Lighting Fires
I went to the Perry Barr Constituency meeting on Friday (2/2/2007) with a set agenda of another presentation about the future of health care where professionals produce a long list of proposals to take or leave. Many in the audience didn't understand what was being said since their first language wasn't English. This was step backwards from the Evening Mail event which included a panel of those with a rather different view.
John Cruddas, another candidate for the position of Deputy Leader in the Labour Party was due to speak but evidently had a string of functions to attend so he arrive later. Khalid Mahmood gave his report as MP. He refererred to the recent arrests in Birmingham and said he was keeping an eye on developments.
There was no place on the agenda for resolutions from branches, which didn't matter for us in Handsworth Wood Ward since there had been no meeting. What we had found out from rumour was that the sitting councillor had been imposed by the newly set up Birmingham Labour Party. We had been campaigning for ages to get this re-established, yet now we find that those appointed to office were going along with impositions. Since our ward hasn't met we haven't had the opportunity of nominating a delegate, although thise doesn't prevent anyone being sent there supposedly on our behalf,but we wouldn't know about that!
When he did arrive John Cruddas was asked if he supported imposed candidates. He was clear this shouldn't happen as a rule, although he could see circumstances when the need might arise.
Members of Handsworth Wood Ward were invited to say whether say wanted a selection or not. The rules were that if 20% said they did then there would be one. In the event I understand about 80 replied to affirm they did out of around 130 eligible to vote. When the question was asked Keith Hanson, Birmingham Organiser, was nowhere to be found. Eventually he rose to explain. Since a large number (about half) were on pro forma letters they were discounted. I understand that the total number of members of the ward were used rather than the number eligible to vote.
What those who manipulate the system forget, as they tear up the rule book and dreaming up their own to suit their political requirement, are the cosequences of acting in such a way. The intercommunity tensions that already exist are heightened, fuel is added to the fire that they have lit. Ian Reilly is the Master of Cermonies. I have made no secret that he shouldn't be there. He should have made his departure long since as Labour in the West Midlands sinks deeper into the mire thanks to his appalling attitude towards the membership. African Caribbean see Asians as trying to exclude them and vice versa. The Labour Regional Officers have a lot to answer for in this situation. They discredit Labour and discourage active participation in campaigning for the party. This of course makes a lot of work for themselves.
Posted by John Tyrrell at February 4, 2007 9:34 AM
