The Lambeth years, 1988

I arrived in Lambeth on the 1st of April 1988. I was only 20 something at the time and immediately before that I worked for the London Strategic Policy Unit set up by 8 Labour Councils to serve as a springboard to regaining the GLC which was abolished by the Tory mistress Thatcher. Linda Bellos was the driving force behind the GLC and Margaret Hodge, who was then Leader of Islington Council, was the operational Head.

It became obvious in September 1987 that Labour would not be winning the next election and that any aspirations of regaining the GLC would have to be abandoned and frozen. So it was a depressed Linda Bellos that announced this to LSPU staff. We of course started an immediate campaign to save the projects we were working on and staff members who were all in NALGO started contacting activists in the 8 Labour Boroughs for support with some success.

We lost the fight and many LSPU staff were made redundant. I was a Shop Steward at the time with Kienda Hodji and we tried to negotiate for the redeployment of our members to the 8 parent Boroughs but there was great resistance from Leaders of most Councils. But we stood firm and after a long period of arguing most of us were redeployed to Boroughs that we showed an interest in but we all had to have tests and interviews and were treated with hostility.

I chose to apply for a finance job in Lambeth and was interviewed for that job and although I was appointed it took them 3 weeks to confirm my appointment. This only happened after Linda Bello's intervention who did not take prisoners.

So I arrived in Lambeth on 1st April 1988, young, confused, suspicious but gorgeous and in a fighting mood. I was tired of the fight and I promised myself not to get involved with the politics of Lambeth... that wish was of course very short lived....