I was dismayed to read (News 7th March) that Cambridgeshire County Council have not disciplined Councillor Gail Kenney for the racist and islamophobic comments she made toward the young group of Cambridge women last summer.
It is a disgrace that a councillor can be so disrespectful to young people when they are trying to engage with democracy. It is further shameful that the Council should virtually dismiss the complaint when the group had the courage seek justice and stand up for their rights.
Muslim’s are already being made scapegoats by the Government. New Labour have courted racism in order to try and justify their failed ‘War on Terror’. However this should not be an excuse for local representatives to follow suit. What Councillor Kenney said would have rightly lost most of us our jobs. In the current political climate our local representatives and public bodies should be going out of their war to ensure that every on in our community feels that they are supported and treated equally.
It is a disgrace that a councillor can be so disrespectful to young people when they are trying to engage with democracy. It is further shameful that the Council should virtually dismiss the complaint when the group had the courage seek justice and stand up for their rights.
Muslim’s are already being made scapegoats by the Government. New Labour have courted racism in order to try and justify their failed ‘War on Terror’. However this should not be an excuse for local representatives to follow suit. What Councillor Kenney said would have rightly lost most of us our jobs. In the current political climate our local representatives and public bodies should be going out of their war to ensure that every on in our community feels that they are supported and treated equally.
Labels: Stop the War, Unite/Anti Racism
More Council Housing - Letter to Cambridge Evening News
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 10:51 AM.
The suggestion in Letters 29th January that immigration is the reason for a council housing shortage is racist and ill informed. These are the lies that the BNP and other fascist parties use to divide communities who are all on the receiving end of poor policy.
The shortage in council housing is because consecutive governments and councils have sold housing stock without replacing it. The shortage puts house prices and rent up and makes it more difficult for people to own their home either personally or through co-operative housing.
The council allows property development companies to throw up hundreds of one bedroom apartments for maximum profit and then lets them buy out of the social housing obligations and market the ‘homes’ at London’s overspill.
This kind of approach does not serve the interests of anyone but the developers, the bankers and the far right! Cambridge needs family and community homes that are well designed and well built with good transport, social spaces and amenities.
Our local elected representatives must campaign for more council housing as part of a city wide plan not make excuses for the pro market ideologies that create these housing conditions. They will however write to this page claiming that central governments don’t give them any money to build council housing and that the planning committee is not to cast political judgement. Well what do our councillors do? They should shout a little louder for public housing or it is their own hands they have tied.
The shortage in council housing is because consecutive governments and councils have sold housing stock without replacing it. The shortage puts house prices and rent up and makes it more difficult for people to own their home either personally or through co-operative housing.
The council allows property development companies to throw up hundreds of one bedroom apartments for maximum profit and then lets them buy out of the social housing obligations and market the ‘homes’ at London’s overspill.
This kind of approach does not serve the interests of anyone but the developers, the bankers and the far right! Cambridge needs family and community homes that are well designed and well built with good transport, social spaces and amenities.
Our local elected representatives must campaign for more council housing as part of a city wide plan not make excuses for the pro market ideologies that create these housing conditions. They will however write to this page claiming that central governments don’t give them any money to build council housing and that the planning committee is not to cast political judgement. Well what do our councillors do? They should shout a little louder for public housing or it is their own hands they have tied.
Labels: Local Respect, No Fire Cuts, Oakington/Immigration, Unite/Anti Racism
Letter to the Paper - Population Debate
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 4:14 PM.
Councillor Alan Baker’s inability to state a clear political position when discussing planning has led to a debate in the letters page about population, the environment and sustainability. Unlike Councillor Baker I have stated over and over that the health, education, transport and other infrastructure in Cambridge are stretched beyond their limits – as they are in many other parts of the country and globally.
However I disagree very strongly with the general tone of the debate that has blamed Population growth for; putting pressure on our resources, causing climate change, creating famine and for all territorial conflict. We must remember that the cause of all of these crimes lay with a very small minority. That is the 5% of the global population who own 80% of the world’s resources and who are so greedy and so stupid that they would prefer to see the planet die than redistribute any of it. The blame, however, must also stretch to our councillors. Time and time again they are unable to provide any clear analysis or give any direction. They take the heat for our leaders who see it fit to build weapons instead of schools and hospitals and who invade other countries for oil instead of creating an environmentally sound infrastructure fit for all of the world’s children.
There is plenty of room for us all, just not in they way we choose to structure things at the moment.
However I disagree very strongly with the general tone of the debate that has blamed Population growth for; putting pressure on our resources, causing climate change, creating famine and for all territorial conflict. We must remember that the cause of all of these crimes lay with a very small minority. That is the 5% of the global population who own 80% of the world’s resources and who are so greedy and so stupid that they would prefer to see the planet die than redistribute any of it. The blame, however, must also stretch to our councillors. Time and time again they are unable to provide any clear analysis or give any direction. They take the heat for our leaders who see it fit to build weapons instead of schools and hospitals and who invade other countries for oil instead of creating an environmentally sound infrastructure fit for all of the world’s children.
There is plenty of room for us all, just not in they way we choose to structure things at the moment.
Labels: Unite/Anti Racism
Stand up to racists, stand up for diversity!
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 1:34 PM.
Labels: Unite/Anti Racism
Why we are with Galloway....
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 at 8:18 AM.
There have been a flurry of Love Music Hate Racism gigs in and around the area in recent weeks. The repeat fanzine nights have been a constant presence and the recent junction gig was a fantastic advert for anti racist activity through music. However there are a number of other events emerging in Cambridge. Tonight at the man on the moon and on Monday at the junction some excellent artists will make a clear commitment to the fighting fascism and racism and raising the issues that are emerging in Britain Today.
The recent gig in Trafalgar Square was attended by 50 000 people and the Love Music Hate Racism office has been aware of over 100 other gigs around the country in the run up to the local elections – I am sure there have been many more.
This is an excellent response form the musical fraternity and a clear political counter-action to the rise of racist viewpoints being put across through politics and the media.
The results of the BNP in Barking, driven on by New Labours lack of investment in Working Class communities and Margaret Hodges mishandling of the far right question. The BNP, aided by New Labour and the media have turned the news agenda towards an ill informed debate about asylum and the continuing war on terror and continuing war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan are fuelling islamaphobia.
The Cambridge music scene is as vibrant as I have ever seen it and we should make it a priority to get every gig to fly the banner of Love Music Hate Racism and every band to commit to the core values of cultural diversity and anti racism.
Do what you can! The Love Music Have Racism site has graphics to put on your web page and useful info about how to set up your gig. The Repeat site is also worth a look!
Labels: Unite/Anti Racism
Admiration and solidarity for Janet Alder
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 12:46 PM.
For eight years Janet has been fighting for justice in the case of her brother Christopher, who died in police custody. I have met Janet twice whilst campaigning with Respect (Janet stood for Respect in Tottenham in the general election) and she is a truly remarkable and courageous woman. She has been up against an obstructive police force who have destroyed evidence and closed ranks to protect racist officers who committed a brutal criminal offence.
Today’s report makes it clear that four officers are guilty of “the most serious neglect of duty” and showed the attack to be racially motivated. This is a big step in Janet’s battle and there is no doubt that the case would have been completely covered up were it not for her fight. The four officers must now be held to account.
Today’s report makes it clear that four officers are guilty of “the most serious neglect of duty” and showed the attack to be racially motivated. This is a big step in Janet’s battle and there is no doubt that the case would have been completely covered up were it not for her fight. The four officers must now be held to account.
Labels: Unite/Anti Racism
Letter sent to the Cambridge Evening News 8/9/05
Published
I am writing again to complain about the vindictive and intolerant way in which the CEN continues to slant and misreport stories in order to scape-goat Cambridgeshire’s traveller communities. The front page story “Gypsies go back to school . . . and its costing £240 a week” (CEN Wednesday 7th Sep) was the latest in a tirade of articles that seem intent on mixing up completely different issues in order to portion the blame on travellers.
Scores of children across Cambridgeshire are transported to schools outside of their catchment’s for a host of differing reasons, often without the children’s best interest at heart. I would welcome an exposé on the widening hole in front line education funding and resources that has resulted in places not being available in local schools. However, under the current editorial team the CEN seems less interested in looking at the bigger political picture choosing instead to pick on travelers. The CEN seems hell bent on driving a wedge between communities and blaming the effects of government policies on individuals and families. My sympathy and support goes out the family exposed on the front page yesterday and the staff at Histon and Impington Junior school who’s new term challenges have now been made more difficult by this irresponsible reportage.
Published
I am writing again to complain about the vindictive and intolerant way in which the CEN continues to slant and misreport stories in order to scape-goat Cambridgeshire’s traveller communities. The front page story “Gypsies go back to school . . . and its costing £240 a week” (CEN Wednesday 7th Sep) was the latest in a tirade of articles that seem intent on mixing up completely different issues in order to portion the blame on travellers.
Scores of children across Cambridgeshire are transported to schools outside of their catchment’s for a host of differing reasons, often without the children’s best interest at heart. I would welcome an exposé on the widening hole in front line education funding and resources that has resulted in places not being available in local schools. However, under the current editorial team the CEN seems less interested in looking at the bigger political picture choosing instead to pick on travelers. The CEN seems hell bent on driving a wedge between communities and blaming the effects of government policies on individuals and families. My sympathy and support goes out the family exposed on the front page yesterday and the staff at Histon and Impington Junior school who’s new term challenges have now been made more difficult by this irresponsible reportage.
Labels: Unite/Anti Racism
