People can be so fantastic.............

Another week, and the time seems to fly by. Hitting the schools with our Schools Petition has brought in loads more support.

The planning deadline for Oxstalls road site, which is the only place left for a new school in this part of Lewisham was today, so mad rush to get objections in to town hall planning department, a real nightmare, no parking, loads of people seeking a pass to get into the building, another example as to how badly Labour runs Lewisham.

Michelle, another new supporter, has set up a facebook group for us (people before profit lewisham borough). The last time me and Barbara ran for New Cross ward with Ann Maria, we only had about 5 people. This time round, though apathy is the real winner, we are getting the help, and people are becoming part of the wider Lewisham People before profit Group.

Tonight I have been invited to see a new youth dance project in New Cross ward. It is run by a local parent for local kids with no money and no funding, so I'm eager to give support and see what we can do to help...

A further 3 campaign flyers had to be approved today, and we got the last of the flyers out across the wards. We are consistently getting out 25.000 newsletters across Lewisham every 10 days. Labour in most wards have done nothing, partly because they take votes from the poor for granted.

Another Week, another campaign

Well at last a night free from the campaign. We have been to so many meetings and attended so many school gates it all becomes a way of life, and the local Lewisham elections are only 9 weeks away.

The press is full about Lord Ashcroft and the money. All political groups get money from people with a lordship in mind. The real story is that Lord Ashcroft was given a lordship on the understanding he would pay UK tax, as he has not paid tax for ten years, and the fact the conservatives have used this tax money to buy votes, he should have this title removed at once.

Lewisham Council are set to make 80 million in Cuts, this staggering amount of money will lead to massive job losses, and the people in most need will have to go without. It is really shocking, that when you are at the school gates or hitting the doorsteps, so few people care about the problems faced by others, and yet every one in Lewisham has seen the way in which Lewisham council misspends public money.

Building new council homes creates real jobs. Are you aware how much money councils spend on bed and breakfast and high end home rentals due to the shortage? Are you aware that it costs more money to keep people on benefits than it does to give them work?

We have endless amounts of money for War and Trident, do you really think we are about to be invaded by China, but because we have Trident they leave us alone? Local people need to wake up, and challenge the rubbish we are told. We do have an alternative, and that needs to start with the wholesale eviction of all our party politicians.....

Lewisham People and Residents Fight Back for Housing and Jobs.

Well what a week!

Monday night - as a member of the Canada Water Consultative Forum, we had full reports on more granted planning permission, the Downtown residents have fought long and hard to save the trees and woodland.

Steve Cornish who would make a fantastic local councillor has fought a very good and fair campaign, it is just so sad the Councillors for the area, Lib Dems, have forgotten they were elected to serve the interest of local people, not as they do the financial position of Developers. Southwark needs a Southwark People before Profit team.

Tuesday night - we had a fantastic meeting at Deptford Assembly, we expressed our concerns on Convoy Wharf and the other key developments in Deptford. We again urged local residents to support our campaign for new council housing, a new school, and turning the commercial units into work shops to create real jobs and local Business, instead of yet another Tesco.Youth issues were raised, lack of care for people with Disabled issues, and so much more. We ended the meeting with a new army of helpers and more council candidates for May 6th elections.

Wednesday night - we all had to split up as groups, we are and have been sending group members to every assembly to give out flyers and raise real issues. Me, Barbara Raymond, Susanna Farley and Other group members again raised our profile in New Cross Ward.

Susanna brought the house down on her passion for better housing and the need to build more council homes. I spoke on crime and youth as well as the real concerns of elderly and residents with disability issues not being given the care and support they need, only 1 of the 3 Local Labour Councillors showed up, again poor numbers of people, but more people offered help, Deptford and New Cross has had clearly more than enough of Labour.

Thursday night, yet more Meetings, Assembly's and a New Green Group was Forming, meeting at the Royal George Pub, on Tanners Hill, I arrived early so did a leaflet drop in Brockley, stunned by how well our flyer's are going down, this is a Green held ward, and yet they keep supporting and voting with the Labour Group, Local residents offered help and pledged votes for Lewisham People before profit.

The new Group was small but full of Energy, Arts Group Utopia, Friends of Deptford Creek and other local Groups pledged support for the campaign, We have planned a direct auction day for Saturday 13 March from 12pm in Deptford, Location and more details to follow, After having been involved in community campaigns for more than 30 years, I have never seen the numbers joining this campaign, attending our meetings or willing to help, John Hamilton has a really good chance of making the break through, Ian Page may even Kick Joan Out in Deptford as the MP, After all this is the Local MP who is a Climate minister but has done nothing to eradicate fuel poverty in Deptford, we could have turned Deptford into the Centre for Green energy and new jobs, as well as giving low cost fuel and power to local residents through Wind Turbine or the power of the water, But Joan is just happy to sit on her back side and let local residents Struggle to Eat, pay Bills, or even get a job interview, Affordable Housing, a new school, Come may 6, she deserves the order of the boot.........

...Hope to meet up with you on the campaign trial, we need every one to help, when ever you can, what ever you can offer, this is a fight we as residents can win.Please email every one you can who has a Lewisham Connection, we do not have the Money the Conservatives Lib Dems or Labour Have, they will seek to buy your votes, we are seeking your votes to change the way these people live of your hard earned tax and build new council homes, create real jobs and campaign in the interests of Local people not big business, Council services, Schools and Hospitals should not be run to make a profit, much the same way Councillors are elected to serve local people not line their own pockets..How many party Candidates would have been active in any local residents campaign, Group ofr direct action, looking at the present bunch none, they are all party people looking for a easy way into politics.

Is any one out there? Lewisham Campaigner Calling.

Well this is it, the 21st Century has hit me at last and blogging, I am informed is the communication of the future. How I miss the joy of good conversation and the adrenaline of a good argument or debate, but we live in a different age, where money wins the argument, and us band of community campaigners have only our passion, commitment and anger at the injustice of the political system to help us take on the establishment and win.

How has this come about? that after 30 years as a community campaigner, having fought every local election since I was able to vote, and swearing after losing in New Cross ward 4 years ago, that I would never run again, am I hitting the campaign trail, and seeking to create a New world, an alternative to the main stream, but a way head that is fair and just, and one that truly creates a society we would all be proud to be part of.

Well, the phone call came from the former Independent Mayor for Lewisham Candidate, John Hamilton, who angry about the corruption and mismanagement by Labour in Government and in The way they were running Lewisham Council, Which seemed to be all about profit and big business, with nothing to do with public service, or representing the interests of the residents who vote them in, and who expect so much more from local Councillors, led to a huge number of Community campaigns being Fought across Lewisham, such as Saving Ladywell pool, and the Campaign to build a new school, as well as endless Groups campaigning to Stop the Sell off by the Council of Council Estates, and Council Property as well as the encouragement of greed by allowing developers to build what ever they like regardless of what is wanted or in the best Interests of the Local residential population.

So this, my friends, is my journey, our campaign to bring about a new politics, and campaign that for the first time in my life time, is seeing Residents, Trades Unionists, Community Campaigners, Parents Teachers Leaseholders and Council tenants, come together as one large Group, putting forward a real choice for Lewisham Voters, with Candidates for MP,Councillor Ian Page in Deptford, John Hamilton for Mayor, and up to 6o Local residents, not Career Politicians as Council Candidates in May, I hope each day I can deal with the Campaign issues, convince you of the need to vote for Lewisham People Before Profit, and not just to seek your votes for 6 May, but for you to really join this peoples revolution.

Let the Battle for hearts and Minds begin, Lewisham really needs the change the people behind People before profit will bring...Is Any one out there? I am not so sure, but I hope my journey will make good reading.