Camden Council to take action on this inconvenient proposal.

Right: local campaigner, Tulip Siddiq

.

The local Kilburn Labour team welcomed Foreign Secretary David Miliband MP to Kilburn to celebrate the contribution Bangladeshi people have made to this country.  Speaking at the Tricycle theatre, the minister said: “Bangladesh and the UK have deep historic and cultural ties.  With many British people of Bangladeshi origin living in the UK, we enjoy a vibrant partnership.”  

Kilburn Labour camapigner Maryam Eslamdoust added: “Bangladeshi people have made a huge contribution to the local area, both culturally and economically.  We’re very proud that they play such a vital role in our community”.

.

The Lib Dems running Camden have announced one of their largest cuts to date – an eye-watering 82.5% slash to Camden’s UK Online Centres budget.

These vital centres help people use computers and get online – essential as more and more everyday activity relies on accessing the internet, from applying for housing to filling in tax forms and applying for jobs and benefits.

The axe has fallen particularly hard in Kilburn, as there are a number of centres in our area: at Kingsgate Resource Centre on Webheath, at Kilburn Library and in the Youth Centre on the High Road; the South Hampstead Education and Lifelong Learning Centre on Boundary Road and the Latin American Association on Kingsgate Place.

Labour campaigner Mike Katz said: “Camden’s Lib Dems are really making good on the promise of ‘savage cuts’ their party leader gave a few months ago.

“And as with other Lib Dem/Tory cuts, it will be the most disadvantaged, the elderly and poorer children who will be hit the worst, who either don’t have access at home or need help to get online.

“This will really hurt Kilburn, as we have five centres here – and a great demand for the service.

“So much for a council willing to help people improve their skills and access benefits – especially during a recession.

He added that Labour would be campaigning with the centres across the borough to fight the cut and help keep them open.

Tags: Kilburn.

Camden Labour have been backing the campaign to save the Whittington A&E from closure.  There will be a public meeting about the planned closure on Monday 25th January, 7pm at Archway Methodist Church, N19.  We hope you can join us there to protest against this terrible decision by NHS executives.

Closing the Whittington A&E would force some people to travel further in an emergency.  It would also put an extra strain on other hospitals, such as the Royal Free, and potentially lead to the closure of other services at the Whittington.

More than 1,000 people have signed the petition against the closure.  You can add your name here: http://www.savethewhittington.org.uk/tag/petition/

.

Lib Dem led Camden Council has backed down from plans to replace the unique internal heating system on the Alexandra & Ainsworth estate with radiators, following a high profile campaign led by the Tenant’s & Resident’s Association – supported by Kilburn’s Labour Team.

Over 90% of residents surveyed by the TRA opposed the radiator plans, which many residents feared would be unsightly and could potentially lead to structural problems with the eye-catching grade II listed estate.

Labour campaigner Thomas Gardiner said: “Thanks to the TRA campaign, the Lib Dems have seen sense and backed down on their plans to impose radiators on the Alex & Ainsworth. We’re pleased the council has seen sense and will get on with replacing electrical wiring in new risers on A block, while looking again at sustainable longer term solutions for the estate.”

Tags: Kilburn, Radiators Row, Rowley Way.

Progress has been made but much more needs to be done – that was the message from young people in the local Somali community as they met with Frank Dobson MP and Camden Labour campaigners last night. Frank heard from volunteers and community workers at the Somali Youth Development Resource Centre, in Kentish Town, about the impressive educational achievements of many in the Somali community, and the help and support that is being provided to local residents at the centre. However, serious concerns were also raised about overcrowded housing, youth unemployment, the danger of young people falling into crime and
drug abuse, and the threat of Islamophobic racism locally.

Local Labour campaigner, Phil Jones, said “I was impressed by the commitment and knowledge of the staff and volunteers from SYDRC and the London Somali Youth Forum. Some excellent ideas were proposed about supporting children from a Somali background in our local schools, and the need to oppose the Town Hall’s cuts to local youth clubs.

“British Somalis are an important part of the diversity that makes Camden such a special place to live. Camden Labour is 100% committed to ensuring all local communities of whatever background are given a chance to have their say on the issues that matter in our Borough.”

Frank Dobson committed to working further with staff at the centre, particularly over promoting training and employment opportunities locally.

Frank Dobson at the Somali Youth Development Resource Centre

.