UNITY-Spring-Summer-2014-FINAL.pdf-for-web

UNISON Devon County Branch: Spring/Summer 2014
“Local government
strike ballot to
start on 23 May as
members reject pay
offer and say we’re
worth an extra
£1 an hour!”
PAGE 5
Inside
County Hall Chronicle PAGE 3
Kay wins Croyde Break PAGE 4
U

Branch Contacts
Branch Secretary
Steve Ryles
01392 383337
Email: branchsec@
devoncountyunison.org.uk
Office Manager/Case Worker
Cora Woodhead
01392 382539
Email: cora.woodhead@
devoncountyunison.org.uk
Admin Assistant
Catherine Hitchcock
01392 382530
Email: catherine.hitchcock@
devoncountyunison.org.uk
Admin Assistant
Lucy Roke
01392 382530
Email: lucy.roke@
devoncountyunison.org.uk
Communications Officer
Rachel Price
01392 383424
Email: rachel.price@
devoncountyunison.org.uk
UNISON Devon
County Branch
Room 20
Matford
County Hall
Exeter EX2 4QX
Tel: 01392 382530
E-mail: branchoffice@
devoncountyunison.org.uk
www.devoncountyunison.org.uk
© UNISON Devon County Branch
UNISON Devon County Branch
Many thanks to all our
members who voted in
that ballot - you sent a
clear message that a
meagre 1% pay offer
was not acceptable after
years of pay freezes and
below inflation rises.
The strike ballot will
start on 23 May and
finish on 23 June. Ballot
papers will be dropping
through letter boxes very
shortly, so keep an eye
out. As always, I’d
encourage members to
vote - it’s your chance to
have your say on your
pay, so don’t miss out!
We’ve got our
Special General
Meeting on 5 June
where, amongst other
issues, we’ll be
discussing the strike
ballot. So, if you’ve got
any questions on
industrial action or pay,
it’s definitely worth
Dates
for your
diary
Branch mag to be published twice a year
Message from
Branch Secretary
Welcome to UNITY. It’s going to be a busy few months
here at Branch Office following news that UNISON is
going to ballot its local government and school
members for strike action. This comes after 70% of
members rejected this year’s pay offer in April’s
consultative ballot.
coming along.
Like pay, equality has
always been a key issue
for UNISON, so I am
delighted to welcome
Warren Speed, the
Branch’s new
Equality Officer.
Warren has a wealth of
experience in equality
issues from his
previous work with the
NASWT, so I am sure he
will be a great support to
members and a valuable
addition to Branch Office.
A big thanks to
everyone who sent
us their comments on
Devon County Council’s
Adult Residential Home
proposals. The response
was unprecedented with
the number of signatures
on the petitions totalling
22,824. We’ve written
to councillors strongly
objecting to the proposal
and outlining the
5 June 2014
Branch Special General Meeting,
Coaver Club, County Hall, Exeter
15-16 June 2014
UNISON Local Government
Conference, Brighton
17-20 June 2014
UNISON National Delegate
Conference, Brighton
UNITY, the Branch’s quarterly members’ magazine, is now to
be published twice a year in a move to save money. Members
will now receive a Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter copy of
the magazine. If you’ve got a story for UNITY please get in
touch. All feedback welcome!
Contact: rachel.price@devoncountyunison.org.uk
concerns raised, so
watch this space!
Lastly, like most
organisations, the Branch
is having to tighten its
belt in a move to save
money. As a result,
UNITY will now be
published twice a year
rather than quarterly. So
from now on we’ll be
producing a Spring/
Summer and Autumn/
Winter issue. In between
times, we’ll continue to
post lots of news and
information on our
Facebook and Twitter
pages so I’d encourage
all members who haven’t
yet signed up to our
social media sites to do
so - that way you can
keep in touch with what’s
going on in your Branch
throughout the year.
Yours in solidarity
Steve Ryles
Octopus Draw
Play Octopus, UNISON
Welfare’s monthly prize
draw.
• £1000 first prize
• £500 second prize
• £250 third prize
• And 50 prizes of £25
each
Visit: http://www.unison.org.
uk/octopus/
Big thanks for AGM support
Many thanks to all those members who supported us at the Branch
AGM on the 6 March. We have updated the stewards list and
posted the minutes on our website: www.devoncountyunison.org.uk
County Hall Chronicle
Andy Bowman, Lead Steward at
Devon County Council and
Branch Chair, updates us on what’s
happening at County Hall.
One can be fooled by the
national press and politicians
- who seem cut off from the
reality of the rest of Britain
as they are contained in the
bubble which is London - who
say that things are getting
better. The last three months
have been dramatic for our
members and the public in
general with the announcement
of the impending closure of
residential homes, large parts
of the youth service and day
centres.
The county council has now
closed the children’s homes
and the further diminishing
of its role in the community
continues with the potential
closure of the smaller libraries
across the county and the
record office in North Devon
as part of the centralisation of
resources.
One wonders which of the
remaining services provided
by the county will be hit in the
2 3
Photo: Lucy Roke
coming months? The next
big animal in the cage is that
of highways management
and, given the state of the
local roads with growing
maintenance issues, who can
guess where the next £49m is
to come from?
Trying to anticipate where
the next changes will occur is
like looking into a crystal ball to
predict the future! As we head
to the next general election in
2015 things will get even more
difficult as national politicians
make even more extreme
statements in the pursuit of
Localism and the pandering
to the various wings of their
perceived electorate.
As always, UNISON Devon
County Branch will be here to
support our members during,
what continues to be, a tough
economic time.
As Winston Churchill once
said, “If you are going through
hell, keep going.”
Members invited
to special meeting
Branch
Special General
Meeting
5 June 2014
Photo: istock.com/YanC
Don’t forget to put 5 June in your
diary for the Branch’s Special
General Meeting at the Coaver
Club, County Hall, Exeter, at
5.30pm. The meeting will include
an opportunity for members to
ask questions about the local
government strike ballot.
Sign pay petition
UNISON’s ‘We need a decent pay
rise’ petition is now online.
We want to get a huge number of
our members and their families and
friends to sign the petition before
UNISON presents the signatures
to David Cameron at 10 Downing
Street.
Send this link to as many friends,
colleagues and family members as
possible and share on Facebook
and Twitter.
Let’s make the PM sit up and
take notice!
Find the petition at: http://www.
gopetition.com/petitions/localgovernment-workers-need-adecent-pay-rise.html

UNISON Devon County Branch
Black Members fly UNISON flag
UNISON Devon County Branch’s
Black Members have been out
and about over the past few
months flying the UNISON flag
at a number of events across the
country.
January saw our Black
Members represent the Branch
at UNISON’s National Black
Members’ conference in
Brighton and UNISON South
West’s ‘Get Active Weekend’ in
Taunton.
March was equally busy with
several ‘Women’s Day’ events
across Exeter on 8 March.
Black Members hold regular
meetings at the St Sidwell’s
Community Centre in Exeter.
All are welcome!
For more information, contact
the Branch’s Black Members’
Officer, Asif Mohammed on
07790926285 or email:
asif.sahara@gmail.com
Local government strike ballot to
start on 23 May - post your vote!
Kay wins Croyde break
Congratulations to
Kay Pike, Lead
Administrator at
Axminster
Community
Primary School,
who has won the
Branch’s Croyde
Bay competition as featured in the
Autumn issue of UNITY.
Kay won a two night break for two
people at Croyde Bay, UNISON’s holiday
resort in North Devon.
“It was such a nice surprise to come
home from work and hear I’d won! I
usually never win anything! It’s very
exciting. UNISON works hard for its
members and it is reassuring to know
that it is there to provide advice and
support in times of crisis.” said Kay,
who has been working at Axminster
Community Primary School for nearly 25
years.
Retired Members’ annual lunch
UNISON Devon County Branch Retired Members held
their annual lunch at Exeter’s Golf and Country Club on
Thursday 20 March.
Retired Members’ Secretary, Robert Maynard, said: “We
all had a very enjoyable meal on a nice sunny day.”
If you’re about to retire, why not join the Branch’s Retired
Members Group? Provided you were a member of
UNISON for two years immediately before retirement, you
can become a life member for a single one-off payment
of £15. Contact: Robert Maynard on Tel: 01395513576 or
email: robert_maynard@talk21.com
Council workers and school support staff (employed
by local authorities) are to be balloted for strike action
over pay after 70% of UNISON’s local government
members rejected this year’s pay offer in April’s
consultative ballot.
Ballot papers are due to start dropping through letter
boxes on 23 May asking members if they are prepared
to take strike action. Members need to tick the
appropriate box on the ballot paper and post it back to
UNISON in the prepaid envelope provided. The ballot
will last four weeks, ending on 23 June.
If there is a ‘yes’ vote and the union’s industrial
action committee gives the green light, strike action will
start in July.
The ballot will cover UNISON members whose pay,
terms and conditions are tied to the National Joint
Council for Local Government Services.
This will include some staff in the fire and
emergency planning services and national parks,
Photo: istock.com/Ivenks
UNISON’s local government industrial action ballot will start on 23 May
after members overwhelmingly rejected the employers’ 1% pay offer.
Read on to find out more.
as well as voluntary controlled, voluntary aided,
foundation and trust schools.
The ballot will cover all staff employed by councils
who are covered by the NJC.
This will include chief officers, craft workers and
youth and community workers who are covered by
other bargaining arrangements, but work for councils
and will be affected by the outcome of the dispute as
negotiations always take account of the position of the
NJC.
Members on local pay and conditions or individual
contracts not related to the NJC agreement will not be
balloted.
Members who have transferred under TUPE from a
local authority will also not be balloted unless they are
contractually conditioned to NJC pay and conditions.
For more information visit: http://www.unison.org.uk/njc-14-26
4 5

UNISON Devon County Branch
UNISON Young Members - more than meets the eye!
Get appy!
Meet Jack Gillard. He’s the
Branch’s newest Young Member
and works as a Planning
Technician, at County Hall,
Exeter.
Name: Jack Gillard
Job: Planning Technician
Age: 21
Star sign: Virgo
Yummiest Food: Pizza (any)
Favourite band: Foo Fighters
Best film: The Wolf of Wall Street
Love or hate Marmite? Love it (but
only on toast not bread!)
What made you join UNISON?
The threat of losing the PR6 bus
service which I use two days a week.
My UNISON steward said that the
issue was something the union was
fighting so I thought I’d join and
support it too. As we all know, many
voices are stronger than an individual
challenging a cause alone.
Why do you think unions are
important for young people?
In a time where everything is being
cut and it’s so difficult to get a job,
things are especially hard for young
people. Anyone that will fight for your
rights (not to party; we’ve got to do
that) is something that everyone, not
just young people, should be getting
involved with.
What are the top three issues
UNISON should focus on?
Pensions, fair pay and employment
rights.
Keep up to speed with
UNISON via the smartphone
app. It’s got the latest
union news, campaigns and
information on how to join,
update your details or get
involved and help us to support
public services.
See the world!
Well not quite! But you could
go to Cuba! Every few
years UNISON South West
offers one lucky member the
opportunity to travel to Cuba
to learn more about trade
unionism. There is even a
little free time for sightseeing!
With free festival tickets and a host of cash saving deals, there’s more to being
a UNISON Young Member than meets the eye! So, read on and find out why,
from only £1.30 a month, it pays to join UNISON.
What is a trade union?
It’s an organised group of workers
who have joined together to
achieve common goals such as
better wages and safer working
conditions.
Who is in a trade union?
Ordinary working people - nearly
7 million in the UK. They include
actors, professional footballers,
teaching assistants, engineers,
social workers, apprentices, school
support staff.
How do trade unions work?
Union members agree a common
aim of what they want to achieve
such as more pay or stopping
bullying at work. Union reps
gather evidence about the issue
and discuss it with their employer
to reach an agreement. If the
employer refuses, union members
can campaign for wider support
from the public, MPs, or, as a last
resort, going on strike.
What are our successes?
In recent years, unions have
campaigned for, and won: a
national minimum wage; improved
parental leave; equality justice;
laws on reasonable working hours;
minimum holiday and sickness
entitlements; health and safety at
work; pensions...not to mention
thousands of local agreements
on issues affecting particular
workplaces.
“A Young Member is
any UNISON member
under the age of 27.”
www.unison.org.uk/young
What are the cash saving deals?*
Below is a small selection of the
current deals on offer. To see the
full range, visit: http://www.unison.
org.uk/for-members/memberoffers-and-entitlements/exclusivedeals-and-offers/
• Save up to 50% off the cost of a
holiday
• Get between 3% and 6% cash
back in-store or online at a range
of major retailers, including Argos,
Boots and ASDA with UNISON
Prepaid Plus Mastercard
• Save up to 40% on home
insurance
• Get up to £500 worth of NHS
dental cover
• Free eye test, including digital
retinal photography, upon purchase
of eyewear over £50
• Save an average of £150 on gas
and electricity bills
*Terms and conditions apply.
Photo: Mark Harvey@iD8.photography
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/unison-app/
Free music
festival tickets
UNISON gets a small number of free
tickets to music festivals including
Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury
via the Workers Beer Company.
Members volunteer to work a few
hours each day behind the bar in
exchange for a free ticket, free
camping and some free food and
drink vouchers.
Contact:c.musgrave@unison.co.uk
Get involved!
Both the regional and the national
Young Members Committees meet
quarterly. The meetings aim to
bring young members together to
share experiences, knowledge and
plan the various activities around
the region. If you fancy going to a
meeting, you won’t be out of pocket
as UNISON reimburses travel costs
and expenses.
Contact: Branch Office: 01392 382530
Contact: c.musgrave@unison.co.uk
Train up
.
Want to stretch those little
grey cells or brush up
on the basics? UNISON
offers a huge variety of
courses for Young Members
ranging from confidence
building and campaigning to
speech writing and political
education.
Visit: http://www.unisonsouthwest.
org.uk/get-involved/educationtraining.ashx
Weekend Break
Each year UNISON’ holds a
Young Members’ weekend
where members from
across the UK meet to find
out more about the union
and how they can play
a part in campaigning to
defend public services.
Contact:c.musgrave@unison.co.uk
Get social!
Keep up to date
with the latest union
news and offers by
liking the Branch
on Facebook and
following us on
Twitter.
6 7

UNISON Devon County Branch
New pension
scheme launched
Photo: istock.com/gunnar3000
1 April saw the arrival of the new LGPS 2014
pension scheme which replaces the old
2008 scheme. Read on to find out the what’s
changed and what’s stayed the same.
The new LGPS is still a defined benefit scheme but from
1 April 2014 the way you build up pension in the LGPS is
different - it will be worked out in a new way using your
pay each scheme year rather than your final salary. This
is known as a Career Average Revalued Earning scheme
(CARE) .
With the LGPS 2014 scheme there is more flexibility
about when you can take your pension, with the option to
take it at any age from 55 to 75. However, if you chose to
take your pension early, there are likely to be high early
retirement reductions.
The new scheme will continue to use the Consumer
Price Index (CPI) for increases in pensions in payment and,
for the first time ever, pensionable pay will include noncontractual
overtime.
The new scheme will be 1/49th per year (just over 2%)
instead of the previous 1/60th (just over 1.66%).
In terms the amount you pay, the new scheme is more
flexible, having a ‘50/50 option’ which means you can now
elect to reduce contributions to 50% and get 50% accrual
rate 1/98th. You can then elect at any time to pay the full
rate again when you can afford it.
Protections are in place for those members who were
already paying into the LGPS 2008 and automatically
joined the new LGPS scheme on 1 April 2014. All the
pension you have built up in the LGPS before 1 April is
fully protected and all the benefits built up before this date
will continue to be based on your final year’s pay when
you leave the scheme as these benefits were built up in
the final salary scheme. Your Normal Pension Age is
also protected which means that the benefits you build up
before April 2014 retain their Normal Pension Age under
final salary scheme rules, which for almost all members is
age 65.
For more details on LGPS 2014 visit: http://www.
lgps2014.org/
Branch Women’s
Officer wanted!
Do you care about women’s rights at
work and in the community? Are you fed
up with women bearing the brunt of the
Government’s austerity agenda? Do you
want to do something about it? If you’ve
answered ‘yes’ to these questions then
why not apply for the post of Branch
Women’s Officer and represent our
women members?
Women are at the heart of public
services and account for over 70% of
the Branch’s membership. In addition,
women are more likely to use public
services than men, so they are the first
to be affected when services are cut.
But did you know that of the 14.9 billion
pounds worth of welfare savings already
being implemented, around
three-quarters (74%) are coming from
women's pockets?
Unfortunately, women still earn
a lot less than men and face sex
discrimination and harassment at work.
Our women members also juggle work
and home commitments. Many have
caring responsibilities and almost half
work part-time.
So, if you’re passionate about women’s
issues, proactive, a good listener and
well organised, why not find out a little bit
more about this role by calling us for an
informal chat on 01392 382530 or drop
us an email at: branchoffice@devoncountyunison.org.uk
Debtline open 24/7
UNISON’s debt advice help line is now
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The service offers free confidential advice
to help members clear debts. It can
help with: credit card debt; mortgage
arrears; home repossession and county
court judgment claims. Call freephone
0800 389 3302 or to find out more about
Debtline, visit: http://www.unison.org.uk/
get-help/help-with-problems-at-home/
debtline-support/
Branch receives thousands of
signatures against homes closure
Branch Secretary, Steve Ryles, shows just how many petitions the Branch received against the Council’s proposal to close Devon’s residential homes. Photo:- Rachel Price
UNISON Devon County Branch has received 22,824 signatures
petitioning against Devon County Council’s proposal to close
20 residential homes – the biggest response to a proposal the Branch
has ever had.
The Branch is fiercely opposed
to the Council’s proposal to close
all but two of its residential homes
which would put over 770 jobs at
risk and have a devastating impact
on the local economy.
Many residents would have
to move miles away from their
home town causing huge amounts
of stress and anxiety both for
themselves and their friends and
families.
In response to the Council’s
consultation on closing the homes,
the Branch has written to county
councillors asking them to
re-examine alternative solutions
to the proposals, which it says,
exist in other cash-strapped local
authorities.
A number of local district and
town councils continue to question
the rationale behind the closures
to the point that the Council is now
holding a special meeting in May to
determine if their proposal to close
the homes is the right decision,
made in a transparent manner.
Steve Ryles, Branch Secretary,
said: “The response from our
members and local people has
been unprecedented. Residents,
carers and families all want to keep
the homes open.”
Mr Ryles added: “There is an
incredible groundswell of local
anxiety, disbelief, and outrage
around the proposal which many
people feel is based on inaccurate
attendance figures and related
costs. We think the Council clearly
got their sums wrong as only 18
months ago they were talking
about creating 10 new centres of
dementia excellence at the cost of
millions but now they’re proposing
to slash front line services.
“We understand that the Council
has to reduce its budget due to the
Government’s savage austerity
measures. However, we also
think the Council has a duty to
ensure that our local taxes are
used to protect essential front line
services.”
8 9

UNISON Devon County Branch
NEWS
IN BRIEF...
Employment tribunal
fees appeal
UNISON has announced that it
will apply to the Court of Appeal
for permission to appeal the
High Court’s ruling rejecting
its claim for Judicial Review of
the Government’s decision to
introduce tribunal fees.
The union will ask the Court of
Appeal to consider the shocking
figures released last month that
revealed Employment Tribunal
claims dropped by 79% in the first
six months after the Government
imposed fees on workers bringing
a claim. To read more, visit:
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/unison-
announces-appeal-over-employment-
tribunal-fees
UNISON joins calls to
move 2022 World Cup
UNISON is urging members to
sign a petition calling on world
football governing body FIFA to
re-run the vote for the choice of
venue for the 2022 World Cup and
move to a venue where workers’
rights are respected.
This call comes in the wake of
the news that 1,200 workers have
already died in the preparations
for the 2022 tournament in Qatar,
as workers’ safety and rights are
ignored in a reckless effort to try
and get things ready in time.
The International Trade Union
Congress (ITUC) estimates that
up to 4,000 workers will die before
2022 unless FIFA reverses its’
decision.
The situation in Qatar is made
worse by the ‘kafala’ system under
which migrant workers are bound
to their employer, making it harder
to challenge abuse.
Passports and visas are also
often confiscated by the employer,
so the worker cannot leave the
country without their permission
To read more and sign the
petition, visit: http://tinyurl.com/kqg4xp7
UNISON submission
to care sector review
In its submission to the Kingsmill
Review on exploitation in the care
sector, UNISON has called for the
union’s Ethical Care Charter, or
the principles in it, to be promoted
to all local authorities as a way
of improving the delivery of
homecare services.
The charter includes a pledge
to avoid the practice of notorious
15-minute visits.
The union’s response also
stresses the inappropriateness
of zero-hours contracts and the
known risk of non-compliance
with the national minimum wage
in the sector.
And in an article for TUC blog
Touchstone, as part of Fair Pay
Fortnight, the union made the link
between low pay and quality of
care.
After 15 years of the national
minimum wage, which it
described as “a landmark
achievement for the trade union
movement” that “provided a wage
floor for millions of workers”, the
article stresses that “many are
still slipping through the net” ...
and “none more so than in social
care.”
UNISON pledges to
continue fight for full
equality
UNISON has pledged to keep
campaigning for equal marriages
after the first equal marriages
took place in England and Wales
at the end of March.
UNISON LGBT equality officer
Carola Towle, said: “We are still
calling for same-sex marriage in
Northern Ireland, for full equality
in survivor pension benefits and
for civil partnership to be opened
up to mixed couples.
“We are also campaigning for
an end to the spousal veto on
gender recognition in England
and Wales – we congratulate
campaigners in Scotland for their
victory on that.”
To read more, visit: http://tinyurl.com/
l49dx3g
New rules helping
children with medical
needs
UNISON has welcomed the
introduction of clearer legal
guidance designed to help
pupils with long-term medical
conditions and the staff who
support them. The union has
campaigned long and hard to
address inconsistencies in the
provision of health support and
the administration of medicines,
which has left both pupils and the
staff that provide these services
vulnerable.
To read more, visit: http://www.
unison.org.uk/news/pupils-andstaff-to-benefit-from-new-ruleshelping-children-with-medicalneeds
UNISON calls for
higher education race
equality charter
UNISON has submitted evidence
to the Equality Challenge Unit
on establishing a race equality
charter mark for UK universities.
While there are Black workers
in higher education, many
struggle to make career progress
in the sector.
There is growing recognition
that an ethnically-diverse higher
education workforce positively
affects the ability of institutions to
deliver core services to diverse
student population.
A National Union of Students
survey has revealed that
Black students want a more
representative workforce, diverse
teaching practices and more
Black role models.
But there is extensive
evidence that Black staff are
under-represented at all senior
levels in higher education.
UNISON believes a race
equality charter mark will address
inequalities and get universities
to think about race equality by
examining their own practices
and institutional culture,and
developing actions plans.
Branch speeds ahead with equality
If you’re tussling with equality issues at work then you might well need the help of
Warren Speed, the Branch’s new Equality Officer. Here, Warren reveals why equality is
close to his heart.
Contact Warren on: 07732529783 or
email: warren_speed@hotmail.co.uk
Jack
Hughes
Yes Ed, the thought of another five
years of a Tory government makes
me sick but as I have said before
what exactly is Labour doing ?
Farage seems to pop up on a daily
basis on the news, pint in hand and
an oily smirk on his reptilian face
as he witters on about being the
voice of the common people and
that there will be an ’earthquake in
British politics’ when UKIP sweep to
victory in the forthcoming elections.
Which reminds me – Mrs Hughes
asked me the other day why, if
UKIP is so opposed to Europe, is
Farage et al putting forward MEP
candidates ?
Pictures of Dave on holiday in
Lanzagrotty were splashed all over
What made you decide to apply
for the role of Equality Officer?
I’m genuinely interested in equality
and I have previously worked on
equality issues at NASWT where I
was an equality activist.
What skills do you bring to the
job?
Whilst I was in a previous union
I was part of consultational
conferences on equality policy in
the teaching environment. I was
also an activist for disability and
LGBT groups and, more recently,
equal pay for young people.
What do you hope to achieve in
this role?
I’d like to make sure all groups of
people are treated fairly and equally
and help people with their issues in
a positive way.
What do you think are the 3 most
important equality issues at the
moment?
Mental health and well-being;
young people and pay (especially
zero hours) and LGBT (mental
health in particular).
Who do you admire for
promoting equality issues?
Most recently Malala Yousafzai
who was a Pakistani school girl that
ignored threats from the Taliban to
campaign for the right to education.
Malala is now a worldwide advocate
for human, education and women’s
rights.
If you could do one thing to
improve equality, what would
that be?
I’d ensure all workplaces have a
mental health and well-being policy.
I have just completed a survey sent to me by the Labour
party and by return received a request asking for a donation.
This has gone down about as well as Nigel Farage speaking
at his local mosque.
the papers, even Cleggy has had
coverage – Ok, not positive, but at
least he is visible.
Which brings me to what has
always been the true voice of the
common people, the Labour Party.
Just months away from a General
Election, they are neither being
heard or seen. Is this why I am
being asked to donate? Is Ed being
held hostage by his brother and we
have to fund the ransom ?
To my simple mind, there are
numerous open goals being left
wide open by Farage, Cameron and
Clegg - Labour is not even hitting
the corner flag.
Chez Hughes has seen numerous
leaflets being pushed through the
door from various political parties
angling for the Hughes vote – not
one from Labour.
The doorbell rings in the early
evening and one is presented with
the prospective local candidate
from seemingly every party but
Labour.
Has the Hughes house been
moved tardis fashion into an
alternate reality?
Labour seems to have
disappeared in a puff of red smoke.
Bevan, Benn and Wilson must be
spinning in their graves.
The views expressed in this column are not
necessarily the views of the Branch - but
they are very close.
10 11

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