Strike Breaking in Lewisham

Strike Breaking in Lewisham

This is a circular I received from a supporter of the Forest Hill School anti-cuts campaign.

Many of you will have heard of the ongoing dispute at Forest Hill School, Lewisham over cuts and the impact on teacher workload. NUT members have taken 9 days of strike action in total and yet the council or School management are still unwilling to engage seriously with the union or parents to solve this dispute.

On Tuesday 20th June, the school showed outright contempt for staff and broke the law by bringing in agency Supply teachers to cover during the strike.  …

Lewisham Labour keeps its promises, as well is it can

Lewisham Labour keeps its promises, as well is it can

Yesterday, Lewisham Council at its Budget Setting meeting, agreed a legal budget. While this involves reducing expenditure in some areas because of Tory central government grant cuts, the Labour Council kept its key manifesto promises, to freeze the Council Tax, sustain the living wage & build new houses. I made a storify from tweets and blogs from the Mayor and councillors. which tells part of the story. John Coughlin, the sole Green Councillor allowed himself the luxury of voting  …

What should Lewisham Labour do next?

What should Lewisham Labour do next?

Some thoughts from New Cross Labour,

Lewisham’s Labour Group have launched an internet consultation, at Lewisham Together , a wordpress site, http://lewishamtogether.wordpress.com/, anyone can contribute ideas to Labour’s Manifesto for Lewisham’s Mayor and Labour Group.  The Labour Party has been choosing candidates over the last six months and campaigning on the doorstep since they won back control of the council in 2010. As part of the consultation, Mayor Steve Bullock came to New Cross Labour Party to talk about the next administration. Members of neighbouring Brockley Ward were also invited, which is how I got there. …

Vicky Foxcroft wins the Labour Party selection

Yesterday, Vicky Foxcroft, one of Brockley’s Labour Councillors won the support of the membership of Lewisham Deptford Constituency Labour Party to become Labour’s candidate for the Member of Parliament in the constituency. This is also reported on Labour List where one of the comments has published the full result. Vicky won on the first round of voting. Congratulations to Vicky, commiserations to the losers.

The voting results suggest that about 55% of eligible members voted. (I am not sure of the number of eligible members, and the list ages, as does the real electoral roll.) …

Vicky Foxcroft enters the fray

Vicky Foxcroft has just announced her intention to stand as Labour’s candidate to replace Joan Ruddock as MP for Lewisham Deptford

She is one of the two Labour Councillors for Brockley Ward, which is where I am a member and currently act as Secretary …

Save Lewisham A&E II

Unfortunately, I can’t make the final consultation meeting organised to consult on the TSA report on South London’s Hospitals. It seems that a large number of Lewisham’s residents have managed it. We can find out what’s happening by tracking twitter’s #savelewishamae feed.

After this meeting, it’s important that we all express our views in the “consultation” exercise. How to participate is best expressed at “Save Lewisham A+E” web site. This now has

It’s important to get as many as possible, in Ealing which is suffering a similar attack, the Commissioners are trying to ignore a response of 18,000 as reported in the Ealing Gazette. I have created a short URL, http://is.gd/u5pdea

If you haven’t signed the petition , then it’s here. …

Save Lewisham Hospital

A special administrator has recommended that Lewisham Hospital’s A&E and Maternity wards are closed, seemingly to create demand for other local hospitals which are part of the financially failing South London Healthcare. A campaign has started to defend Lewisham Hospital, which explains why Lewisham Hospital is to be gutted while it is the outer London’s, South London Health Care Trust that is financially failing.

Save Lewisham Hospital

Heidi Alexander, the local MP, states her support in an article, “Join the fight to save Lewisham A&E & maternity”, on her web site, she points at the campaign’s site, and advertises the “Hands around Lewisham Hospital event”, together with the consultation exercise meetings taking place in the area. If you live locally, you might like to take part in some of these.

“Hands around Lewisham Hospital” is taking place on Saturday 24th November, it has been announced on the “Take Action” page of the “Save Lewisham Hospital campaign web site. It is planned to assemble at Loampit Vale roundabout at 2:00 p.m. and march to the Hospital and then link up around it.

The Campaign is also encouraging people to write to the Special Administrator and tell him what you think. How to do that is explained on Heidi’s and the campaign’s web sites.

The simplest way to show your support is to sign the petition. …