What I will say at tonight's protest

Many voters in West Hendon did not vote for this government or this council. activists such as myself have been at the front line of Housing Struggles whether West Hendon in Hendon, Sweets Way in Chipping Barnet, or the Whitefields estate in Golders Green. The Government is taking steps to make more laws against public disorder, The Daily Mail screams that they want to scrap the Human Rights Act which they claim is aimed at Abu Hamza and benefit scroungers but we've been trying to meet these benefit scroungers but the millionaires are nowhere to be seen. Both Matthew Offord and the UKIP chap refused to come to West Hendon residents association for a hustings. And yet the conservatives have the chutzpa to claim they share British values of democracy. What is democracy when they are blind to the needs of the most vulnerable in our society? A Green Mayor of London --- would tackle air pollution head on, not try and hide the scientific evidence. A Green London Assembly member for Barnet & Camden would stop social cleansing - Kosovo style or Westminster style A Green assembly member from the proportional representation top up list would would continue to fight for every square inch of green spaces Dan ----- has done a grand job of getting an affordable deal including parking and so on. However, my mate --- is an accidental landlord in ------ Close and he does not know what to do because he is being told he has to take his private tenant to court in order for her to be re-housed. Where will she go? A Green Mayor of London would replace intermediate products such as "shared ownership" and "shared equity" that don't stay permanently affordable with co-operative home ownership and rental models. Our West Hendon is not a political organisation it is a community organisation. That's why I told Janette if we send a message out saying Vote Labour that would be a betrayal of the trust we have built up over the last year. But I campaigned on cutting VAT for refurbishment, that could cut your heating bills to less than a hundred pounds a year, and boost the economy. What has Labour and local politicians ever done for us? Did they sign the petition? NO! The Green Party signed it but, then Labour started their own petition against the rent hike. The email Paulette and Lubna sent out raised the question. If everyone is going to lose their affordable homes what is the point of this protest? At MIPIM UK alternative conference someone asked, What does victory look like? Well the Mayor and the Council have tried to divide and rule the community. We are here to show who is in charge. This land is our land. This is our town hall. It does not matter if Matthew Offord says wants to help lease holders over tenants, everyone has a human right to housing. And why would he say that? No one in this campaign feels like they are taking on the council on their own. Tenants have stuck together with lease holders through the inquiry. If we can just hand in the petition to the Council at 7 p.m. tonight, in a dignified manner, we can make them listen, and we can show what a strong position we are in. This is the first time that has happened that we take the fight to the Council and make them listen.

Crowdfunder (like pledgebank, deposit bonds, or kickstarter)

Green-style charity appeal with Adele Ward in Golders Green

 Photo by Poppy

update: The goods arrived safe and sound at the depot at St Barnabas CoE North Finchley

Barnet's Council Tax Rip-off

When my dad lost his job I advised him to ring up his energy provider to seek out a better deal.  One of the first tasks he had time to do was to claim council tax benefit.  We pay one of the top rates of council tax and when you don't have anywhere to go, often we feel a lot poorer than we are on paper (we get junk mail from estate agents daily).

The Brighton & Hove Green Party propose an alternative to council tax called Progressive Council Tax.  What is PCT? So basically it means the council has the power to levy a bit more council tax.  However, the majority get it back straight away because it's linked to the ability to pay.

Dave Wetzel who just joined the Green Party here in London liked our promise of a Land Value Tax.  His promises for this tax is almost a panacea, and he claims it would stop urban sprawl.

Looking at the Oxfam Policy website I'm inclined to look at places like the West Hendon estate as paradise.  Sure there may not be public toilets or stacks of loo roll, or any remaining pubs and clubs on the Broad way but at least when you turn the tap on you have clean water.

I've believed for a long time that whilst population is key, it's more about car population, and population of rubbish rather than good people that should be capped.  The implications of the environment and social justice message is very much about re-distribution of wealth.  Recently James Hansen of NASA came up with the idea of a carbon fee.  Put it this way: Average carbon emissions in Africa is less than one tonne per capita.  BRIC countries get 2 tonnes and are looking to make cuts.  Britain and USA are around 10-20.  This should be rationed and brought to zero by 2030.  The Zero Carbon Britain report can show you how.  For me the objective of bringing it down is to allow a longer term availability of energy, lower bills in the longer term, so in seven generations time there'll still be plentiful oil, gas, and coal, but also a safe climate for global prosperity.

An other thing I'll be pushing towards the election for 2015-20 is a £10 national minimum wage which would be a living wage; higher in London, if the cost of living is higher.  This must be combined with a maximum wage as well.  NUS policy is to bring the ratio down to 8:1.  Personally I need a lot more; training is expensive, I work hard, and the cost of living is higher than ever.  Plus I re-invest a lot in tools.

Also since uni I've supported the idea of a basic unconditional citizen's income (BIG).  This was a demand in Occupy and surprise, surprise, the government is doing the opposite.

West Midlands broadcast - full of potential

This is from the Spring but I've only just seen it and it really speaks to a positive vision.  Here's Will Duckworth, who's wife Vicky was selected a while back for the 2015 General Election in her home town Dudley.

http://youtu.be/F_vVJOlIdps