Getting Slaughtered (corny puns volume 2)

A puncture in my bike’s front tyre meant I was late getting to a PCT away day in Teddington. I’m generally cynical about away days, which too often turn out to be the bland leading the blind. However, this was very useful, as it focussed on the coming changes in the NHS structure and policy and how we should respond to and deliver the change required by the Government. The West London situation will be much clearer after 15th October, when the Strategic Health Authority are due to produce their proposals for local implementation.

On in the evening to a Labour Party members meeting for the Ealing, Acton and Shepherds Bush constituency (which we all call EASB for obvious reasons). Being without the bike meant that I was again running late, and missed the main item at the meeting – a debate on the future of Heathrow Airport, with speakers including our former MP (and now Lord) Clive Soley and Hanwell Cllr (and Planning Committee Vice-Chair) Phyl Greenhead. Clive's much-praised blog can be seen at http://clivesoleymp.typepad.com/clive_soley_mp/

Andy Slaughter MP gave a witty MPs report, talking about the anachronistic administrative arrangements for newly-elected MPs. Andy has spent much of his time since his election on 5th May holding meetings on local issues with key people in the Constituency, and dealing with individual casework – much of which is inevitably dominated by immigration and nationality work. He has made the (very sensible) decision to only intervene in Parliamentary debates on issues that particularly have a local perspective – for example, Crossrail, the future of the BBC, and government funding for our local Councils. You can see Andy’s maiden speech at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050623/debtext/50623-13.htm whilst his speech on Crossrail is at http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050719/debtext/50719-24.htm

I was delighted to see Lou Kenton at the meeting, and have a drink with him and Clive Soley afterwards in the Kings Head. Lou is the senior local Party member - well over 90 years old – and has lived a life that reads like a history of the left in the twentieth century. He was at Cable Street in the early 1930s when the East End fought the Mosleyite fascists ; served in the progressive cause in the Spanish Civil war ; and had to leave Prague in 1968 when the then Soviet Union invaded to suppress the democratic reforms of Alexander Dubcek. Lou has also been very much of a mentor to me, giving me sound advice whenever I ask for it, and sometimes when I don’t realise that I need it.





Lou and Clive in the Kings Head