Labour could and will win...

I think it was in April that I predicted that Labour will win the next election and the result in Glasgow north east yesterday kind of proves that. I know we will retain Lambeth in May because we are well organised.

It is unfortunate that people like myself who have strong disagreements with New Labour are forced in the position where there is no choice but to support them but I am hopeful that we can change the party from within. There is a lot wrong with some of the policies that New Labour are pushing but Gordon Brown appeals to me and as long as the Milliband opportunity knocks movement is kept in check we can achieve great things and enact changes in the fourth term. Gordon is proving to be a steady pair of hands and is a pragmatist. He has my support and that of the community I am involved with and will campaign for a fourth term!

Friday 13th

Apologies to the thousands if not millions of those of you who do not read this exciting blog! I am off today and my partner was staying over here last night so we had to concentrate on that aspect of my life and satisfy the standing orders committee. My 5th partner (yes I am competing with Elizabeth Taylor!) is a teacher and rather demanding not to mention a few years younger than me. And what is the secret of my success you will all ask? Well its simple. Be gorgeous, stay focused flirt with shallowness and remain hyper active and never worry about annoying everyone else! Call me old fashioned but I never do!

Have a good Friday as there isn't much to report on today apart from the fact that the Queena is still on the throne, Prince Charles's ears are getting bigger and Camila is still trying to find out which animal she should twin with? Ah and the new Sugar Babes single is out (all about the girl..) that comes from hanging around with a younger partner and their mates!

Afganistan

First of all let me make it clear that those of us on the left should be careful about making any comments or criticisms that could be interpreted as us being anti our troops. Young men and women are send to war by governments that we elect. The actual policy of invading another country with the objective of subjugating its people has never ever worked and even the great big empires of the world at the end collapsed. So we should learn from history. Afghanistan has always resisted invasion and its people will never accept a foreign power telling them what to do.

The other thing to say is that I am completely opposed to the methods used by the Taliban and the oppression they inflict on the civilian population. But this 'conflict' has its origins elsewhere and the reason or excuse the Taliban have used is the crusader approach used by the West. The West has been blind to the reason used by religious extremists for the hostility towards us and its origin can be found in our insistence to support whatever Israel does or says. A balance needs to be found and more work should be done to find a just solution to the Palestinian problem and I don't think appointing Blair to sort that one out was the right thing to do or gave the right signal??

Twining with Larnaca town...

Forgot to mention the fact that whilst in Cyprus in May this year myself and the Vice Chair, Anne, decided to twin with the city of Larnaca...

Why doesn't Lambeth Council, as an organisation, work some times??

I always start any criticism aimed at Lambeth Council by making it clear that most of the organisation works fine thanks to the hard work put in by those who have dedicated their lives to serve the public so that stays the same. But there are occasions when it looks like there is total chaos and no control is exercised centrally by the Levitan, the great big beast that is unaware of what the right arm is doing, there is little or no coordination!

A small example of how things can go very wrong came to me this week when I was disconnected from having access to the intranet and Internet on my office blackberry and threatened with dosconnection on all other systems (so no more emails for me) This is despite that fact that I contacted the right department last week explaining that the course I was meant to do in order to retain my access to the system was not responding because my office computer (an office paid by Unison by the way and not them) was not a Lambeth computer. So not only do they not provide me with an office or care about the safety aspect of my environment and where I work they don't even give me a pc. This is despite the fact that they have hundreds of these stored somewhere (don't think they know that but I do!) anyway cut a long story short my computer (paid by Unison as I couldn't wait to be 67 before I got one from them) will not work and allow me to do this course, something to do with their fire wall. So despite having told them this last week and despite asking for their help to sort this out they went ahead and cut my blackberry connection off? This is a typical example of how things go wrong when the big Levithan has no creative skills or the ability to sort simple problems out. Not to mention the fact that it took me 2 years to get them to give me a Blackberry?? And following the receipt of that Blackberry it took 3 attempts before they could get it to work and then had to change the provider in the middle of it because they realised there was a better deal somewhere else of course.

I am appalled by how they work and I can only extend my sympathy to those members who have suffered similar fates! I will from now on lift the ban on me talking to the press to expose them on other things. I will do this of course in my capacity as Branch Secretary!!

Theorists and theory on the planet zanussi...

I just had a go at my friend Jon of the Rogers (apparently that will be his title when Mandelson becomes the PM and sends Jon to the house of Lardships..)

Had a go at Jon for going on on his blog and talking about stuff that is obviously understood by those politicos who frequent conference halls and live for this. Jon and a few others post things on their blogs that is understood by a few people and by doing so limits his audience. He and the others might as well email each other and save cyber space the extra pressure? Blogs are meant to be universal and should be accessible to all so when Jay in my branch asks me what does reference back mean etc etc etc I shouldn't have to explain it to him? So no apologies for having a go. He has this habit and so do others on the left who forget who the vast majority of members are.

Sort it out mate or you won't be going to the house of ladrships or is it lordships? ...

In memory of Hilda Dufty...

Brief intermission from the world of blogging to remember my friend Hilda Dufty who died in her sleep last night at 8.30 I met Hilda through my close friend Martin in 1983 and she was always positive and kind to me. She was a young girl during the last war and worked in an ammunition factory to ensure that the fascist didn't win. Will always remember her kindness and devotion to her only son Martin. May she rest in peace.