Poyla Boishakhi being celebrated in Dhaka

Bengali New Year occurs around the 14th/15th April, is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in Bangladesh and in the Indian state of West Bengal, by the Bengali people and also by minor Bengali communities in other Indian states, including Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand and Orrissa. It coincides with the New Year’s days of numerous Southern Asian calendars and celebrated by the diaspora around the world yet only in Tower Hamlets it is celebrated so late after the date. Infact this year in the middle of June, today this year. Why is this so? 

I understand the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have commissioned the Boishakhi Mela Community Trust Ltd (BMCT) to deliver the Boishakhi Mela. It is a significant event for the Bangladeshi community in the UK as well as other arts, cultural and community events.

Its board of Directors are said to be highly experienced professionals from across the public, private and voluntary sector. Their mixed professional experience means they are able to provide strategic project guidance and personnel support and have an array of experience, expertise, skills and knowledge in financial planning, project design delivery and management.

The Board claims to includes long standing members of the community who have previously been involved in planning the Boishakhi Mela as well new members who have a vast array of cultural knowledge and expertise that add new ideas and impetus to the Boishakhi Mela. So why it is unable to have the celebrations much near to the actual date of Boishakhi around the 14th/15th of April annually? Surely the expertise of the Board should be such to say that its a spring festivity and needs to happen much nearer the actual time that everyone else celebrates it. 

So shubho noboborsho to all that celebrate today in Victoria Park today but it should really have happened several months ago as Tower Hamlets never seem able to celebrate it at the right time.  

At Mayor’s Question Time yesterday Murad Qureshi AM urged Mayor of London Boris Johnson to drastically improve his approach to tackling air pollution in London. Murad Qureshi challenged the Mayor over his failure to improve air quality in London, which causes over 4,000 deaths a year in the capital. 

This spring London faced two of its most serious air pollution incidents of recent years, during which the London Ambulance Service saw a 14% increase in incidents of people reporting breathing problems. The Mayor was challenged over the handling of this crisis, during which he claimed that levels of pollution were “perfectly fine”.

Mr Qureshi also pressed the Mayor to bring forward the implementation of a new Ultra Low Emission Zone from 2020 to an earlier date and to issue Londoners with formal “smog alerts”.

London Assembly Labour Group Environment Spokesperson Murad Qureshi AM said:

“One of the main problems London faces is the scandal that over 4,000 people die prematurely every year due to poor air quality. Today the Mayor refused to apologise for his unhelpful comments during the last incident which gave a false impression of the danger the smog posed.

“Air pollution is a silent killer, and Boris’ failure to get a grip of this problem is lamentable. Despite having been in office since 2008, Boris Johnson has an inexcusable record on tackling a problem which he acknowledges is one of the top environmental concerns of Londoners. The end result is Londoners suffering some of the worst air pollution of any capital city in Europe.” 

Ends 

Notes

1. Murad Qureshi is a Labour Londonwide Assembly Member.
2. According to a study commissioned by the Mayor’s office, every year around 4,000 deaths per year in London occur due to poor air quality.
3. London Ambulance Service Press Release on 14 per cent increase in emergency calls for patients with breathing problems.
4. Murad Qureshi AM’s question can be found here.
5. A recording of Mayor’s Question Time can be found here.

Palestine is still occupied

While we condemn the forced annexation of Crimea by Putin, we should not forget the crippling chronic annexation of Palestine by Israel illustrated by the settlements in the West Bank and their menacing presence in the daily lives of Palestinians.

Several stark reminders of this reality were apparent to my colleagues and me during our recent visit to Palestine organised by Labour2Palestine.  During a tour of Greater Jerusalem, we saw first-hand the impact on Palestinians of the illegal settlements and house demolitions.  Taking just one example of basic utilities services; water consumption is some 200 litres plus for residents of the settlements but only 90 odd litres for Palestinians. Most Palestinians would be lucky to get a rubbish collection but they are regular in the settlements; even though the Palestinians are still paying the same.  The house demolition programme is at the sharp end of a targeted campaign to eliminate properties of families being dispossessed, often on dubious legal grounds and sometimes very cruelly in the middle of the night.  Refugee camps surrounded by the separation wall in Jerusalem like the one in Shafut, have 70,000 residents and receive limited emergency services from the occupying Israeli administration and yet construction of the wall of separation is relentless as highlighted during the recent Papal visit.  The aim is clear, and that is to isolate Palestinian villages like Abu Dis from the rest of Jerusalem.

I was also struck by the ghost town in the middle of the City of Hebron immediately surrounding the Abrahamic mosque which has become a military zone. Palestinians are banned from walking down the road in Hebron. If ever there was a potential flash point, this was it, because of the religious significance afforded by all sides to this site. It felt like a ticking time-bomb.

In Hebron, we witnessed Palestinian children detained by Israel security for nothing more than throwing stones, with two shot dead in the last week alone. We discovered children from the settlements were dealt with by Israeli civil law whilst Palestinian children have military law applied. There are currently over 200 Palestinian children being detained in prison by the Israeli government, often arrested from their beds. There are also another 200 Palestinians in “administrative detention”, held without charge. When we met some of their relatives, we discovered many were on hunger strike demanding an end to the use of administrative detention.  This is a procedure that allows the Israeli occupation to arrest any Palestinian, any time without charge or trial based on “secret information” that neither the lawyer nor the prisoner can see. Interestingly it’s a practice which was introduced by the British, so we have a responsibility to try and end this.  Our delegation also experienced some of this aggressive treatment when we joined the wall protest in Bil’in.  The Israeli military responded in their usual way by dispersing tear gas aimed at the protesters.

But the first sign of Israeli policy is demonstrated by the reception which the Israeli border control at Tel Aviv airport affords their visitors.  Quite apart from the fact that in order to get to the West Bank you need to pass through the occupiers points of access (even though Gaza has its own airport strips left behind by the British). they then embark upon a torrent of aggressive questioning and intimidation.  They seemed obsessed with my family lineage, asking me repeatedly for the names of my father and grandfather.   Several hours of repeated questioning and interrogation, waiting around and an approach designed to make it clear to me in no uncertain terms that I was not welcome made a very bad start for my trip after which, l can only imagine what the Palestinians must go through on a daily basis each time they have to pass through check points like Qalandia where you see 18 year old soldiers treating them appallingly.

If there is hope, then we saw it in two guises. In Nablus we saw an amazing lively Palestinian city giving us a glimpse of what an unoccupied Palestine could be like. And also the emergence of some very impressive Palestinian female politicians as their unity government is put in place and is increasing recognised by the world. Both Hannen Zoabi MP in the Knesset and the Mayor of Bethlehem, Dr Vera Babon caught my eye in particular.  Strong women, with a clear and positive outlook bode well for both the future administration of Palestine and its political culture.

My trip was an eye opener. It is one thing to see these images of segregation, mistreatment and suffering on a television screen but quite another to experience them.  The international kowtowing to Israel needs to end now as it only understands the language of power and punishment.  In fact the entire approach to Israel needs to change, to one of boycotts and sanctions which are always preferable to bloodshed.

Is the Mayor petitioning HS2 only to try and get Crossrail 2?

In the lead up to the Local Election 2014 in London on the 22nd of May, both the Mayor and the London Assembly jointly put in a GLA petition for the HS2 hybrid bill going through the Commons for very different reasons. It didn’t draw attention as it came in under purdah and thus the rules of local government restricting publicity on such submissions. What is for sure is that both the Mayor & the London Assembly made the joint submission for very different reasons.

The Mayor clearly supports the principle of a new High Speed ” rail line with new stations at Old Oak Common and Euston. However  his concerns  are that the proposals do not sufficiently maximise the regeneration and development proposals for these important parts of London and thus he is making this the petition to ensure a better quality outcome for London, in his mind. Whilst for the London Assembly its to address many of the issues again that have been raised by our Transport & Environment Committees. For example we agree that the proposals for the redevelopment of Euston as HS2’s London terminus are insufficient. Under my chairmanship of the Environment Committee, our response to the draft Environment Statement, highlighted the significant impacts on the area including the demolition of homes, loss of businesses and community buildings, and the loss of green space in this densely developed area. Local stakeholders also felt the proposed new station offers little compensation for this damage. The petition has given us another opportunity to reinstate this again. Whilst the Transport Committee concentrated on the missed opportunity to improve the passenger experience at London’s sixth busiest station.

Additional passengers from HS2 in Euston may well exacerbate existing transport congestion in the area, with Euston Underground already overcrowded at peak periods. Figures provided to the Environment Committee suggest that morning peak passengers from Euston will double requiring onward travel by car, taxi and public transport when HS2 is fully operational. Thus its not difficult to conclude that construction of HS2 should not proceed without Crossrail 2 is ready for the opening od the second phase of HS2.

With Old Oak Common we have frequently expressed concerns that the plans for HS2 failed to show how it sufficiently regenerate OOC. Thus we support the specific measures outlined in the petition, including a new London Overground station, that will enhance the transport infrastructure in the area and ensure it is fully integrated with the wider transport network.

The huge HS2 construction impacts means that we need to ensures appropriate mitigation measures are in place to sufficiently minimise impacts during the construction on London’s economy, residents and transport networks. Specific construction impacts that give cause for concern include air pollution. The Environmental Statement before Parliament suggests that air pollution in many locations affected by HS2 is, even without the scheme, projected to remain in breach of national and EU limits, in some cases as late as 2026.

So as you can see there is plenty to play for in the third reading of the hybrid bill for HS2 where we may see a lot more horse trading on these key issues yet.

NatWest Maida Hill Branch will shut on the 25th July 2014

I was sad to hear about the proposed closure of my local Natwest bank along Edgware Rd known as their Maid Hill branch. It is where l set up my first bank account before l left London for a few years for University but I sensed that I was not the only one who felt this way having become a regular user on Saturday mornings and getting to talk to other local users.  So after writing to Ross McEwan, CEO of The Royal Bank Scotland PLC to express my disappointment, I received the following response.

The reality is the face of banking is changing.  We are going on line more, using Apps, telephone banking and ATM machines at our local supermarkets although interestingly, the response also highlights the reliance on post offices to deliver local banking services.  This is why I’ve campaigned in the past to keep open local crown post offices which provide a plethora of services to the local community.  Like pubs and post offices, banks are a vital component in sustaining a vibrant local community.  Natwest point out that the Maida Vale branch is not far off but for me it will still mean a tube ride away to a branch which is much smaller (and generally not as nice!) then the Maida Hill branch.  I may consider taking my local banking somewhere else!

Steps at Royal Oak station will be replaced

Having noticed how dire the steps at Royal Oak station looked, I am pleased to report that in response to my letter to Transport for London , London Underground have confirmed there are plans in the pipeline to replace them.  We do not yet know the timing but it will come as welcome news for commuters although ideally a step free option would be best!  Unfortunately London Underground did not respond to my question about installing a lift at the station.  I will keep pushing!

Tower Hamlets politics reaching new lows

Tower Hamlet’s politics reaching new lows!

Local businesses threaten with CPO’s by CAPCO agents

After attending meetings both in Lillie Road and the House of Commons about the Earls Court Development, l was shocked to hear about the way in which Capco agents are allegedly dealing with small businesses within the sight lines of the proposed developments. I’ve been told that Capco (Capital & Counties Properties PLC) have made verbal threats of issuing Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) to local businesses.  Capco are a private business which has established a joint venture with TFL to facilitate the development the Earls court “master plan”.

My understanding has always been that the power to issue a CPO is a legal function which only public bodies can exercise and therefore to hear about a private body using such an invasive and draconian power which should be the reserve of elected officials is concerning to say the least.  This is why I’ve asked the Mayor whether the agreement which TFL has with Capco delegates such powers to them? The next Mayor’s Question Time is on the 11^th of June and I should hear back with a  reply shorty after.

If such powers have not been delegated, then TfL need to bring their partners into line as well as apologise to the many businesses affected.  If Capco are doing this with TFL’s blessing, then Capco need to be clear about what their powers are and how they intend to proceed.

We always knew TfL got it wrong with this joint venture agreeing to make themselves the junior partner with a private property developer in a project which will demolish one of the most iconic buildings in London, no doubt to be replaced  with yet more unaffordable housing . This example of Capco’s alleged treatment of local businesses is just another symptom of this unfortunate collaboration.

What has happened to the missing bus-stop?

Murad Qureshi shows support for local candidates in calls for Bromley bus stop re-instatement