The first stage of realising the city wide investment in secondary schools in Salford started today as the deal to deliver them was officially signed.
The "financial close" stage for the city’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme means that all of the partners are locked in to an agreement which establishes who are the long-term providers of the programme – and secures building of the first two schools.
Walkden and Irlam and Cadishead schools are both due to open in September 2011, marking completion of the first phase of Salford’s BSF programme.
More new schools are planned to follow in later phases of the programme.
The Schools Adjudicator rejected the council’s proposal to shut St George’s RC High School, a key aspect of the programme to rebuild three other Catholic schools including a new sixth form at St Ambrose Barlow.
The decision has prompted a review of options to ensure the city’s children get the best possible investment in new schools.
Lead member for children’s services at Salford council, Cllr John Warmisham said: "Helping our young people build better futures starts with building them better schools in which to learn.
"We have always said the vision for our schools had to be bold and ambitious and we remain committed to seeing it through.
"Financial close is the formal signature to that commitment and I am delighted that we are able to guarantee delivery of these first two schools."
Today’s agreement confirms that Salford and Wigan councils will work with their private sector partner, the consortium Transformational Learning Partnership, and BSF Investments to deliver the PFI project.
The cross-boundary partnership is the first of its kind in the North West.
The TLP consortium, which consists of HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions, HOCHTIEF Facility Management, Laing O'Rourke and RM Education, will be charged with designing, building and refurbishing more than 20 new and existing schools across the two authorities.
Tim Byles, chief executive of Partnerships for Schools, the government agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme, said: "I am delighted that Salford and Wigan have reached financial close - as one of only a handful of joint Local Education Partnerships, reaching this milestone is a testament to the successes of the close partnership working between Salford and Wigan so far.
"I look forward to charting the progress of these authorities as they work together to deliver 21st century schools for pupils, teachers and local communities.
"Building Schools for the Future has now achieved 47 Financial Closes over the period of the national programme, demonstrating that work to transform schools across England is moving forward with great momentum."
Wigan council’s cabinet champion for Children and Young People’s Services, Cllr Susan Loudon said: "From the very beginning we have been committed to making the most of this opportunity and providing a fantastic modern standard of education in world-class facilities for our children and young people.
"The world is changing rapidly and we have realised that we have to make sure that our children and young people can compete for jobs and opportunities on a global scale and today’s decision means we really can begin to build schools for the future."
Jane Barber, Chief Executive of HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions UK,said: the financial close of this first phase of the Salford & Wigan BSF project marks a major milestone for ourselves and our partner Laing O’Rourke plc. We have worked closely with both councils to develop a partnership for the delivery of their BSF programme and look forward to cementing that relationship over the coming years.
Salford’s BSF proposal had promised a £182 million investment across all the city’s high schools over the next five years.
Planners approved the designs for Irlam and Cadishead and Walkden in September.
At Walkden they promise an atrium for presentations, dining, studying and socialising with a courtyard outside.
At Irlam and Cadishead there will be similar spaces as well a new neighbourhood office with community services.
Both schools will be equipped with the latest information technology, inside and outside classrooms and a range of facilities for drama and sports including all weather pitches.
The BSF programme aims to boost opportunities in schools for pupils, parents, funding top facilities, transforming teaching and learning and improving the community use of schools.
It is primarily funded by central government with contributions from Salford City Council.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Greenspace
I can understand people opposing development near to them and as part of the Council's consultation exercise on the allocation of 1.2% of Salford's greenbelt for employment uses those people will be able to put their arguments forward.
What I fail to understand is the irrational fantasy being conjured up which transforms Salford Council's promise not to reduce the overall greenbelt into a threat to "suffocate" our citizens.
It is even more irrational when the self-same people tell us to build at Little Hulton instead - in other words, do not take a little bit from the area richest in greenbelt to give to one of the most deprived areas in Salford!
Far from allowing "suffocating" development, Salford is a champion of greenspace.
- When we consulted on the options for our core strategy, powerful voices put forward an option which would cut the greenbelt by 75 hectares. Labour councillors have resisted that and are proposing an option which involves no overall loss of greenbelt
- Our planning proposals increase the protection for Chat Moss and encourages the enhancement of biodiversity through the restoration of rare bogland habitat
- Irwell River Park is the probably the biggest 'greenspace' initiative in the region with plans to restore a green lung to the heart of the conurbation
- Salford has embarked on its biggest creation of new parks since Victorian times. New greenspaces lie at the heart of the massive regeneration schemes at Mediacity and Greengate
- Blackleach and Clifton country parks are a proud achievement of a Labour run council which pioneered the use of the river valley as a major green recreational resource for its citizens
- old railway lines have been reclaimed as green walkways and cycleways to link different part of the city and we continue to invest in making them accessible
- Salford is a partner in and funder of the Bridgewater Way project which intends to make the canalside more open and accessible to different groups
- Residents in Salford have benfited from the greenstreets initiative which has seen tree planting on streets throughout the city. We have carried out a tree audit with Red Rose Forest - only the second council in the region to do so - to help us decide where future planting can make most impact
And I could go on and on...
I joined the Labour Party because I saw that there was a decent environment for the few - and the many were excluded from its benefits. That is why I have been a keen advocate of country parks, green walkways and cycleways, tree planting and so on. We ARE increasing and opening up our greenspaces for the many rather than protecting the privileges of a few.
Councillor Derek Antrobus
Lead Member for Planning
Salford City Council
What I fail to understand is the irrational fantasy being conjured up which transforms Salford Council's promise not to reduce the overall greenbelt into a threat to "suffocate" our citizens.
It is even more irrational when the self-same people tell us to build at Little Hulton instead - in other words, do not take a little bit from the area richest in greenbelt to give to one of the most deprived areas in Salford!
Far from allowing "suffocating" development, Salford is a champion of greenspace.
- When we consulted on the options for our core strategy, powerful voices put forward an option which would cut the greenbelt by 75 hectares. Labour councillors have resisted that and are proposing an option which involves no overall loss of greenbelt
- Our planning proposals increase the protection for Chat Moss and encourages the enhancement of biodiversity through the restoration of rare bogland habitat
- Irwell River Park is the probably the biggest 'greenspace' initiative in the region with plans to restore a green lung to the heart of the conurbation
- Salford has embarked on its biggest creation of new parks since Victorian times. New greenspaces lie at the heart of the massive regeneration schemes at Mediacity and Greengate
- Blackleach and Clifton country parks are a proud achievement of a Labour run council which pioneered the use of the river valley as a major green recreational resource for its citizens
- old railway lines have been reclaimed as green walkways and cycleways to link different part of the city and we continue to invest in making them accessible
- Salford is a partner in and funder of the Bridgewater Way project which intends to make the canalside more open and accessible to different groups
- Residents in Salford have benfited from the greenstreets initiative which has seen tree planting on streets throughout the city. We have carried out a tree audit with Red Rose Forest - only the second council in the region to do so - to help us decide where future planting can make most impact
And I could go on and on...
I joined the Labour Party because I saw that there was a decent environment for the few - and the many were excluded from its benefits. That is why I have been a keen advocate of country parks, green walkways and cycleways, tree planting and so on. We ARE increasing and opening up our greenspaces for the many rather than protecting the privileges of a few.
Councillor Derek Antrobus
Lead Member for Planning
Salford City Council
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Adjudicator statement from today's full Council meeting
I want to start by saying, as Lead Member for Children’s Services how incredulous and angry I am at both the decision, the process and feedback we have had from Canon Linley, the schools adjudicator. I will explain why in a moment but first we need to remind ourselves of the background and vision we have for our children, young people and families in this city.
We may have different political views about the how and what but I know we are agreed on the why. We have seen remarkable, in fact nationally leading improvements in our education outcomes across the city. Where children do not reach their potential we work with governing bodies and school leaders to ensure that every child matters across our school system. We support and challenge and this robust relationship means we can look to the future, where all our children can aspire to learn in world class buildings, with world class resources and learning and teaching. This is their right, it is our moral purpose to ensure this and our duty as elected members to be the custodians
of this system. Now, more than ever, we must develop a world class education system to take us into the second decade of the C21st and beyond. I am talking legacy – a legacy that future generations can inherit and develop. There can be no greater responsibility and current opportunity for us as a city council.
It is this that makes me angry about the adjudicators decision, as it flies in the face of ensuring all our children have the opportunity to learn in world class buildings – that are assets to all families in the community, that underpin the social cohesion of our communities through giving purpose and structure for our young people. In fact he, in a single act has potentially doomed the children and young people in St George’s with little hope for the future – a small school, with no capital investment, with plateauing results, not working with others- this is not sustainable. We are city of rich diversity – this school has positioned itself as an island, against the wishes of the diocese. It makes me angry that the adjudicator sees fit to rule to keep this island, effectively giving up a once in a lifetime opportunity.
But this is only half of the issue. The adjudicator has seen fit, without any consultation and I believe advice, to include Harrop Fold High school in his ruling. I cannot and do not accept the premise that we should shut a rapidly improving school and take away the choice of a non faith education from the community. It is interesting to note that nearly half the children in St George’s are not catholic and many of our catholic primary school children in this community still leave the city for secondary education. Despite the divisive and offensive media campaign that the school head teacher has waged the council and schools have not got embroiled. I am therefore incredulous that based on only a partial analysis of our city and this community the adjudicator has ruled as he has.
So what does this mean for our children, young people and their families? My responsibility as Lead member is to all our children – whatever faith they have.
I am clear that we, as a council need to reflect, re engage and re work the future options with our schools, the diocese, government and our officers.
I want to be able to give all our communities clarity and the opportunity to benefit from a world class education opportunity – this adjudication has made that really difficult, but we in the labour group are clear that we will not stop in our endeavour. I look across the floor to colleague councillors to work with us to ensure that this once in a lifetime investment is not lost – it is our duty and purpose as elected members.
We may have different political views about the how and what but I know we are agreed on the why. We have seen remarkable, in fact nationally leading improvements in our education outcomes across the city. Where children do not reach their potential we work with governing bodies and school leaders to ensure that every child matters across our school system. We support and challenge and this robust relationship means we can look to the future, where all our children can aspire to learn in world class buildings, with world class resources and learning and teaching. This is their right, it is our moral purpose to ensure this and our duty as elected members to be the custodians
of this system. Now, more than ever, we must develop a world class education system to take us into the second decade of the C21st and beyond. I am talking legacy – a legacy that future generations can inherit and develop. There can be no greater responsibility and current opportunity for us as a city council.
It is this that makes me angry about the adjudicators decision, as it flies in the face of ensuring all our children have the opportunity to learn in world class buildings – that are assets to all families in the community, that underpin the social cohesion of our communities through giving purpose and structure for our young people. In fact he, in a single act has potentially doomed the children and young people in St George’s with little hope for the future – a small school, with no capital investment, with plateauing results, not working with others- this is not sustainable. We are city of rich diversity – this school has positioned itself as an island, against the wishes of the diocese. It makes me angry that the adjudicator sees fit to rule to keep this island, effectively giving up a once in a lifetime opportunity.
But this is only half of the issue. The adjudicator has seen fit, without any consultation and I believe advice, to include Harrop Fold High school in his ruling. I cannot and do not accept the premise that we should shut a rapidly improving school and take away the choice of a non faith education from the community. It is interesting to note that nearly half the children in St George’s are not catholic and many of our catholic primary school children in this community still leave the city for secondary education. Despite the divisive and offensive media campaign that the school head teacher has waged the council and schools have not got embroiled. I am therefore incredulous that based on only a partial analysis of our city and this community the adjudicator has ruled as he has.
So what does this mean for our children, young people and their families? My responsibility as Lead member is to all our children – whatever faith they have.
I am clear that we, as a council need to reflect, re engage and re work the future options with our schools, the diocese, government and our officers.
I want to be able to give all our communities clarity and the opportunity to benefit from a world class education opportunity – this adjudication has made that really difficult, but we in the labour group are clear that we will not stop in our endeavour. I look across the floor to colleague councillors to work with us to ensure that this once in a lifetime investment is not lost – it is our duty and purpose as elected members.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
THE GREEN FIELDS OF FRANCE
Well, how do you do, Private William McBride, Do you mind if I sit down here by your graveside? And rest for awhile in the warm summer sun, I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done. And I see by your gravestone you were only 19 When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916, Well, I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean Or, Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene?
Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the pipes lowly? Did the rifles fir o'er you as they lowered you down? Did the bugles sound The Last Post in chorus? Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?
And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined? And, though you died back in 1916, To that loyal heart are you forever 19? Or are you a stranger without even a name, Forever enshrined behind some glass pane, In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained, And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?
The sun's shining down on these green fields of France; The warm wind blows gently, and the red poppies dance. The trenches have vanished long under the plow; No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now. But here in this graveyard that's still No Man's Land The countless white crosses in mute witness stand To man's blind indifference to his fellow man. And a whole generation who were butchered and damned.
And I can't help but wonder, no Willie McBride, Do all those who lie here know why they died? Did you really believe them when they told you "The Cause?" Did you really believe that this war would end wars? Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain, For Willie McBride, it all happened again, And again, and again, and again, and again.
Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the pipes lowly? Did the rifles fir o'er you as they lowered you down? Did the bugles sound The Last Post in chorus? Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?
And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined? And, though you died back in 1916, To that loyal heart are you forever 19? Or are you a stranger without even a name, Forever enshrined behind some glass pane, In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained, And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?
The sun's shining down on these green fields of France; The warm wind blows gently, and the red poppies dance. The trenches have vanished long under the plow; No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now. But here in this graveyard that's still No Man's Land The countless white crosses in mute witness stand To man's blind indifference to his fellow man. And a whole generation who were butchered and damned.
And I can't help but wonder, no Willie McBride, Do all those who lie here know why they died? Did you really believe them when they told you "The Cause?" Did you really believe that this war would end wars? Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain, For Willie McBride, it all happened again, And again, and again, and again, and again.
"Save our school"
This business of "Save our school", essentially " Save our building". The notion that community is built entirely around its buildings, rather than around " The Faith" is somewhat unrealistic.
RC Bishop O'Donaghue of Lancaster.
RC Bishop O'Donaghue of Lancaster.
Friday, 6 November 2009
BSF impact.
“I cannot describe how disappointed I am by the adjudicator’s decision today which will have a devastating impact on the Building Schools for the Future programme for our Catholic school in Salford.
“This was a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Salford’s children and young people and at a stroke the adjudicator has thrown it all into doubt. The city council is taking legal advice about how we challenge this decision.
“Our BSF programme covers every high school in the city, the whole point of which is to improve the life chances of every young person in Salford.
“Our education results to date prove that we are going in the right direction and our BSF programme was to be the next huge leap forward.
“The Adjudicator clearly agrees we have too many school places in that part of the city but I am outraged that his solution is to shut Harrop Fold and give their building to St George’s. I am sure many parents will agree with me.
“We have never said St. George’s is not a good school and we have never engaged in any negative comments about the teaching and learning standards there.
“However, the city council will absolutely stand by the pupils, parents, teachers and governors of Harrop Fold who have put an outstanding effort into their new school – with great results for them and their community.
“Some considerable time ago in an attempt to find the best possible solution for everybody involved, we and Harrop Fold made a proposal to the diocese that St George’s join them in their new building to become a joint school site with the right pastoral care for each community. The diocese said no.
“The adjudicator’s decision today has far-reaching consequences for every child in Salford but I can reassure them and their parents that we remain committed to working with our partners and stakeholders and won’t allow the opportunity of Building Schools for the Future to be thrown away if at all possible.”
“This was a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Salford’s children and young people and at a stroke the adjudicator has thrown it all into doubt. The city council is taking legal advice about how we challenge this decision.
“Our BSF programme covers every high school in the city, the whole point of which is to improve the life chances of every young person in Salford.
“Our education results to date prove that we are going in the right direction and our BSF programme was to be the next huge leap forward.
“The Adjudicator clearly agrees we have too many school places in that part of the city but I am outraged that his solution is to shut Harrop Fold and give their building to St George’s. I am sure many parents will agree with me.
“We have never said St. George’s is not a good school and we have never engaged in any negative comments about the teaching and learning standards there.
“However, the city council will absolutely stand by the pupils, parents, teachers and governors of Harrop Fold who have put an outstanding effort into their new school – with great results for them and their community.
“Some considerable time ago in an attempt to find the best possible solution for everybody involved, we and Harrop Fold made a proposal to the diocese that St George’s join them in their new building to become a joint school site with the right pastoral care for each community. The diocese said no.
“The adjudicator’s decision today has far-reaching consequences for every child in Salford but I can reassure them and their parents that we remain committed to working with our partners and stakeholders and won’t allow the opportunity of Building Schools for the Future to be thrown away if at all possible.”
Adjudicator decision
I am writing to inform you of the decision of the Schools Adjudicator regarding the linked proposals to discontinue St George’s RC High School and to enlarge St Ambrose Barlow RC High School.
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator has today [November 6] published a decision on the council’s proposals to create a 6th Form and enlarge St Ambrose Barlow Catholic High School and to discontinue St George’s Catholic High School.
The adjudicator, Canon Richard Lindley, approved the proposal to create a 6th form at St Ambrose Barlow School but has modified the implementation date to 1 September 2012. However, he has not approved either of the proposals to enlarge St Ambrose Barlow School from 1 September 2012 or to discontinue St George’s High School from 31 August 2012.
Canon Lindley said he was mindful that his decision could impact on Salford’s Building Schools for the Future programme and expressed a view that not all of the alternative options may have been fully considered.
The proposal which the adjudicator wished the council to consider as an alternative was to close Harrop Fold School and move St George’s High School into Harrop Fold premises as a Catholic VA school.
The council has confirmed that under no circumstances would this option be considered.
The adjudicator has acknowledged that this decision could cause some significant complication for the BSF programme but the Leader of the Council and the Lead Member have assured me that they remain committed to working with our partners and stakeholders and that they will not allow the opportunity of BSF to become lost if at all possible.
The council’s Cabinet last month approved the final business case for the Building Schools for the Future programme, agreeing that Phase 1 (involving the rebuilding of Walkden High and Irlam & Cadishead Community High Schools) can proceed with both schools opening in September 2011.
The Cabinet reflected on the options open to the Schools Adjudicator and further decided that Phase 2 of the programme would involve the closure and replacement of The Swinton and Moorside High Schools with one new school opening in September 2012, and the move of the Oasis Academy to a new site at the Quays during the second quarter of 2012.
The next steps for the council will be to review the plans for the remainder of the schools’ estate including All Hallows RC, St Ambrose Barlow RC, St George’s RC, St Patrick’s RC and Wentworth High Schools.
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator has today [November 6] published a decision on the council’s proposals to create a 6th Form and enlarge St Ambrose Barlow Catholic High School and to discontinue St George’s Catholic High School.
The adjudicator, Canon Richard Lindley, approved the proposal to create a 6th form at St Ambrose Barlow School but has modified the implementation date to 1 September 2012. However, he has not approved either of the proposals to enlarge St Ambrose Barlow School from 1 September 2012 or to discontinue St George’s High School from 31 August 2012.
Canon Lindley said he was mindful that his decision could impact on Salford’s Building Schools for the Future programme and expressed a view that not all of the alternative options may have been fully considered.
The proposal which the adjudicator wished the council to consider as an alternative was to close Harrop Fold School and move St George’s High School into Harrop Fold premises as a Catholic VA school.
The council has confirmed that under no circumstances would this option be considered.
The adjudicator has acknowledged that this decision could cause some significant complication for the BSF programme but the Leader of the Council and the Lead Member have assured me that they remain committed to working with our partners and stakeholders and that they will not allow the opportunity of BSF to become lost if at all possible.
The council’s Cabinet last month approved the final business case for the Building Schools for the Future programme, agreeing that Phase 1 (involving the rebuilding of Walkden High and Irlam & Cadishead Community High Schools) can proceed with both schools opening in September 2011.
The Cabinet reflected on the options open to the Schools Adjudicator and further decided that Phase 2 of the programme would involve the closure and replacement of The Swinton and Moorside High Schools with one new school opening in September 2012, and the move of the Oasis Academy to a new site at the Quays during the second quarter of 2012.
The next steps for the council will be to review the plans for the remainder of the schools’ estate including All Hallows RC, St Ambrose Barlow RC, St George’s RC, St Patrick’s RC and Wentworth High Schools.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Hooligans disunited
As the EDL prepare to come to Manchester on Saturday, I came across this article from Searchlight.
Nick Lowles reports on the mixed relationships between football hooligan gangs and the far-right parties.
Over the past few months there have been a growing number of football hooligan-led mobilisations around the country. Luton might have captured the most headlines in recent weeks but there have been protests in Birmingham and East London, with future actions planned in west London and Manchester.
Some commentators have dismissed these gatherings as fascist events. This is inaccurate and misunderstands the relationship between football hooligans, nationalism and fascism.
As reported in last month’s Searchlight there are a number of organisations currently active that derive from the hooligan world. The English Defence League (which was originally the English and Welsh Defence League), Casuals United, March for England and the SIOE.
While there are undoubtedly fascists involved in these protests they owe more to the racist and nationalist mentality of hooligans than to any real fascist undertones.
The British fascist right had its strongest influence on the hooligan scene during the mid-to-late 1970s. Racism was rife on the terraces and the revival of skinhead fashion and the birth of racist Oi music gave young violent working-class men a racist and political identity.
By the early 1980s, this was on the wane, certainly within many of the gangs associated with larger city clubs. Changing football culture, the emergence of black players and probably most significantly the growing prominence of black football hooligans pushed the hardcore fascists out.
Most gangs linked to London clubs, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester City and United, Leicester, Derby and the Sheffield clubs saw sizeable numbers of black hooligans emerge during the 1980s.
There were of course exceptions. Leeds and Newcastle both had strong National Front influence within their mobs, as did many of the gangs linked to smaller clubs, where either there was little non-white population or there were deeply segregated communities and little Asian interest in professional football.
Chelsea was an enigma. No club has had such a long link to the far right – from the NF and British Movement of the 1970s to Combat 18 in the 1990s. And yet, despite this, they also had black hooligans and they were generally accepted. In fact, the one falling out that the Chelsea Headhunters had with Combat 18 was when the nazi activist Mark Atkinson left a threatening message on the windscreen of Big Willy, a leading black hooligan.
The relationship between hooligans and fascists was even more fraught at Millwall, which will surprise many given that this was where the British National party had its first electoral breakthrough in a council by-election in 1993. Millwall has always had black hooligans. Even back in 1977 when Panorama documented the infamous Millwall “F-troop”, one of the central characters was a huge black hooligan called “Tiny”.
In 1993, shortly after Derek Beackon’s election victory, Combat 18 went round some of the Millwall pubs trying to recruit. They were given short shrift by the Millwall hooligans. To Millwall Combat 18 was too associated with Chelsea and they were also willing to accept anyone within their ranks as long as their loyalty was to southeast London and the club.
A bigger clash between hooligans and fascists occurred in April 1994 when England was set to play a “friendly” in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on the anniversary of Hitler’s birth. British and German fascists hoped to join together to attack a Turkish demonstration in the city the day before. Tony Covelle, the leader of the Chelsea Headhunters and seen by many as the most important hooligan on the England scene at the time, would not consider the idea. He was English and the Germans were their key enemy.
Fortunately, the game was eventually cancelled after a campaign led by Searchlight and our German friends.
Loyalism has always been a bigger unifier for British football hooligans. During the late 1980s and more importantly during the early 1990s loyalism became central to hooligan nationalist identity. The IRA was bringing its campaign to the British mainland and English hooligans heavily adopted the loyalist cause.
In January 1993 over 600 people, including hooligans drawn from 22 gangs around Britain, met to disrupt the annual Bloody Sunday march in central London. Their intention was later to travel to Kilburn, an area with a large Irish community, in an attempt to kick off trouble with local people. Only the intervention of police and the arrest of 396 hooligans and loyalists prevented this from occurring.
The far right has never enjoyed this level of support. Hooligan gangs linked with Aston Villa, Oldham, Charlton, Swansea and Mansfield all had rightwing connections but they were easily the exception than the rule.
In more recent years the rise of the BNP has been mirrored by a growth in political hooliganism. The Oldham riots stemmed from weeks of hooligan incursions into the predominantly Asian areas of the town. The first was when 450 Stoke City hooligans rampaged through Westwood a few days after the pensioner Walter Chamberlain had been attacked by four youths.
Over the following few weeks Oldham hooligans, one of the most rightwing gangs in the country, were joined by small groups from Stockport, Shrewsbury and Huddersfield in a bid to whip up trouble. Eventually, on 26 May 2001, the hooligans succeeded. After a day when 80 hooligans and nazis had been frustrated by police a group of ten hooligans ran down a predominantly Asian street attacking people and property in what a judge later said was the “trigger” for the Oldham riots.
A week later the rightwing hooligans attempted to do it again, though this time they were stopped by Searchlight intelligence and police intervention.
A week after that Oldham and Everton hooligans tried to link up with Combat 18 Loyalism has always been a bigger unifier for British football hooligans. During the late 1980s and more importantly during the early 1990s loyalism became central to hooligan nationalist identity. The IRA was bringing its campaign to the British mainland and English hooligans heavily adopted the loyalist cause.
In January 1993 over 600 people, including hooligans drawn from 22 gangs around Britain, met to disrupt the annual Bloody Sunday march in central London. Their intention was later to travel to Kilburn, an area with a large Irish community, in an attempt to kick off trouble with local people. Only the intervention of police and the arrest of 396 hooligans and loyalists prevented this from occurring.
The far right has never enjoyed this level of support. Hooligan gangs linked with Aston Villa, Oldham, Charlton, Swansea and Mansfield all had rightwing connections but they were easily the exception than the rule.
In more recent years the rise of the BNP has been mirrored by a growth in political hooliganism. The Oldham riots stemmed from weeks of hooligan incursions into the predominantly Asian areas of the town. The first was when 450 Stoke City hooligans rampaged through Westwood a few days after the pensioner Walter Chamberlain had been attacked by four youths.
Over the following few weeks Oldham hooligans, one of the most rightwing gangs in the country, were joined by small groups from Stockport, Shrewsbury and Huddersfield in a bid to whip up trouble. Eventually, on 26 May 2001, the hooligans succeeded. After a day when 80 hooligans and nazis had been frustrated by police a group of ten hooligans ran down a predominantly Asian street attacking people and property in what a judge later said was the “trigger” for the Oldham riots.
A week later the rightwing hooligans attempted to do it again, though this time they were stopped by Searchlight intelligence and police intervention.
A week after that Oldham and Everton hooligans tried to link up with Combat 18 in an attempt to disrupt the England v Pakistan cricket match at Old Trafford. The plan had been for an Oldham hooligan to run onto the pitch during play and place a Combat 18 flag in the middle of the wicket. The hope, according to Combat 18, was for maximum media attention and a violent reaction from the Pakistani supporters in the crowd. Once again the 40 thugs failed because of Searchlight intelligence.
However, these incidents have been the exception. There is certainly a growing anti-Islamist feeling among many hooligans but this is probably just a reflection of attitudes in wider society. More hooligans are undoubtedly supporting the BNP but again this should not be of any great surprise given the growth of the fascist party in many parts of the country and the profile of the typical BNP voter. But this does not mean we are likely to witness an explosion of hooligan-based racial disorder.
The appalling turnout of hooligans in Birmingham in early August is testament to this. In smallish towns such as Oldham and Luton a local incident can quite easily incite a violent response from thugs and racists. However, there is no sign that hooligans will properly mix together for a political cause.
Football rivalry means that Watford hooligans, who might live only a few miles away, will never mix with their Luton counterparts and the return of the football season will refocus some hooligans on their traditional pastimes. In addition, heavy policing and the threat of arrest, football bans and possible prison will keep many away. It was interesting to witness the robust police response to an anti-Islam protest in East London in summer. Having been kettled for several hours and generally given a rough time, many of the hooligans who attended are hardly likely to come out again.
Finally, there is the very nature of hooligans themselves. They are a generally undisciplined, lazy group who prefer drinking and talking a good fight to involving themselves in a political battle. And those who do will be nervous about the role of the BNP and other fascist groups. Even at Luton, where the heart of the current hooligan mobilisation has emerged, there are growing voices of discontent about the presence of the BNP.
The organisers of the English Defence League and Casuals United have announced their intention to hold several more protests across the country, including in Manchester, Dewsbury and Bradford. Whether these go ahead remains to be seen but the dangers lie less in the big cities than in the smaller conurbations where tensions already exist.
Hooligans will not travel in large numbers across the country and they will be even more put off by the threat of arrest and football bans. However, in places like Luton, Oldham and West Yorkshire there are more than enough people to cause trouble without the need for outsiders. With the prospect of violence and communities tearing each other apart very real, HOPE not hate will be campaigning to get these events banned.
Nick Lowles reports on the mixed relationships between football hooligan gangs and the far-right parties.
Over the past few months there have been a growing number of football hooligan-led mobilisations around the country. Luton might have captured the most headlines in recent weeks but there have been protests in Birmingham and East London, with future actions planned in west London and Manchester.
Some commentators have dismissed these gatherings as fascist events. This is inaccurate and misunderstands the relationship between football hooligans, nationalism and fascism.
As reported in last month’s Searchlight there are a number of organisations currently active that derive from the hooligan world. The English Defence League (which was originally the English and Welsh Defence League), Casuals United, March for England and the SIOE.
While there are undoubtedly fascists involved in these protests they owe more to the racist and nationalist mentality of hooligans than to any real fascist undertones.
The British fascist right had its strongest influence on the hooligan scene during the mid-to-late 1970s. Racism was rife on the terraces and the revival of skinhead fashion and the birth of racist Oi music gave young violent working-class men a racist and political identity.
By the early 1980s, this was on the wane, certainly within many of the gangs associated with larger city clubs. Changing football culture, the emergence of black players and probably most significantly the growing prominence of black football hooligans pushed the hardcore fascists out.
Most gangs linked to London clubs, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester City and United, Leicester, Derby and the Sheffield clubs saw sizeable numbers of black hooligans emerge during the 1980s.
There were of course exceptions. Leeds and Newcastle both had strong National Front influence within their mobs, as did many of the gangs linked to smaller clubs, where either there was little non-white population or there were deeply segregated communities and little Asian interest in professional football.
Chelsea was an enigma. No club has had such a long link to the far right – from the NF and British Movement of the 1970s to Combat 18 in the 1990s. And yet, despite this, they also had black hooligans and they were generally accepted. In fact, the one falling out that the Chelsea Headhunters had with Combat 18 was when the nazi activist Mark Atkinson left a threatening message on the windscreen of Big Willy, a leading black hooligan.
The relationship between hooligans and fascists was even more fraught at Millwall, which will surprise many given that this was where the British National party had its first electoral breakthrough in a council by-election in 1993. Millwall has always had black hooligans. Even back in 1977 when Panorama documented the infamous Millwall “F-troop”, one of the central characters was a huge black hooligan called “Tiny”.
In 1993, shortly after Derek Beackon’s election victory, Combat 18 went round some of the Millwall pubs trying to recruit. They were given short shrift by the Millwall hooligans. To Millwall Combat 18 was too associated with Chelsea and they were also willing to accept anyone within their ranks as long as their loyalty was to southeast London and the club.
A bigger clash between hooligans and fascists occurred in April 1994 when England was set to play a “friendly” in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on the anniversary of Hitler’s birth. British and German fascists hoped to join together to attack a Turkish demonstration in the city the day before. Tony Covelle, the leader of the Chelsea Headhunters and seen by many as the most important hooligan on the England scene at the time, would not consider the idea. He was English and the Germans were their key enemy.
Fortunately, the game was eventually cancelled after a campaign led by Searchlight and our German friends.
Loyalism has always been a bigger unifier for British football hooligans. During the late 1980s and more importantly during the early 1990s loyalism became central to hooligan nationalist identity. The IRA was bringing its campaign to the British mainland and English hooligans heavily adopted the loyalist cause.
In January 1993 over 600 people, including hooligans drawn from 22 gangs around Britain, met to disrupt the annual Bloody Sunday march in central London. Their intention was later to travel to Kilburn, an area with a large Irish community, in an attempt to kick off trouble with local people. Only the intervention of police and the arrest of 396 hooligans and loyalists prevented this from occurring.
The far right has never enjoyed this level of support. Hooligan gangs linked with Aston Villa, Oldham, Charlton, Swansea and Mansfield all had rightwing connections but they were easily the exception than the rule.
In more recent years the rise of the BNP has been mirrored by a growth in political hooliganism. The Oldham riots stemmed from weeks of hooligan incursions into the predominantly Asian areas of the town. The first was when 450 Stoke City hooligans rampaged through Westwood a few days after the pensioner Walter Chamberlain had been attacked by four youths.
Over the following few weeks Oldham hooligans, one of the most rightwing gangs in the country, were joined by small groups from Stockport, Shrewsbury and Huddersfield in a bid to whip up trouble. Eventually, on 26 May 2001, the hooligans succeeded. After a day when 80 hooligans and nazis had been frustrated by police a group of ten hooligans ran down a predominantly Asian street attacking people and property in what a judge later said was the “trigger” for the Oldham riots.
A week later the rightwing hooligans attempted to do it again, though this time they were stopped by Searchlight intelligence and police intervention.
A week after that Oldham and Everton hooligans tried to link up with Combat 18 Loyalism has always been a bigger unifier for British football hooligans. During the late 1980s and more importantly during the early 1990s loyalism became central to hooligan nationalist identity. The IRA was bringing its campaign to the British mainland and English hooligans heavily adopted the loyalist cause.
In January 1993 over 600 people, including hooligans drawn from 22 gangs around Britain, met to disrupt the annual Bloody Sunday march in central London. Their intention was later to travel to Kilburn, an area with a large Irish community, in an attempt to kick off trouble with local people. Only the intervention of police and the arrest of 396 hooligans and loyalists prevented this from occurring.
The far right has never enjoyed this level of support. Hooligan gangs linked with Aston Villa, Oldham, Charlton, Swansea and Mansfield all had rightwing connections but they were easily the exception than the rule.
In more recent years the rise of the BNP has been mirrored by a growth in political hooliganism. The Oldham riots stemmed from weeks of hooligan incursions into the predominantly Asian areas of the town. The first was when 450 Stoke City hooligans rampaged through Westwood a few days after the pensioner Walter Chamberlain had been attacked by four youths.
Over the following few weeks Oldham hooligans, one of the most rightwing gangs in the country, were joined by small groups from Stockport, Shrewsbury and Huddersfield in a bid to whip up trouble. Eventually, on 26 May 2001, the hooligans succeeded. After a day when 80 hooligans and nazis had been frustrated by police a group of ten hooligans ran down a predominantly Asian street attacking people and property in what a judge later said was the “trigger” for the Oldham riots.
A week later the rightwing hooligans attempted to do it again, though this time they were stopped by Searchlight intelligence and police intervention.
A week after that Oldham and Everton hooligans tried to link up with Combat 18 in an attempt to disrupt the England v Pakistan cricket match at Old Trafford. The plan had been for an Oldham hooligan to run onto the pitch during play and place a Combat 18 flag in the middle of the wicket. The hope, according to Combat 18, was for maximum media attention and a violent reaction from the Pakistani supporters in the crowd. Once again the 40 thugs failed because of Searchlight intelligence.
However, these incidents have been the exception. There is certainly a growing anti-Islamist feeling among many hooligans but this is probably just a reflection of attitudes in wider society. More hooligans are undoubtedly supporting the BNP but again this should not be of any great surprise given the growth of the fascist party in many parts of the country and the profile of the typical BNP voter. But this does not mean we are likely to witness an explosion of hooligan-based racial disorder.
The appalling turnout of hooligans in Birmingham in early August is testament to this. In smallish towns such as Oldham and Luton a local incident can quite easily incite a violent response from thugs and racists. However, there is no sign that hooligans will properly mix together for a political cause.
Football rivalry means that Watford hooligans, who might live only a few miles away, will never mix with their Luton counterparts and the return of the football season will refocus some hooligans on their traditional pastimes. In addition, heavy policing and the threat of arrest, football bans and possible prison will keep many away. It was interesting to witness the robust police response to an anti-Islam protest in East London in summer. Having been kettled for several hours and generally given a rough time, many of the hooligans who attended are hardly likely to come out again.
Finally, there is the very nature of hooligans themselves. They are a generally undisciplined, lazy group who prefer drinking and talking a good fight to involving themselves in a political battle. And those who do will be nervous about the role of the BNP and other fascist groups. Even at Luton, where the heart of the current hooligan mobilisation has emerged, there are growing voices of discontent about the presence of the BNP.
The organisers of the English Defence League and Casuals United have announced their intention to hold several more protests across the country, including in Manchester, Dewsbury and Bradford. Whether these go ahead remains to be seen but the dangers lie less in the big cities than in the smaller conurbations where tensions already exist.
Hooligans will not travel in large numbers across the country and they will be even more put off by the threat of arrest and football bans. However, in places like Luton, Oldham and West Yorkshire there are more than enough people to cause trouble without the need for outsiders. With the prospect of violence and communities tearing each other apart very real, HOPE not hate will be campaigning to get these events banned.
Tories aim to hit the poor hardest
Excerpt from the Morning Star story.
Shadow chancellor seeks to outdo Labour's attacks as he sets out public spending cuts
Shadow chancellor George Osborne revealed his Thatcherite agenda in a conference speech focused on public spending cuts, including a one-year freeze on the majority of public-sector workers.
Under his plans, only the one million earning under £18,000 would get a rise.
The Tory proposal goes beyond Chancellor Alistair Darling's call for a salary freeze for the 750,000 highest-paid public servants.
Mr Osborne repeatedly claimed that the whole country was "in this together," but his belt-tightening policies were only aimed at the poor and the vulnerable.
He confirmed plans to raise the state retirement age for men from 65 to 66 in 2016, rather than 2026 as new Labour plans. For women, the pension age will be equalised by 2020.
Left economist Andrew Fisher pointed out that this would disproportionately hit the poorest, who have a life expectancy of 72 compared with 79 for the better off.
Mr Osborne also wants to introduce means-testing to the child tax credit at a lower level in order to claw back money from better-off families.
Another tax to hit the poor was next on the agenda, as he announced plans to raise VAT from the current 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent.
Mr Osborne then promised to raise inheritance tax thresholds to £1 million and declared his opposition to the government's 50p top rate of income tax from 2011.
The endless list of spending cuts will shave a mere £7 billion a year off the record £175bn public deficit caused by the bail-out of the banks. Another £13 billion a year will be saved once the retirement age is raised in 2016.
But the Tax Justice Network pointed out that Britain could save £100 billion a year just by preventing tax dodging in tax havens which are "politically connected to Britain."
The organisation's John Christensen also defended the 50p top rate tax, saying: "The likes of Mr Osborne argue that if we tax the rich, they will threaten to leave the country.
"Let them leave - it means they weren't interested in contributing to the wellbeing of our society in the first place."
UNISON leader Dave Prentis said Mr Osborne's "commitment to the free market underlines the real Tory agenda - it's one that hasn't changed since Thatcher."
Unite joint general secretary Derek Simpson added: "This was a speech written on the back of a Bullingdon Club membership card. Osborne i
Shadow chancellor seeks to outdo Labour's attacks as he sets out public spending cuts
Shadow chancellor George Osborne revealed his Thatcherite agenda in a conference speech focused on public spending cuts, including a one-year freeze on the majority of public-sector workers.
Under his plans, only the one million earning under £18,000 would get a rise.
The Tory proposal goes beyond Chancellor Alistair Darling's call for a salary freeze for the 750,000 highest-paid public servants.
Mr Osborne repeatedly claimed that the whole country was "in this together," but his belt-tightening policies were only aimed at the poor and the vulnerable.
He confirmed plans to raise the state retirement age for men from 65 to 66 in 2016, rather than 2026 as new Labour plans. For women, the pension age will be equalised by 2020.
Left economist Andrew Fisher pointed out that this would disproportionately hit the poorest, who have a life expectancy of 72 compared with 79 for the better off.
Mr Osborne also wants to introduce means-testing to the child tax credit at a lower level in order to claw back money from better-off families.
Another tax to hit the poor was next on the agenda, as he announced plans to raise VAT from the current 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent.
Mr Osborne then promised to raise inheritance tax thresholds to £1 million and declared his opposition to the government's 50p top rate of income tax from 2011.
The endless list of spending cuts will shave a mere £7 billion a year off the record £175bn public deficit caused by the bail-out of the banks. Another £13 billion a year will be saved once the retirement age is raised in 2016.
But the Tax Justice Network pointed out that Britain could save £100 billion a year just by preventing tax dodging in tax havens which are "politically connected to Britain."
The organisation's John Christensen also defended the 50p top rate tax, saying: "The likes of Mr Osborne argue that if we tax the rich, they will threaten to leave the country.
"Let them leave - it means they weren't interested in contributing to the wellbeing of our society in the first place."
UNISON leader Dave Prentis said Mr Osborne's "commitment to the free market underlines the real Tory agenda - it's one that hasn't changed since Thatcher."
Unite joint general secretary Derek Simpson added: "This was a speech written on the back of a Bullingdon Club membership card. Osborne i
Friday, 2 October 2009
Know any children whose contribution to the city deserves recognition?
The newly re-launched Mayor’s Citizen Award moves on to its fourth month and back to the category that the revamped awards started with - children.
Now is the time to get nominating any child that you feel has really made a difference to the city.
The contribution could be:
a child who has done something to the best of their ability
a school pupil who has achieved a major improvement in their work, attendance or behaviour
So if you know of a child who deserves a pat on the back and their moment in the spotlight – now is the time to sing their praises.
The closing date for making nominations is Friday 16 October.
Further information:
To read about the format of the awards, to view the nomination dates for each category and to nominate unsung heroes:
visit the Mayor's Citizen Award web page
Now is the time to get nominating any child that you feel has really made a difference to the city.
The contribution could be:
a child who has done something to the best of their ability
a school pupil who has achieved a major improvement in their work, attendance or behaviour
So if you know of a child who deserves a pat on the back and their moment in the spotlight – now is the time to sing their praises.
The closing date for making nominations is Friday 16 October.
Further information:
To read about the format of the awards, to view the nomination dates for each category and to nominate unsung heroes:
visit the Mayor's Citizen Award web page
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Ed Balls announces a review into current provisions against promoting racism in schools.
Review to be undertaken by Maurice Smith, formerly HM Chief Inspector of Schools -
Ed Balls today announced a full and detailed review of the provisions which prevent the promotion of racism in schools.
He has asked Maurice Smith, formerly HM Chief Inspector of Schools and currently Director of Education for the Church of England Manchester Diocese, to lead the review and deliver his report in January 2010.
The review will look specifically at:
Whether existing safeguards are sufficient (taking into account current duties on schools and local authorities, and the powers of the GTCE). Whether there is a case for further measures to maintain trust in the teaching profession and protect children and young people from indoctrination and discrimination. Particularly, whether there is a case for affiliation to an organisation that promotes racism being grounds for barring from the profession. Whether the current safeguards, or further measures deemed necessary, should extend more widely across the school workforce.
In a letter to Maurice Smith, Ed Balls said:
“Teaching carries with it great responsibility: the education and welfare of our children and young people. That trust must be maintained.
“I have always believed that membership of any organisation that espouses racist views is fundamentally incompatible with the values and ethos of the teaching profession.
“The police and prison services have already taken the decision to ban their personnel from membership of organisations whose constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements contradict their duty to promote race equality.
“I and my predecessors have previously set out the view that such a ban is not necessary for the teaching profession because the current safeguards are sufficient, though were evidence to emerge that this was not the case the situation would need to be reviewed.
“A number of recent events have caused me to reflect on whether the current safeguards are drawn in the right place. In the last year there have been two referrals of teachers to the GTCE concerning activities related to the promotion of racist beliefs. Further, the release of information on membership of the BNP revealed 15 individuals who identified teaching as their profession. We cannot know how many more may have chosen not to reveal their occupation.
“That is why I believe that it is right to undertake a full review of the arguments for and against strengthening the current provisions. I am grateful to Maurice Smith for agreeing to undertake this review and I look forward to receiving his report.”
There are a number of safeguards currently in place to protect children and young people from discrimination or political indoctrination. These include:
• a requirement for schools to have equal opportunities policies
• a duty to promote racial equality
• a statutory duty to promote community cohesion
• a duty on governing bodies, head teachers and local authorities to forbid the teaching of partisan political activities
• disciplinary powers of the GTCE
Ed Balls today announced a full and detailed review of the provisions which prevent the promotion of racism in schools.
He has asked Maurice Smith, formerly HM Chief Inspector of Schools and currently Director of Education for the Church of England Manchester Diocese, to lead the review and deliver his report in January 2010.
The review will look specifically at:
Whether existing safeguards are sufficient (taking into account current duties on schools and local authorities, and the powers of the GTCE). Whether there is a case for further measures to maintain trust in the teaching profession and protect children and young people from indoctrination and discrimination. Particularly, whether there is a case for affiliation to an organisation that promotes racism being grounds for barring from the profession. Whether the current safeguards, or further measures deemed necessary, should extend more widely across the school workforce.
In a letter to Maurice Smith, Ed Balls said:
“Teaching carries with it great responsibility: the education and welfare of our children and young people. That trust must be maintained.
“I have always believed that membership of any organisation that espouses racist views is fundamentally incompatible with the values and ethos of the teaching profession.
“The police and prison services have already taken the decision to ban their personnel from membership of organisations whose constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements contradict their duty to promote race equality.
“I and my predecessors have previously set out the view that such a ban is not necessary for the teaching profession because the current safeguards are sufficient, though were evidence to emerge that this was not the case the situation would need to be reviewed.
“A number of recent events have caused me to reflect on whether the current safeguards are drawn in the right place. In the last year there have been two referrals of teachers to the GTCE concerning activities related to the promotion of racist beliefs. Further, the release of information on membership of the BNP revealed 15 individuals who identified teaching as their profession. We cannot know how many more may have chosen not to reveal their occupation.
“That is why I believe that it is right to undertake a full review of the arguments for and against strengthening the current provisions. I am grateful to Maurice Smith for agreeing to undertake this review and I look forward to receiving his report.”
There are a number of safeguards currently in place to protect children and young people from discrimination or political indoctrination. These include:
• a requirement for schools to have equal opportunities policies
• a duty to promote racial equality
• a statutory duty to promote community cohesion
• a duty on governing bodies, head teachers and local authorities to forbid the teaching of partisan political activities
• disciplinary powers of the GTCE
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
We can win without The Sun, but not its readers.
Don't often agree with Paul, but do on this.
We can win without The Sun, but not its readers09:40 am, Wed 30th Sep 2009.
By Paul Richards
It was the column that Trevor Kavanagh has been itching to write for years. The Sun’s leading lights have never been happy supporting Labour, even in 1997, when they dramatically backed Blair. Now, they return home to the Conservatives. We can expect a Kinnock light-bulb style attack on Brown, with all its viciousness and vindictiveness, over the next few months.
The news that the Sun Backs Cam flltered through the conference hotels last night like a bacillus. It took whatever bounce had been afforded by the big speech out of the step of delegates. In effect it means that at the end of the week in Brighton the task of winning the next election is harder than it was at the start.
It would be easy to misunderstand the meaning of the Sun’s switch. For many Labour people, the Sun is a little short of demonic. They remember the slavish support for Thatcher. Some recall the lies about the Hillsborough disaster. They consider Rupert Murdoch an over-powerful plutocrat. But the point is not that individuals like Murdoch, Kavanagh and Pascoe-Watson have turned the Sun round to the Tories. The point is that the Sun follows, not leads public opinion. They back the winner. They reflect the dominant views of their ten million readers, which they assiduously monitor, test and poll with every kind of focus group and opinion poll. What their polling of Sun readers is telling them is that the people who buy, read and enjoy reading the Sun newspaper, what the admen call C2Ds, and what you and I call taxi-drivers, plasterers, sparks, posties, check-out assistants, and the rest of the millions who make Britain tick, have deserted the Labour Party.
What’s the lesson? The Sun was always going to do this, as long as Gordon Brown was leader. Their timing is designed to inflict maximum damage, and they haven’t finished yet. They’re not coming back to Labour any time soon. But Labour’s task in the few months we have left before polling day is to win back the Sun readers who form the backbone of the British electorate.
We can win without The Sun, but not its readers09:40 am, Wed 30th Sep 2009.
By Paul Richards
It was the column that Trevor Kavanagh has been itching to write for years. The Sun’s leading lights have never been happy supporting Labour, even in 1997, when they dramatically backed Blair. Now, they return home to the Conservatives. We can expect a Kinnock light-bulb style attack on Brown, with all its viciousness and vindictiveness, over the next few months.
The news that the Sun Backs Cam flltered through the conference hotels last night like a bacillus. It took whatever bounce had been afforded by the big speech out of the step of delegates. In effect it means that at the end of the week in Brighton the task of winning the next election is harder than it was at the start.
It would be easy to misunderstand the meaning of the Sun’s switch. For many Labour people, the Sun is a little short of demonic. They remember the slavish support for Thatcher. Some recall the lies about the Hillsborough disaster. They consider Rupert Murdoch an over-powerful plutocrat. But the point is not that individuals like Murdoch, Kavanagh and Pascoe-Watson have turned the Sun round to the Tories. The point is that the Sun follows, not leads public opinion. They back the winner. They reflect the dominant views of their ten million readers, which they assiduously monitor, test and poll with every kind of focus group and opinion poll. What their polling of Sun readers is telling them is that the people who buy, read and enjoy reading the Sun newspaper, what the admen call C2Ds, and what you and I call taxi-drivers, plasterers, sparks, posties, check-out assistants, and the rest of the millions who make Britain tick, have deserted the Labour Party.
What’s the lesson? The Sun was always going to do this, as long as Gordon Brown was leader. Their timing is designed to inflict maximum damage, and they haven’t finished yet. They’re not coming back to Labour any time soon. But Labour’s task in the few months we have left before polling day is to win back the Sun readers who form the backbone of the British electorate.
Labour conference: Fears over supervised homes for teen parents
I await for further clarification on this from DCFS.
By Neil PuffettChildren & Young People Now29 September 2009
Teenage pregnancy experts have reacted with concern to Gordon Brown's announcement that all 16-and 17-year-old parents who receive benefits will be housed in a network of supervised homes.
In his address to the Labour Party conference, Brown announced the measure but gave no indication of how it would work in practice.
Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, described the announcement as "an ill-thought out sop to an ill-informed section of public opinion".
"This measure ignores the huge differences between individual young people's ability and support to care for their children and does not address the complex problems they may face," she added.
Simon Blake, chief executive of sex advice charity Brook, said the speech left a lot of questions to be answered. "We are all absolutely committed to high quality support with housing available for young women but that is very different to the way this has been described today and I'm really concerned," he said.
"If it's about any form of compulsion then that is obviously a new policy approach and we have no knowledge about it being a new policy approach. This reinforces stereotypes of young women getting placed in council flats and undermines the excellent work going on across the country which has led to decreases in conception and birth rates."
During his speech Gordon Brown said it was time to "address a problem that for too long has gone unspoken".
"It cannot be right for a girl of 16 to get pregnant, be given the keys to a council flat and be left on her own," he added.
Some 90 minutes after the Labour leader left the conference stage in Brighton, civil servants in London had yet to be fully briefed on the announcement. A spokeswoman for the Department of Children, Schools and Families, said the department had no detail on the policy.
Lucy Lloyd, director of communications for the Family and Parenting Institute, said the announcement struck her as "frightening and draconian". "It harks back to the bad old days when teen parents were hidden away and had their babies in secret," she said.
But she added there could be positives in the policy. "In situations where the family relationship does break down the prospect of living alone in small accommodation can be devastating for a parent and child," she said. "If you look at it in that context this proposal could make a lot of sense. But we need to know more about how it would work in practice and in particular how a young person could maintain links with their home environment."
By Neil PuffettChildren & Young People Now29 September 2009
Teenage pregnancy experts have reacted with concern to Gordon Brown's announcement that all 16-and 17-year-old parents who receive benefits will be housed in a network of supervised homes.
In his address to the Labour Party conference, Brown announced the measure but gave no indication of how it would work in practice.
Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, described the announcement as "an ill-thought out sop to an ill-informed section of public opinion".
"This measure ignores the huge differences between individual young people's ability and support to care for their children and does not address the complex problems they may face," she added.
Simon Blake, chief executive of sex advice charity Brook, said the speech left a lot of questions to be answered. "We are all absolutely committed to high quality support with housing available for young women but that is very different to the way this has been described today and I'm really concerned," he said.
"If it's about any form of compulsion then that is obviously a new policy approach and we have no knowledge about it being a new policy approach. This reinforces stereotypes of young women getting placed in council flats and undermines the excellent work going on across the country which has led to decreases in conception and birth rates."
During his speech Gordon Brown said it was time to "address a problem that for too long has gone unspoken".
"It cannot be right for a girl of 16 to get pregnant, be given the keys to a council flat and be left on her own," he added.
Some 90 minutes after the Labour leader left the conference stage in Brighton, civil servants in London had yet to be fully briefed on the announcement. A spokeswoman for the Department of Children, Schools and Families, said the department had no detail on the policy.
Lucy Lloyd, director of communications for the Family and Parenting Institute, said the announcement struck her as "frightening and draconian". "It harks back to the bad old days when teen parents were hidden away and had their babies in secret," she said.
But she added there could be positives in the policy. "In situations where the family relationship does break down the prospect of living alone in small accommodation can be devastating for a parent and child," she said. "If you look at it in that context this proposal could make a lot of sense. But we need to know more about how it would work in practice and in particular how a young person could maintain links with their home environment."
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Message from Gordon Brown
John,
I hope you will have caught something of my speech to Labour Conference today. You can watch it in full here but I wanted to drop you a line just to let you know what mattered most to me today.My message is clear: our country faces the biggest choice for a generation – a choice between a change that benefits people like you - or a change that benefits the privileged few.I am determined to stand up for the mainstream majority of families in Britain – to stand up for those British values of fairness and responsibility for all.Today I believe we have shown that we are the party of ambitious change for the many:- Change for a new society with new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour and ensure our public services meet new challenges - expanding free childcare for two year olds, a new offer on social care for older people, and additional funding to local authorities to help keep people in their homes.- Change for a new economy with tough new rules for bankers and investing for growth, with a new legal obligation for fiscal responsibility.- And change for a new politics so we ensure that MPs guilty of gross financial misconduct are recalled and we modernise our democracy with a new voting system.In the coming weeks, don’t just listen to what our opponents say - demand to know what they would do. Because if you’re a family that’s feeling the pinch – don’t take it from me – just ask them the question. If you care about me, why is your first priority to give a £200,000 pound tax cut to each of the 3,000 wealthiest estates?I am confident we are on the side of the British people on the fundament al choices our country faces in the years ahead.
Gordon
P.S. Now let's go out and campaign for this change. Click here to get involved
I hope you will have caught something of my speech to Labour Conference today. You can watch it in full here but I wanted to drop you a line just to let you know what mattered most to me today.My message is clear: our country faces the biggest choice for a generation – a choice between a change that benefits people like you - or a change that benefits the privileged few.I am determined to stand up for the mainstream majority of families in Britain – to stand up for those British values of fairness and responsibility for all.Today I believe we have shown that we are the party of ambitious change for the many:- Change for a new society with new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour and ensure our public services meet new challenges - expanding free childcare for two year olds, a new offer on social care for older people, and additional funding to local authorities to help keep people in their homes.- Change for a new economy with tough new rules for bankers and investing for growth, with a new legal obligation for fiscal responsibility.- And change for a new politics so we ensure that MPs guilty of gross financial misconduct are recalled and we modernise our democracy with a new voting system.In the coming weeks, don’t just listen to what our opponents say - demand to know what they would do. Because if you’re a family that’s feeling the pinch – don’t take it from me – just ask them the question. If you care about me, why is your first priority to give a £200,000 pound tax cut to each of the 3,000 wealthiest estates?I am confident we are on the side of the British people on the fundament al choices our country faces in the years ahead.
Gordon
P.S. Now let's go out and campaign for this change. Click here to get involved
Labour's Home Secretary, Alan Johnson's speech to the 2009 Labour Party Annual Conference:
Labour's Home Secretary, Alan Johnson's speech to the 2009 Labour Party Annual Conference:There are three things that we need to do over the coming months - defend our record, explain our vision, display our unity.Crime is the area of government policy where statistics matter the least and perception matters the most. But the fact is that we have an excellent record to defend.Jacqui Smith was the first woman to serve as Home Secretary in the 327 year history of the Department. In her two years alone, neighbourhood policing has been established in every locality, a points-based immigration system has been introduced and police accountability is being improved through the Policing Pledge.Overall crime is down by 36% since we came to power, violent crime by 41%, domestic burglary by 54% and vehicle-related theft by 57%. In effect, the volume of crime and disorder has been reduced to the level it was at before the substantial and sustained increase that began under Margaret Thatcher in the early 1980s.These achievements are a tribute to our policemen and women. There are more of them than ever before, supported by 16,000 Police Community Support Officers with a budget 60% higher than we inherited in 1997.They've been helped by new powers that we introduced and the Tories opposed. Be sure to remind the public that David Cameron and his colleagues:Voted against tougher sentences for murder and sexual and violent offences;Voted against the banning of handguns;Voted against five year minimum sentences for carrying an illegal gun;Voted against allowing fresh trials for murder in the light of new evidence.They have the unenviable record of having failed on crime, in government and in opposition.John Wayne in their rhetoric; Woody Allen in their actions.When I hear the Party of Section 28 posturing as defenders of liberty, I am reminded of the words of the great Tony - that's Hancock, not Blair - who said, in a memorable episode of Hancock's Half Hour: "does no one care about Magna Carta? Did she die in vain?"Underpinning our record and illuminating our vision is the simple proposition that social justice means nothing without criminal justice. That safe streets are as fundamental to a good society as decent healthcare and high educational standards.Our streets are much safer, but not as safe as they need to be. We need to do more to tackle gang violence, to further reduce shootings and stabbings, and more, much more, to address the problems of anti-social behaviour.We began the concerted effort to ensure that people whose lives are blighted by such behaviour are rescued from despair.But Fiona Pilkington and her daughter weren't rescued and despair led to the terrible events we've been hearing about. It's an exceptional case but it's one that should never have happened and there must be no excuses, no complacency, no blaming the media because we don't like the facts they report. This case tragically exposes the insufficient response to public anxiety that still exists in some parts of the country and we need to guarantee consistent standards for dealing with anti-social behaviour everywhere. We need to ensure that any breach of an ASBO is prosecuted.We need to support victims and subject perpetrators to the full range of enforcement powers we have introduced, not as a last resort, but as a preventative measure.Above all, we need to make it clear that anti-social behaviour isn't a low-level nuisance to be tolerated, it's a major source of insecurity and unhappiness that has to be tackled wherever and whenever it occurs.But there is another source of misery and unhappiness that takes place behind closed doors.For too long it seemed to be acceptable that domestic violence against women and girls was a private matter. It was Labour that introduced specialist domestic violence courts and helped put 720 fully trained independent domestic violence advisers in place. More arrests are being made and conviction rates are rising.But the police tell us they often find themselves powerless to stop the aggressor in a domestic violence situation - - from returning to the property straight away, putting the victim at risk of more violence.That must change.That is why I am bringing forward measures to allow the police to issue Domestic Violence Prevention Orders to stop the aggressor from returning not just to the house, but to the whole immediate area, and forcing him to remain out of the vicinity for a set period. During this time, support will be provided for the victim including counselling and practical options for getting away from a violent partner.I am enormously proud of our record over the last 12 years. In education, in health, tackling discrimination, establishing basic rights for working people, making our society safer, healthier and fairer.Gordon Brown has been integral to all of these achievements and he has led the way in addressing the biggest global economic and political challenges of our age.As we approach a general election, we have to persuade the British public to do something they have never had the opportunity to contemplate before - to give a fourth term to a Labour government.We need to persuade all those who have supported Labour in the past, perhaps even campaigned for Labour, but who became discouraged or disillusioned that now is the time to come back and join us because this coming political battle really is a fight for this country's future. The Lib Dems are offering savage cuts; the Tories promise an Age of Austerity. Only Labour can offer hope and opportunity against Cameron's Notting Hill version of laissez faire.Nye Bevan could have been referring to the coming battle when he wrote:"For us, power means the use of collective action designed to transform society and so to lift all of us together. To us the doctrine of laissez faire conveys no inspiration because the hope of individual emancipation would be crushed by the weight of accomplished power."That "weight of accomplished power", anti-European, anti-trade union, hostile to public services, throws its shadow across the difficult years ahead. Only Labour can resist its advance by persuading the British people that we remain united behind our leader clear in our vision and worthy of their trust.
Monday, 28 September 2009
Inspiring Mandelson says this will be the election of change
Conference, let me say after these years away – it’s good to be back home.When the Prime Minister asked me to return to the Cabinet last October I felt a lot of things.Shock. I think I was as shocked as most of you were.Surprise. My network of informants had let me down on this one.Apprehension. Returning to the goldfish bowl of British politics – and all my fans in the media. It made me pause.I had been in this movie before - and its sequel - and neither time did I like the ending.But I did not hesitate for too long.The pull was too great.The pull of coming back to serve my country when it was in the midst of the global whirlwind that had hit us.The pull of coming back to serve this Prime Minister, our leader, Gordon Brown – who was gripping this financial crisis, leading the fightback against it when so many others seemed caught in the headlights.But there was something else. It was the pull of coming back to serve our party.I did not choose this party. I was born into it.It is in my blood and in my bones.I love working for this party and those who work so hard for it – even if, at times, perhaps not everyone in it has loved me.I understand that. I made enemies, sometimes needlessly. I was sometimes too careless with the feelings and views of others.But please accept this. It was for one reason only. I was in a hurry to return this party to where it should be – in government to help the hard-working people of our country.I know that Tony said our project would only be complete when the Labour Party learned to love Peter Mandelson.I think perhaps he set the bar a little too high.Though I am trying my best.But the fact is our project is far from complete.A Labour Government has never been more needed.Needed to fight back against the recession.Needed to build and secure our future economic strength.And needed to ensure we pay down debt in a way that is fair and protects jobs, homes and our frontline public services.And yet, we must face facts.Electorally, we are in the fight of our lives.And, yes, we start that fight as underdogs.But conference let me say this.If I can come back…,we can come back.I came into politics to help remake the Labour Party as a party of Government.My relationship with Gordon was forged when people said we’d never form a government again.It made us not just modernisers, but fighters…and certainly not quitters. That spirit still burns as brightly within us now as it did then.Gordon, I am proud to serve in your Government as you lead the fightback against the global recession.The policies conceived and executed over the last year have now begun to pull our economy back onto the long road of recovery.When it mattered, Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling have made, and are making, all the right calls.Of course, they could have made different choices. They could have taken David Cameron and George Osborne’s advice to let the recession take its course.Can you imagine if we had?I hope these two can find the humility to acknowledge that at every point Tory policy would not just have put the recovery at risk but have made this recession deeper, longer and far far worse.As we get closer to the election, I want to see them and Tory candidates across the country explaining why they wouldn’t provide the money to help small businesses and families in this recession when they needed it most. No extra money to boost family incomes.No money for the tax deferment for business and no VAT cut.No additional money to help those who have tragically lost their jobs.No funding for the car scrappage scheme.They got it plain wrong at every step along the way and I say to every Labour member and campaigner across the country.Do not let them off the hook.I certainly will not.Conference, the foundation of all that we want to achieve is a strong economy.So what does that mean?It means continuing to limit the recession’s damage to our economy because when private demand plummets governments must step in.It means, once we are through the recession – and only when this is clearly the case - we will tackle the deficit without eating into the fabric of people’s lives.And it means investing in future growth.On all three counts, the Tories are on the wrong side of the argument.I tell you. Withdrawing our help for the economy now as Mr Osborne demands would choke off recovery before it has even properly begun.Not for the first time, Boy George is sailing close to the wind.There are encouraging signs that the economy is picking up. But recovery remains fragile and uncertain, especially in manufacturing and one of its cornerstones, the car industry.Our car scrappage scheme has been so successful the money is running out. The industry has asked that the scheme be topped up. Conference, we cannot do everything but that does not mean doing nothing. So today I am extending our popular car scrappage scheme with extra money for an additional 100,000 cars and vans.In support of our car industry too, this government will stand behind Vauxhall workers in Ellesmere Port and Luton where the workforce themselves have been the main driver of change.And the same goes for Jaguar Land Rover too.But all of this only makes sense if we continue to invest in our country’s future growth. It is growth that will see off recession. It is growth that is key to paying down debt.More than ten years ago I spoke to this conference as Trade and Industry Secretary about how we needed to renew the British economy and build it around knowledge, science, innovation and enterprise.But this isn’t 1998. This is a different world.China and India are undergoing the greatest revolution in the economic history of the world.The greatest financial crisis of modern times also requires us to rethink our growth model for Britain.Of course, we should be proud of our record.Production is up by a third. More businesses. More research. More people than ever at university. More people learning new skills although still not yet enough technicians being recruited for our new industries at the heart of our growth strategy.Some people think that Britain is a post-industrial country that doesn’t make anything anymore.Well, someone needs to tell them that we are still the world’s sixth biggest manufacturer.And we will remain a modern manufacturing nation as long as I and the Government remain in our jobs.But we do need to accept that, during this time, we have not got everything right.The truth is growth was so strong we started to take it for granted. We nurtured finance – not wrongly, but we should have done more to nurture our other strengths as well.The potential is there in Britain – we know that. In the services sector, the creative sector, the biosciences sector and in hi-tech advanced manufacturing. But to release this potential we need a clear plan for growth and this is my mission.First, with Labour in office, there will be no cap on talent in this country. People with university degrees and skills earn more, climb higher and create more value. The Tories think that more means worse. We don’t agree. Britain gains when every person who is capable can get the chance to go to university, get an apprenticeship or a new skill. But to make this possible in a tough public spending environment we all need to contribute – government, individuals and employers.Second. I want to see an innovation nation. Science is one of the jewels in the crown of Labour’s years in office. And we want closer links between businesses and universities so that good ideas don’t stop at the research lab or the library door.We’re one of the world’s biggest investors in Research & Development. But we still do the R better than the D and that must change.Third. We’re going to do more to put finance at the service of industry by building up new public channels to deliver private funds to innovative and fast growing companies.Less financial engineering and a lot more real engineering.Fourth – no more saying: the market on its own will always sort it out, like some kind of dogma.Instead, in my department, over the last eight months, we’ve said: “this is viable, and it’s important, but the market alone won’t get it off the ground. And we can help make it happen”.We’ve committed three quarters of a billion pounds to new manufacturing innovation in Britain.Investing in low carbon cars and aircraft. New digital platforms. Plastic electronics. Life sciences. Industrial biotechnology. Wind turbine development and wave power.This isn’t us picking winners as happened too often in the 1970s, when more often the losers were picking us.This is us giving public support to new technologies without which they may never get off the drawing board.Finally, we’re committed to making sure that the benefits of investment in growth are felt in every part of this country.The Tories say abolish the Regional Development Agencies. We say “go for growth, let’s see what you can do.”This is the industrial activism we need more of in this country and I am determined to provide it.Where are the Tories on all this? When did you last hear David Cameron or George Osborne last say anything about Britain’s industrial future?I would ask Ken Clarke but his mobile phone and blackberry always seem to be turned off. Or given that he keeps privately agreeing with me, perhaps David Cameron has cut it off.The truth is these Tories have nothing to say about an active government economic role because their dogma prevents them.They just don’t get it.This failure, I believe, speaks to a wider truth about our opponents.David Cameron has been pursuing a strategy not of real change, but of concealment.Yes, they have made changes to their presentation. The image-making department has done its work and done it well. Who am I to criticise?But the Tories seem not to realise that change has to be more than a slogan. The first rule of any marketing strategy is that it must reflect the product it is selling.And what is becoming more evident by the day is that, in their case, it doesn’t. The two faces of the Conservative Party are increasingly on show. The one they want to present to the public of a revamped Tory party. And the other that betrays the reality of traditional right-wing Conservatism.You know, the Tories seek to give the impression that somehow they have learnt the lessons from New Labour and our party’s march back to the centre ground.Well, the Tories may have skimmed the headline summary of the New Labour manual. But they never bothered to read the book.If they had they would know what real change involves. They would know what a painful process it is.We in this hall know what it took to make the change. Show me what has really changed in the Conservative Party.The truth is that the old Tory right that was rejected in 1997 are quietly feeling at home again with David Cameron.At home with his tax plans.At home with the barely disguised glee a new generation of Conservatives is showing at the prospect of deep and savage cuts to public services.And at home with a position on Europe that sees them aligned with extremists and sidelined in Britain’s biggest market.That is not change. Its the same old Tory policies.So lets take on the arguments about change.This will be a “change” election. Either we offer it, or the British public will turn to others who say that they do.Of course, we must celebrate our record and be proud of defending it. We did fix the roof while the sun was shining.We can look at the way we have turned around our public services, our record on tackling poverty at home and abroad, our role as a force for progressive social change. The minimum wage and the new rights for working mothers and fathers. And we can feel proud.But let us remember that you win elections on the future, not the past.Do not make the mistake of sitting back and expecting people to be grateful.We must not translate the pride we feel in what we have achieved into a defence of the status quo.Just as we fight against a Conservative Party that is still steeped in the old Tory attitudes of the 1980s, we must not allow ourselves to fall into old Labour thinking.The British people have their eyes on the future and so must we.We are the true progressives.We must be restless for change, impatient to do more for the hard-working people we serve, unafraid to embrace new reform, new policies and new thinking where it is needed.We need to think like insurgents, not incumbents.To challenge. To argue for change. To campaign.To be the real change-makers in British politics.This is our task.We need to fight back. Of course we do.But to do so successfully it is up to us to explain – with confidence, clarity and conviction – what the choice is.The choice between a Conservative party whose judgements on the credit crunch were wrong, or a party providing leadership in the toughest of times.A choice between a party that lurches to the right the second it sees a chance of doing so, or our party that is resolutely in the progressive centre.A choice between a party that does not understand the new world we live in or even what has happened in the last year, or a Labour Party that knows the world has changed and we have to change with it.Experience and change with Gordon’s leadership.Or the shallowness of David Cameron.In one way or another I have been part of the last five election campaigns this Party has fought.Let me tell you a secret. Deep down in my guts I always knew who was going to win. Even, sadly, in 1992.This time, it is not cut and dried.This election is up for grabs.So conference, we may be the underdogs.But if we show the British people that we have not lost the fighting spirit and appetite for change which has defined this party throughout its history then we can and will win.Win for our Party.Win for our country.Win for the British people.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Arts Advice Seminar - Wednesday 23 September, 6-8pm
Join the Salford Arts Development Service for a free seminar which will be hosted amidst the splendour of the Victorian Gallery at Salford Museum and Art Gallery.
This special evening is free and is aimed at artists and arts organisations based in Salford. The seminar will include a range of guest speakers and will cover issues such as:
getting established
learning about funding
working with communities
accessing funding for arts projects
professional development for artists
developing art workshops
If you are an individual artist or not-for-profit group based or working in Salford and would prefer to speak to an officer in person, you can also book a free hour-long advice session with the Arts Development Service at any time by appointment.
Spaces are limited so please get in touch to book your place.
For further details, or to book a place at the seminar or a meeting, contact:
telephone Fay Flatt on 606 6736
email: fay.flatt@salford.gov.uk
This special evening is free and is aimed at artists and arts organisations based in Salford. The seminar will include a range of guest speakers and will cover issues such as:
getting established
learning about funding
working with communities
accessing funding for arts projects
professional development for artists
developing art workshops
If you are an individual artist or not-for-profit group based or working in Salford and would prefer to speak to an officer in person, you can also book a free hour-long advice session with the Arts Development Service at any time by appointment.
Spaces are limited so please get in touch to book your place.
For further details, or to book a place at the seminar or a meeting, contact:
telephone Fay Flatt on 606 6736
email: fay.flatt@salford.gov.uk
Monday, 14 September 2009
Britishness shunned despite PM plea
Majority of teachers dismiss proposed lessons in patriotism as “brainwashing”, research reveals
Three-quarters of teachers believe they should point out the dangers of patriotism to their pupils, rather than merely inculcating love of Queen and country, new research has revealed.
Many feel that patriotism is “brainwashing”, preferring instead a John Lennon approach that emphasises universal humanity and the brotherhood of man.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spoken out in favour of teaching pupils to be patriotic, claiming that lessons in Britishness should be incorporated into the curriculum.
Drs Joanne Pearce and Michael Hand, from the Institute of Education at the University of London, surveyed history and citizenship teachers from 20 secondaries, as well as almost 300 pupils, on their attitudes to patriotism in the classroom.
While more than half of teachers and pupils agreed that patriotic sentiment was a good thing, the majority felt that schools should offer a balanced reflection of all viewpoints.
And 74 per cent of teachers believed it was their duty to point out the danger of patriotic sentiments.
“Praising patriotism excludes non-British pupils,” one teacher said. “Patriotism about being British … divides groups along racial lines, when we aim to bring pupils to an understanding of what makes us the same.”
In fact, most interviewees felt that the role of school was to promote more cosmopolitan forms of identification. “We shouldn’t be promoting patriotism,” one teacher said. “We should be promoting universal brotherhood.” Another added: “I think we should identify as humans.”
Teachers also acknowledged that individuals had the right to choose their own role models, British or otherwise, as anything else would qualify as brainwashing.
One citizenship teacher said: “I don’t think you should be grooming children to be patriotic. That’s as bad as telling everyone that they’ve got to be a certain religion … I am not going to brainwash anyone.”
Even teachers who wanted schools to promote patriotism tended to qualify their arguments. One history teacher commented: “I think it’s an unavoidable human condition that you identify with a group … So to promote it in a positive way is OK, but not jingoistic flag-waving.”
Pupils were equally unenthusiastic. Many felt that they should be allowed to form their own opinions on the matter. One said: “If people want to be patriotic, then let them. Don’t dissuade them nor persuade them.”
Nonetheless, two-thirds of teachers said that they encouraged discussion of patriotism in their classrooms. But this often passed pupils by: more than half said that patriotism was never discussed at school.
The researchers suggest this may be because the subject is often tackled implicitly, without explicit use of the word “patriotic”. Many teachers incorporate the topic into lessons on the First or Second World Wars, or on human rights and democracy.
And they were unconcerned about pressure from the Government to do otherwise. One interviewee said: “I reckon teachers are the greatest profession in the world when it comes to subverting anything the Government puts before them.”
However, the researchers argue that vast areas of history and politics would be incomprehensible without some understanding of the power of patriotic sentiment. They, therefore, suggest that pupils should be made aware of the principle arguments for and against love of one’s country.
“Schools have a responsibility to ensure that students not only understand the phenomenon of patriotism, but are equipped to make reasoned judgments about the place it should occupy in their own emotional lives,” they said.
Patriot act
Teach patriotism as a topic in its own right, rather than as part of a broader discussion.
Respond positively when the topic is raised by pupils.
Know the arguments for and against patriotic attachment.
Challenge easy consensus and uncritical views.
Correct factual errors.
Be sensitive, because national identities are often intertwined with race, ethnicity and religion.
Be aware of influencing pupils unintentionally through body language or humorous asides.
Show pupils that they need not be passive victims of their emotions.
Be aware of the possibility of multiple patriotic attachments.
Three-quarters of teachers believe they should point out the dangers of patriotism to their pupils, rather than merely inculcating love of Queen and country, new research has revealed.
Many feel that patriotism is “brainwashing”, preferring instead a John Lennon approach that emphasises universal humanity and the brotherhood of man.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spoken out in favour of teaching pupils to be patriotic, claiming that lessons in Britishness should be incorporated into the curriculum.
Drs Joanne Pearce and Michael Hand, from the Institute of Education at the University of London, surveyed history and citizenship teachers from 20 secondaries, as well as almost 300 pupils, on their attitudes to patriotism in the classroom.
While more than half of teachers and pupils agreed that patriotic sentiment was a good thing, the majority felt that schools should offer a balanced reflection of all viewpoints.
And 74 per cent of teachers believed it was their duty to point out the danger of patriotic sentiments.
“Praising patriotism excludes non-British pupils,” one teacher said. “Patriotism about being British … divides groups along racial lines, when we aim to bring pupils to an understanding of what makes us the same.”
In fact, most interviewees felt that the role of school was to promote more cosmopolitan forms of identification. “We shouldn’t be promoting patriotism,” one teacher said. “We should be promoting universal brotherhood.” Another added: “I think we should identify as humans.”
Teachers also acknowledged that individuals had the right to choose their own role models, British or otherwise, as anything else would qualify as brainwashing.
One citizenship teacher said: “I don’t think you should be grooming children to be patriotic. That’s as bad as telling everyone that they’ve got to be a certain religion … I am not going to brainwash anyone.”
Even teachers who wanted schools to promote patriotism tended to qualify their arguments. One history teacher commented: “I think it’s an unavoidable human condition that you identify with a group … So to promote it in a positive way is OK, but not jingoistic flag-waving.”
Pupils were equally unenthusiastic. Many felt that they should be allowed to form their own opinions on the matter. One said: “If people want to be patriotic, then let them. Don’t dissuade them nor persuade them.”
Nonetheless, two-thirds of teachers said that they encouraged discussion of patriotism in their classrooms. But this often passed pupils by: more than half said that patriotism was never discussed at school.
The researchers suggest this may be because the subject is often tackled implicitly, without explicit use of the word “patriotic”. Many teachers incorporate the topic into lessons on the First or Second World Wars, or on human rights and democracy.
And they were unconcerned about pressure from the Government to do otherwise. One interviewee said: “I reckon teachers are the greatest profession in the world when it comes to subverting anything the Government puts before them.”
However, the researchers argue that vast areas of history and politics would be incomprehensible without some understanding of the power of patriotic sentiment. They, therefore, suggest that pupils should be made aware of the principle arguments for and against love of one’s country.
“Schools have a responsibility to ensure that students not only understand the phenomenon of patriotism, but are equipped to make reasoned judgments about the place it should occupy in their own emotional lives,” they said.
Patriot act
Teach patriotism as a topic in its own right, rather than as part of a broader discussion.
Respond positively when the topic is raised by pupils.
Know the arguments for and against patriotic attachment.
Challenge easy consensus and uncritical views.
Correct factual errors.
Be sensitive, because national identities are often intertwined with race, ethnicity and religion.
Be aware of influencing pupils unintentionally through body language or humorous asides.
Show pupils that they need not be passive victims of their emotions.
Be aware of the possibility of multiple patriotic attachments.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Bullfighter's book signings called off over 'threats'
I think Waterstones are wrong bowing to this pressure. It stops freedom of speech and an individuals right. Thanks to the MEN for highlighting the story.
SALFORD bullfighter Frank Evans has criticised animal rights campaigners after Waterstone's cancelled all promotion of his autobiography following what he says were threats.
The 67-year-old was due to attend book signings at Waterstone's in Liverpool and Manchester on September 16, with tickets costing £3.
The firm received letters which said the events would glamorise the "cruel, violent spectacle" of bullfighting. Mr Evans said the store's staff also received threats because of his planned appearances.
The bullfighter, who is known as "El Ingles" in the ring, said: "There are a minority of people who are violently opposed to what I do.
"I do not want the store's staff to be in danger so it is not Waterstone's I am angry at.
"These extremists are quite sinister and are trying to suppress literature. We have a democracy and this is almost like the Nazis burning books."
His autobiography The Last British Bullfighter chronicles his four decades in the bull ring.
It details his recent comeback four years after he retired on doctor's orders, due to a quadruple heart bypass and replacement knee surgery.
A spokesman for Waterstone's said: "In the best interests of our customers and staff, Waterstone's decided to cancel the two Last British Bullfighter events.
"No further events related to the book are planned and full refunds will be given."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), the Born Free Foundation and the League Against Cruel Sports were among the animal rights groups which wrote to the book firm.
Peta spokeswoman Poorva Joshipura had contacted the company's events organiser saying bullfighting is "a cruel, violent spectacle that is illegal in the UK."
On hearing the decision to cancel the signings, she said: "Bravo to Waterstone's for distancing itself from the sadistic cruelty and gore of bullfighting.
"There is nothing brave or admirable about anyone who participates in or pays to watch a violent spectacle in which the bull always loses."
Mr Evans, a grandfather-of-five, killed two half-ton bulls and won a standing ovation on his comeback in Benalmadena, Spain on August 30.
He has received several death threats from animal activists, and a post office intercepted a letter bomb with his name on it several years ago, he added.
SALFORD bullfighter Frank Evans has criticised animal rights campaigners after Waterstone's cancelled all promotion of his autobiography following what he says were threats.
The 67-year-old was due to attend book signings at Waterstone's in Liverpool and Manchester on September 16, with tickets costing £3.
The firm received letters which said the events would glamorise the "cruel, violent spectacle" of bullfighting. Mr Evans said the store's staff also received threats because of his planned appearances.
The bullfighter, who is known as "El Ingles" in the ring, said: "There are a minority of people who are violently opposed to what I do.
"I do not want the store's staff to be in danger so it is not Waterstone's I am angry at.
"These extremists are quite sinister and are trying to suppress literature. We have a democracy and this is almost like the Nazis burning books."
His autobiography The Last British Bullfighter chronicles his four decades in the bull ring.
It details his recent comeback four years after he retired on doctor's orders, due to a quadruple heart bypass and replacement knee surgery.
A spokesman for Waterstone's said: "In the best interests of our customers and staff, Waterstone's decided to cancel the two Last British Bullfighter events.
"No further events related to the book are planned and full refunds will be given."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), the Born Free Foundation and the League Against Cruel Sports were among the animal rights groups which wrote to the book firm.
Peta spokeswoman Poorva Joshipura had contacted the company's events organiser saying bullfighting is "a cruel, violent spectacle that is illegal in the UK."
On hearing the decision to cancel the signings, she said: "Bravo to Waterstone's for distancing itself from the sadistic cruelty and gore of bullfighting.
"There is nothing brave or admirable about anyone who participates in or pays to watch a violent spectacle in which the bull always loses."
Mr Evans, a grandfather-of-five, killed two half-ton bulls and won a standing ovation on his comeback in Benalmadena, Spain on August 30.
He has received several death threats from animal activists, and a post office intercepted a letter bomb with his name on it several years ago, he added.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Discover Salford’s hidden heritage
Discover Salford’s hidden heritage
Ever wondered what's hidden behind the windows, walls and roofs of Salford's oldest and most intriguing buildings?
Heritage Open Days: Thursday 10 - Sunday 13 September 2009
The national project Heritage Open Days invites you inside a whole range of enchanting and enthralling venues not normally open to the public.
And in Salford we’ve actually declared the whole of September as Heritage Month giving you 30 days of other great events and activities including walks, canal cruises, guided tours, museum visits and much more.
Join us for a celebration of the city's rich and diverse heritage and enjoy Heritage Open Days and our Local History Fair and Family Fun Day too.
There's so much to see and discover about the city's fascinating past and best of all, it's FREE!
Full line up of events
Ever wondered what's hidden behind the windows, walls and roofs of Salford's oldest and most intriguing buildings?
Heritage Open Days: Thursday 10 - Sunday 13 September 2009
The national project Heritage Open Days invites you inside a whole range of enchanting and enthralling venues not normally open to the public.
And in Salford we’ve actually declared the whole of September as Heritage Month giving you 30 days of other great events and activities including walks, canal cruises, guided tours, museum visits and much more.
Join us for a celebration of the city's rich and diverse heritage and enjoy Heritage Open Days and our Local History Fair and Family Fun Day too.
There's so much to see and discover about the city's fascinating past and best of all, it's FREE!
Full line up of events
Monday, 7 September 2009
Save General Election Night!
Save General Election Night!
Category:
Common Interest - Beliefs & Causes
Description:
The future of General Election Night is under threat.As the Sunday Times reported on Sunday 6th September - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6823320.ece - increasing numbers of councils are planning on counting the votes cast on the Friday morning rather than the Thursday night.The Sunday Times suggests that as many as a quarter of local authorities could end up holding a Friday count. The paper names Newcastle-upon-Tyne as a prime example, but it is understood that much of Norfolk, West Yorkshire and maybe all of Cornwall could count on the Friday, with it under consideration in a number of other areas, including much of North West England.This cross-party campaign, started by political blogger Jonathan Isaby of ConservativeHome with the support of Labour MP Tom Harris and Mark pack of Lib Dem Voice - is for all those - candidates, political activists, broadcasters, journalists and voters alike - who oppose this development.Here are a few reasons why you might support the campaign:*We want to know who won as soon as possible*Quite simply, once the polling stations have closed we want to know the result as soon as possible. And this argument holds on two levels. Firstly, on a constituency level, but more significantly on a national level: if the general election is going to be close, then it is possible that if lots of seats are not counting until Friday - especially marginals - then we will not know who is going to be Prime Minister, form the Government etc until Friday lunchtime.*It would be a backward step*In the digital 24-hour media age when we are used to getting news quicker than ever before, it would be a backward step to delay election counts. If anything, we should be seeking to persuade the few constituencies which historically count on a Friday to bring their counts forward to Thursday night.*Fewer people will be able to follow the results coming in*Sitting around the television into the early hours is an election night ritual for people across the land, many of whom do not perhaps follow politics closely on a daily basis. But if there are fewer results to announce - and the potential of not getting a national result to boot - they are less likely to bother tuning in and when the remaining constituencies declare and the national result becomes apparent on the Friday, anyone at work is not going to be able to witness the climax of the electoral process.*The TV coverage of the election will suffer*The outside broadcasts (OBs) at counts up and down the country have provided many a memorable moment over they years, and they bring the results to life. However, the reason why broadcasters are able to provide such a variety of OBs is that there is no other call on the satellite trucks and outside broadcast units during the night. If there were an increasing number of counts on Friday during the day, fewer of them would have cameras present, thereby reducing the ability of the broadcasters to give full coverage of the results.*It's a tradition, dammit*The traditional British way of doing elections is to have people come out to vote and then count the ballot papers immediately afterwards. It's how we do it and what we're used to.*Threats to the integrity of the ballot*Security is a less important concern, but worth a mention all the same. Some of us might be just a little uncomfortable about increasing millions of ballot papers being left overnight before being counted.HOW YOU CAN HELPPlease contact your local council (most likely the electoral registration department or Chief Executive's office) to discover when the votes for your constituency at the general election will be counted.If it's definitely Thursday, message Jonathan Isaby (the group's admin, right) and a list of confirmed Thursday counts will be posted in the latest news section below.If your council indicates that it will be counting on Friday or that it is yet to be decided, again, please let Jonathan Isaby know so that it can be posted below, but please also lobby your local councillors and council leader to urge them to count the votes on the Thursday night.Together we can save General Election Night!
Category:
Common Interest - Beliefs & Causes
Description:
The future of General Election Night is under threat.As the Sunday Times reported on Sunday 6th September - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6823320.ece - increasing numbers of councils are planning on counting the votes cast on the Friday morning rather than the Thursday night.The Sunday Times suggests that as many as a quarter of local authorities could end up holding a Friday count. The paper names Newcastle-upon-Tyne as a prime example, but it is understood that much of Norfolk, West Yorkshire and maybe all of Cornwall could count on the Friday, with it under consideration in a number of other areas, including much of North West England.This cross-party campaign, started by political blogger Jonathan Isaby of ConservativeHome with the support of Labour MP Tom Harris and Mark pack of Lib Dem Voice - is for all those - candidates, political activists, broadcasters, journalists and voters alike - who oppose this development.Here are a few reasons why you might support the campaign:*We want to know who won as soon as possible*Quite simply, once the polling stations have closed we want to know the result as soon as possible. And this argument holds on two levels. Firstly, on a constituency level, but more significantly on a national level: if the general election is going to be close, then it is possible that if lots of seats are not counting until Friday - especially marginals - then we will not know who is going to be Prime Minister, form the Government etc until Friday lunchtime.*It would be a backward step*In the digital 24-hour media age when we are used to getting news quicker than ever before, it would be a backward step to delay election counts. If anything, we should be seeking to persuade the few constituencies which historically count on a Friday to bring their counts forward to Thursday night.*Fewer people will be able to follow the results coming in*Sitting around the television into the early hours is an election night ritual for people across the land, many of whom do not perhaps follow politics closely on a daily basis. But if there are fewer results to announce - and the potential of not getting a national result to boot - they are less likely to bother tuning in and when the remaining constituencies declare and the national result becomes apparent on the Friday, anyone at work is not going to be able to witness the climax of the electoral process.*The TV coverage of the election will suffer*The outside broadcasts (OBs) at counts up and down the country have provided many a memorable moment over they years, and they bring the results to life. However, the reason why broadcasters are able to provide such a variety of OBs is that there is no other call on the satellite trucks and outside broadcast units during the night. If there were an increasing number of counts on Friday during the day, fewer of them would have cameras present, thereby reducing the ability of the broadcasters to give full coverage of the results.*It's a tradition, dammit*The traditional British way of doing elections is to have people come out to vote and then count the ballot papers immediately afterwards. It's how we do it and what we're used to.*Threats to the integrity of the ballot*Security is a less important concern, but worth a mention all the same. Some of us might be just a little uncomfortable about increasing millions of ballot papers being left overnight before being counted.HOW YOU CAN HELPPlease contact your local council (most likely the electoral registration department or Chief Executive's office) to discover when the votes for your constituency at the general election will be counted.If it's definitely Thursday, message Jonathan Isaby (the group's admin, right) and a list of confirmed Thursday counts will be posted in the latest news section below.If your council indicates that it will be counting on Friday or that it is yet to be decided, again, please let Jonathan Isaby know so that it can be posted below, but please also lobby your local councillors and council leader to urge them to count the votes on the Thursday night.Together we can save General Election Night!
Proud Pals of Salford to say thanks in final parade
Saw this on The Bury Times website. I think Salfordians should come out in force to honour them.
NEARLY 100 years ago Lord Kitchener, the then prime minister of England, our great country, asked for volunteers to join and fight the Kaiser of Germany.
The call was answered far and wide from men working the coal mines, mills and every walk of life.
The men from Salford and surrounding areas of Manchester, Liverpool, St Helens and many, many more localities were known as The Salford Pals.
Many were brothers, cousins, fathers and sons. They wore a badge called “The Lancashire Fusiliers xx”. They later added to the badge a primrose hackle.
These men from 1914 were very proud of their regiment and although disbanded in the 1960s, they are still highly recognised by the grandsons and in some cases great grandsons who succeeded them. We say “Once a fusilier always a fusilier.”
The greatest honour we hold was seven VCs before breakfast — “Unfortunately the cook overslept.” We stand proud in the city. In September 1947 we were given the freedom of the city.
On November 11, 2009, the last of the Pals of Salford men of The Lancashire Fusiliers xx will reunite. Seventy men in total will gather for the very last time.
These men will proudly parade down The Crescent on the Cenotaph of Salford to say thank you to all those people who fought and fell, not only The Lancashire Fusiliers but civilians, and members of the Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance Service and all who stood proud against all odds to protect our great country.
So the time has come for the Pals of Salford not to say goodbye but to stand at ease as the end of the road is drawing near for many of the Pals of Salford, The men of The Lancashrie Fusiliers.
So why not join us for this final heartfelt parade and allow us to say good night and God bless
NEARLY 100 years ago Lord Kitchener, the then prime minister of England, our great country, asked for volunteers to join and fight the Kaiser of Germany.
The call was answered far and wide from men working the coal mines, mills and every walk of life.
The men from Salford and surrounding areas of Manchester, Liverpool, St Helens and many, many more localities were known as The Salford Pals.
Many were brothers, cousins, fathers and sons. They wore a badge called “The Lancashire Fusiliers xx”. They later added to the badge a primrose hackle.
These men from 1914 were very proud of their regiment and although disbanded in the 1960s, they are still highly recognised by the grandsons and in some cases great grandsons who succeeded them. We say “Once a fusilier always a fusilier.”
The greatest honour we hold was seven VCs before breakfast — “Unfortunately the cook overslept.” We stand proud in the city. In September 1947 we were given the freedom of the city.
On November 11, 2009, the last of the Pals of Salford men of The Lancashire Fusiliers xx will reunite. Seventy men in total will gather for the very last time.
These men will proudly parade down The Crescent on the Cenotaph of Salford to say thank you to all those people who fought and fell, not only The Lancashire Fusiliers but civilians, and members of the Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance Service and all who stood proud against all odds to protect our great country.
So the time has come for the Pals of Salford not to say goodbye but to stand at ease as the end of the road is drawing near for many of the Pals of Salford, The men of The Lancashrie Fusiliers.
So why not join us for this final heartfelt parade and allow us to say good night and God bless
Friday, 4 September 2009
Cameron rewards Hannan for his attacks on the NHS with a plum job
Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Health Secretary, said has hit out at news that Daniel Hannan, the Conservative MEP who called the NHS a “60 year mistake”, has been given a leading role by David Cameron.
Following his renewed attack on the NHS during a series of interviews in August 2009, Daniel Hannan has now been rewarded with a position on the Tory frontbench in Europe – the first time he has held an official party position. His new appointment as the party’s spokesman on legal affairs also means he will represent the Conservative Party on an important Parliamentary committee.
Andy Burnham said:
“David Cameron is happy to deride Tory MEP Daniel Hannan in front of the cameras and claim that his views are not the true face of the Tory Party. But privately Cameron rewards Hannan for his attacks on the NHS with a plum job on his frontbench in the European Parliament.
“Will the real David Cameron please stand up?”
Following his renewed attack on the NHS during a series of interviews in August 2009, Daniel Hannan has now been rewarded with a position on the Tory frontbench in Europe – the first time he has held an official party position. His new appointment as the party’s spokesman on legal affairs also means he will represent the Conservative Party on an important Parliamentary committee.
Andy Burnham said:
“David Cameron is happy to deride Tory MEP Daniel Hannan in front of the cameras and claim that his views are not the true face of the Tory Party. But privately Cameron rewards Hannan for his attacks on the NHS with a plum job on his frontbench in the European Parliament.
“Will the real David Cameron please stand up?”
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Wage Concern update
Hello,
I trust you're keeping well. Thanks for supporting our Wage Concern campaign to defend the National Minimum Wage.
I thought you might like to a listen to the excellent Radio 4 documentary on the Minimum Wage.
It's called 'The Minimum Wage - Where Did It All Go Right.' You can listen to it here
I think it'll put a smile on your face. It did me! My good friend Rodney Bickerstaffe is brilliant on it.
Remember, the Tories were shamed by you into puling their 'Employment Opportunites Bill' to effectively scrap the National Minimum Wage. But it comes back before the House on October 16th.
Don't worry - we'll be reminding the media and the public about this when the time comes. Please forward this email to any friends who might want to join our campaign. The website is still up and you can still sign our petition.
Once again, thanks for all your help,
Yours,
John Prescott
I trust you're keeping well. Thanks for supporting our Wage Concern campaign to defend the National Minimum Wage.
I thought you might like to a listen to the excellent Radio 4 documentary on the Minimum Wage.
It's called 'The Minimum Wage - Where Did It All Go Right.' You can listen to it here
I think it'll put a smile on your face. It did me! My good friend Rodney Bickerstaffe is brilliant on it.
Remember, the Tories were shamed by you into puling their 'Employment Opportunites Bill' to effectively scrap the National Minimum Wage. But it comes back before the House on October 16th.
Don't worry - we'll be reminding the media and the public about this when the time comes. Please forward this email to any friends who might want to join our campaign. The website is still up and you can still sign our petition.
Once again, thanks for all your help,
Yours,
John Prescott
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Best year for Salford GCSEs
Salford has had its best year for GCSEs with provisional results rising to 76 per cent for pupils achieving 5 or more A* to C grades – around 11 per cent above last year’s national average.
The figures are a nine per cent improvement on the city's 2008 results and puts Salford ahead of the game against this year’s likely national average.
Results for 5 or more A* to C grades including English and Maths for Salford are at around 47 per cent, a seven per cent rise on last year narrowing the gap to the national average considerably.
In all Salford schools the percentage of pupils achieving at least 5 A* to C grades has increased so that two-thirds of the schools have surpassed 70%.
At St Patrick's RC High School every pupil passed 5 or more GCSEs with A* to C grades, the second year running the school has achieved this 100 per cent pass rate.
Four schools in the city have at least 92 per cent of their students gaining 5 or more GCSEs with A* to C grades including St Patrick's RC High School, The Swinton High, St Ambrose Barlow RC High School and Beis Yaakov Jewish High School.
One of this year's most improved Salford high schools is Buile Hill Visual Arts College with a 28 per cent rise in the number of pupils achieving at least five good GCSE grades to 81 per cent, and a rise of 16 per cent for five good GCSEs including maths and English.
Over the past five years Salford's GCSE results have improved dramatically from 38 per cent of pupils obtaining 5 more A* to Cs in 2004 to 76 per cent for 2009.
Almost a half of pupils are also obtaining 5 GCSE grades including maths and English in Salford compared to 32 per cent in 2008.
Councillor John Warmisham, Salford City Council's lead member for children's services said: "Performance has reached a new height for Salford schools today and I'm delighted to see the city's results getting better each year.
"I'd like to congratulate pupils on their grades and for setting such a high standard to the rest of the country.
"None of this would be achievable without the hard work of our teachers, school staff and governors with the support of their parents and carers and I hope these results give pupils the confidence to succeed in whatever they choose to do."
The figures are a nine per cent improvement on the city's 2008 results and puts Salford ahead of the game against this year’s likely national average.
Results for 5 or more A* to C grades including English and Maths for Salford are at around 47 per cent, a seven per cent rise on last year narrowing the gap to the national average considerably.
In all Salford schools the percentage of pupils achieving at least 5 A* to C grades has increased so that two-thirds of the schools have surpassed 70%.
At St Patrick's RC High School every pupil passed 5 or more GCSEs with A* to C grades, the second year running the school has achieved this 100 per cent pass rate.
Four schools in the city have at least 92 per cent of their students gaining 5 or more GCSEs with A* to C grades including St Patrick's RC High School, The Swinton High, St Ambrose Barlow RC High School and Beis Yaakov Jewish High School.
One of this year's most improved Salford high schools is Buile Hill Visual Arts College with a 28 per cent rise in the number of pupils achieving at least five good GCSE grades to 81 per cent, and a rise of 16 per cent for five good GCSEs including maths and English.
Over the past five years Salford's GCSE results have improved dramatically from 38 per cent of pupils obtaining 5 more A* to Cs in 2004 to 76 per cent for 2009.
Almost a half of pupils are also obtaining 5 GCSE grades including maths and English in Salford compared to 32 per cent in 2008.
Councillor John Warmisham, Salford City Council's lead member for children's services said: "Performance has reached a new height for Salford schools today and I'm delighted to see the city's results getting better each year.
"I'd like to congratulate pupils on their grades and for setting such a high standard to the rest of the country.
"None of this would be achievable without the hard work of our teachers, school staff and governors with the support of their parents and carers and I hope these results give pupils the confidence to succeed in whatever they choose to do."
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Out, loud and proud at Manchester Pride
Staff from Salford City Council will be ‘out, loud and proud’ at this year’s Manchester Pride 2009.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) festival is now in its 19th year. Funds raised go to LGBT and AIDS/HIV charities and groups.
Running until Monday 31 August, this year’s festival has a superhero theme.
From 1pm this Saturday, a Salford float will be travelling through the streets of Manchester. This has been designed by young people who access Salford Youth Service.
There’s also a council stall within the festival that with be awash with lots of information about our services and pink goodies to take away.
Staff from across the authority will be flying the flag, ‘loud and proud’ that they work for Salford City Council.
This includes members of the staff LGBT group, Salford Youth Service, Fostering and Adoption and Sustainable Regeneration. Volunteers from the Customer Contact Centre will also be on hand to raise awareness of council services and to promote the council as a diverse employer.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) festival is now in its 19th year. Funds raised go to LGBT and AIDS/HIV charities and groups.
Running until Monday 31 August, this year’s festival has a superhero theme.
From 1pm this Saturday, a Salford float will be travelling through the streets of Manchester. This has been designed by young people who access Salford Youth Service.
There’s also a council stall within the festival that with be awash with lots of information about our services and pink goodies to take away.
Staff from across the authority will be flying the flag, ‘loud and proud’ that they work for Salford City Council.
This includes members of the staff LGBT group, Salford Youth Service, Fostering and Adoption and Sustainable Regeneration. Volunteers from the Customer Contact Centre will also be on hand to raise awareness of council services and to promote the council as a diverse employer.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Another day and another Tory is talking Britain down
Another day and another Tory is talking Britain down. This time it is the man who wants to be Britain's Home Secretary.This morning the Shadow Home Secretary compared Britain’s streets to the blood-drenched streets of a city in an American TV programme, in which hundreds of people are shot and killed every year. It’s not the first time Chris Grayling, the Shadow Home Secretary, has used sensationalist comparisons with TV programmes to get his name in the papers. He’s already dismissed half of Britain for belonging to a Jeremy Kyle culture or a Shameless society. But this time his sensationalism is not just misleading – it’s dangerous.Gun crime is a serious issue that needs to be tackled soberly – to make policy based on sensation is reckless. If Chris Grayling was serious about gun crime, why did he and the Tories not vote for ma ndatory sentences for handling guns?Instead of talking Britain down, Labour believes that there is nothing that is broken in our society that cannot be fixed. Take Moss Side - one of the places Chris Grayling writes off: recorded crime is actually down in Greater Manchester, and youngsters on Moss Side estate are now also benefiting from Manchester Academy, which got rated outstanding by OfSTED this year.That is how we get crime down and build a better Britain – not by using the kind of unhelpful language that Detective Superintendent Darren Shenton, who heads Greater Manchester Police's Xcalibre anti-gang crime unit, has called “really sensationalistic”. I’m proud of Britain’s towns and cities - and I'm serious about tackling gun crime. If David Cameron is too then he should force Chris Grayling to apologise.Yours, Jack Straw
Friday, 14 August 2009
Thatchfuneral - epetition response
Thatchfuneral - epetition response
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to not support a state funeral for Baroness Thatcher.”
Details of Petition:
“Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher is not deserving of a state funeral. To deem her worthy of such an honour is to overlook a host of awful things, like her support for General Augusto Pinochet, and to overlook many more deserving candidates.”
· Read the petition· Petitions homepage
Read the Government’s response
Thank you for your e-petition.
In the event of the death of any former Prime Minister, the Government is responsible for liaising with the family and representatives of the deceased about arrangements for a suitable service of remembrance, including any administrative support from the Government. For reasons which we hope will be understood, it would not be appropriate to make any comment about detail of any discussions.
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to not support a state funeral for Baroness Thatcher.”
Details of Petition:
“Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher is not deserving of a state funeral. To deem her worthy of such an honour is to overlook a host of awful things, like her support for General Augusto Pinochet, and to overlook many more deserving candidates.”
· Read the petition· Petitions homepage
Read the Government’s response
Thank you for your e-petition.
In the event of the death of any former Prime Minister, the Government is responsible for liaising with the family and representatives of the deceased about arrangements for a suitable service of remembrance, including any administrative support from the Government. For reasons which we hope will be understood, it would not be appropriate to make any comment about detail of any discussions.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
INJUNCTION
Having worked with GMP and Salix Homes on this it proves that ASB can be tackled.
ASB UPDATE
Salix Homes Ltd, Housing Connections Partnership, Salford City Council (SCC) and GMP, working in partnership, recently made residents aware of an Injunction secured against Keith King.
The terms of the order are that KEITH KING (either himself or by encouraging or instructing others) must not:
Engage or threaten to engage in conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any employee, agent, servant or contractor of SCC.
Use or threaten violence to any resident or visitor to Malus Court.
Forbidden to enter or be within any part of Malus Ct, Hornbeam Ct or Salix Ct.
There is a' power of arrest' attached to all of the conditions outlined. This means that if you see Keith King (below) breaching this order, you must telephone the police immediately, whereupon he can be arrested.
Breaching an Injunction is a criminal offence carrying a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.
The original Injunction Order outlined above expired on 31st July 2009. On the 10th June 2009, the order was extended for a further 6 months due to Keith King breaching the order by entering Malus Ct, witnessed by security. He was also given a 28 day prison sentence, which was suspended for the life of the injunction.
On the 11th June 2009, he breached the injunction again by attending Malus Ct, witnessed by security. He was then arrested and taken to court. Sentencing for this was adjourned until the 26th June 2009, where Keith King was sent to prison for 3 months.
Salix Homes, GMP and Salford Council will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and take a zero tolerance approach to this.
The police can be contacted in an emergency on 999, or for general reporting you can telephone 0161 872 5050.
At any other time you can report Anti Social Behaviour on 0800 218 2000 Salix, or 0161 909 6544.
ASB UPDATE
Salix Homes Ltd, Housing Connections Partnership, Salford City Council (SCC) and GMP, working in partnership, recently made residents aware of an Injunction secured against Keith King.
The terms of the order are that KEITH KING (either himself or by encouraging or instructing others) must not:
Engage or threaten to engage in conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any employee, agent, servant or contractor of SCC.
Use or threaten violence to any resident or visitor to Malus Court.
Forbidden to enter or be within any part of Malus Ct, Hornbeam Ct or Salix Ct.
There is a' power of arrest' attached to all of the conditions outlined. This means that if you see Keith King (below) breaching this order, you must telephone the police immediately, whereupon he can be arrested.
Breaching an Injunction is a criminal offence carrying a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.
The original Injunction Order outlined above expired on 31st July 2009. On the 10th June 2009, the order was extended for a further 6 months due to Keith King breaching the order by entering Malus Ct, witnessed by security. He was also given a 28 day prison sentence, which was suspended for the life of the injunction.
On the 11th June 2009, he breached the injunction again by attending Malus Ct, witnessed by security. He was then arrested and taken to court. Sentencing for this was adjourned until the 26th June 2009, where Keith King was sent to prison for 3 months.
Salix Homes, GMP and Salford Council will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and take a zero tolerance approach to this.
The police can be contacted in an emergency on 999, or for general reporting you can telephone 0161 872 5050.
At any other time you can report Anti Social Behaviour on 0800 218 2000 Salix, or 0161 909 6544.
Monday, 10 August 2009
No sex,please,we're Liberal Democrats
You'd think that Liberal Democrats would be grateful for anything to brighten up their their conference next month ("And now colleagues, Chris Huhne on border-control policy"). But senior members of the party fear that proceedings might be dominated by the sex lives of two MPs.
Mark Oaten is to publish a book on the eve of conference in which he will explain in eye-watering detail how he went bald, had a mid life crisis and hired a rent boy (although not,I must make very clear, on expenses).
Meanwhile, the nation is agog to learn the truth about Lembit Opik, the member for Hello! magazine, and Katie green, the generously proportioned and much younger bra model. Are they actually an item, or are they just teasing us all?
" We could do without all this," sighed a senior party figure. "It's all going to be a bit cringe-making. We just wish they'd stop going on about it."
Thanks to Atticus(Roland White) Sunday Times.
The Liberal Democrats are cringe making and we all wish they'd stop going on!!
Mark Oaten is to publish a book on the eve of conference in which he will explain in eye-watering detail how he went bald, had a mid life crisis and hired a rent boy (although not,I must make very clear, on expenses).
Meanwhile, the nation is agog to learn the truth about Lembit Opik, the member for Hello! magazine, and Katie green, the generously proportioned and much younger bra model. Are they actually an item, or are they just teasing us all?
" We could do without all this," sighed a senior party figure. "It's all going to be a bit cringe-making. We just wish they'd stop going on about it."
Thanks to Atticus(Roland White) Sunday Times.
The Liberal Democrats are cringe making and we all wish they'd stop going on!!
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Local councillors 'more trusted than MPs'
Local councillors are more likely to be truthful than MPs, a study carried out by ethics watchdog Standards for England revealed today.The poll found less than 1% of people felt local MPs "always" tell the truth, and 29% thought they "never or rarely" tell the truth - more than the 20% revealed in the same survey in 2007.Faith in local councillors was slightly higher than MPs, with more people feeling they "always" tell the truth, and fewer thinking they never or rarely did.Some 2% felt councillors were always honest, while 20% said they were "never or rarely" truthful.The survey, which repeated the same questions asked in 2007, was carried out in June in the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal.A total of 1,735 adults aged over 18 were polled between June 11 and 16.Today Standards for England chief executive Glenys Stacey said: "Anecdotally, we are told the MPs' expenses issue was much discussed on the doorstep during the recent local election campaign."It is pleasing, therefore, to see that trust in local politicians held up favourably compared to people's views about national politicians."She said local councillors sign up to a code of conduct along with "an effective local standards framework", which deals with 2,800 complaints a year about England's 80,000 local politicians.The system is supported by Standards for England, the independent national regulator.Mrs Stacey said cases of the most serious wrongdoing were rare, and only 19 councillors were suspended or disqualified as a result of standards complaints in 2007/08.She said: "Working with English councils, we need to do more to let local residents know how the standards framework is helping to safeguard high standards in local government."
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Salford is eighth most improved area for school science results
Salford's primary schools are performing better than the national average in Maths and are the eighth most improved area in the country for Science results.
Exams taken by the country's ten and 11-year-olds show that Salford's test results for Maths and Science are up by one per cent this year, with 80 per cent and 88 per cent of children achieving the expected standard in the subjects respectively.
As well as being within the top six per cent of areas in England that have improved the most in Science - the results make Salford the 23rd most improved area in the country out of the 152 tested in Key Stage 2 Maths.
Tests for English show that 80 per cent of youngsters are performing at the nationally required standard for the subject .
In Maths, Salford's youngsters achieving a higher level of results than expected is up by two per cent on last year's performance.
Councillor John Warmisham, Salford City Council's lead member for children's services said: "This has been another great year for test results in Salford which are getting better each time.
"This year in particular, we've shown that performance in our primary schools in among some of the highest in the country with our achievements in Maths and Science and it's a tribute to the hard work of our pupils and staff.
"I'm delighted with the results and it's reassurance that children in Salford are starting our high schools with a brilliant primary education behind them."
Exams taken by the country's ten and 11-year-olds show that Salford's test results for Maths and Science are up by one per cent this year, with 80 per cent and 88 per cent of children achieving the expected standard in the subjects respectively.
As well as being within the top six per cent of areas in England that have improved the most in Science - the results make Salford the 23rd most improved area in the country out of the 152 tested in Key Stage 2 Maths.
Tests for English show that 80 per cent of youngsters are performing at the nationally required standard for the subject .
In Maths, Salford's youngsters achieving a higher level of results than expected is up by two per cent on last year's performance.
Councillor John Warmisham, Salford City Council's lead member for children's services said: "This has been another great year for test results in Salford which are getting better each time.
"This year in particular, we've shown that performance in our primary schools in among some of the highest in the country with our achievements in Maths and Science and it's a tribute to the hard work of our pupils and staff.
"I'm delighted with the results and it's reassurance that children in Salford are starting our high schools with a brilliant primary education behind them."
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Survivor of two world wars faces biggest battle
Saw this in the Times, thought it was a good analysis.
The Scott Trust will defend the Guardian at all costs. We've seen what has happened to the Salford Advertiser with possible worse to come in the future as advertising moves more and more online as well as easy access to news & sport coverage.
Young people don't read newspapers, they get their info through the internet and in future on their mobile phone. Newspapers may die out and be replaced by weekly news magazines. We're entering a new era, but what future for journalists?
Survivor of two world wars faces biggest battle
Dan Sabbagh: Analysis
It may have survived the Napoleonic wars, as well as the First and Second, but so serious is the advertising downturn, and the migration of advertising online, that The Observer, which is 218 years old, may not last much longer. The collapse in revenue is affecting every publisher and they must now rely on the size of their balance sheets for support.
Data collected by the Newspaper Marketing Association illustrate the gravity of the problem. Its figures are based on actual returns from publishers. Display advertising at quality dailies was down by 23 per cent in the four months to April and classified, once a stream of pure profit, was down 33 per cent. But if that sounds vicious, consider the figures for the Sundays, where the declines are 32 per cent and 42 per cent respectively.
Consumers have less shopping time available on a Sunday — so an under-pressure advertiser is more likely to concentrate its spending on a Saturday newspaper, when there is a whole weekend of shopping possibilities ahead. No wonder then that both The Observer and The Sunday Telegraph have been partly integrated into their daily sisters.
The recession is so severe though, that the initial cost savings have proven to be not enough. None of Britain’s quality titles are making a profit in the current environment, but the pressure is greatest on The Independent titles, with a parent company that is weighed down by €1.4 billion (£1.2 billion) of debt. The Observer had been thought to be relatively immune, because its parent company, Guardian Media Group (GMG), has about £280 million of cash available. But with losses of £61 million, and profits tied up in paying down debt in other investments, there is little cash coming in.
Unless there is another motive. A warning that The Observer could close will help to concentrate minds at the heavily unionised GMG, perhaps helping to make dramatic savings that will stop venerable Sundays coming to a full stop.
The Scott Trust will defend the Guardian at all costs. We've seen what has happened to the Salford Advertiser with possible worse to come in the future as advertising moves more and more online as well as easy access to news & sport coverage.
Young people don't read newspapers, they get their info through the internet and in future on their mobile phone. Newspapers may die out and be replaced by weekly news magazines. We're entering a new era, but what future for journalists?
Survivor of two world wars faces biggest battle
Dan Sabbagh: Analysis
It may have survived the Napoleonic wars, as well as the First and Second, but so serious is the advertising downturn, and the migration of advertising online, that The Observer, which is 218 years old, may not last much longer. The collapse in revenue is affecting every publisher and they must now rely on the size of their balance sheets for support.
Data collected by the Newspaper Marketing Association illustrate the gravity of the problem. Its figures are based on actual returns from publishers. Display advertising at quality dailies was down by 23 per cent in the four months to April and classified, once a stream of pure profit, was down 33 per cent. But if that sounds vicious, consider the figures for the Sundays, where the declines are 32 per cent and 42 per cent respectively.
Consumers have less shopping time available on a Sunday — so an under-pressure advertiser is more likely to concentrate its spending on a Saturday newspaper, when there is a whole weekend of shopping possibilities ahead. No wonder then that both The Observer and The Sunday Telegraph have been partly integrated into their daily sisters.
The recession is so severe though, that the initial cost savings have proven to be not enough. None of Britain’s quality titles are making a profit in the current environment, but the pressure is greatest on The Independent titles, with a parent company that is weighed down by €1.4 billion (£1.2 billion) of debt. The Observer had been thought to be relatively immune, because its parent company, Guardian Media Group (GMG), has about £280 million of cash available. But with losses of £61 million, and profits tied up in paying down debt in other investments, there is little cash coming in.
Unless there is another motive. A warning that The Observer could close will help to concentrate minds at the heavily unionised GMG, perhaps helping to make dramatic savings that will stop venerable Sundays coming to a full stop.
Friday, 17 July 2009
Stiff penalty for unlicensed property
A Salford landlord who failed to obtain a licence for a property he rented in Highfield Road, Langworthy, was faced with a bill for £627.83 after appearing before Salford magistrates on Tuesday 7 July.
Adrian Petticrew, of Lentworth Drive, Worsley, pleaded guilty to failing to sign up to Salford Council's Selective Licensing Scheme, which operates in the Langworthy regeneration area.
The scheme was introduced two years ago to secure improved standards of property management and to tackle problems of low demand and anti social behaviour in the locality.
Licences are granted only if landlords provide information about their management arrangements and pass a "fit and proper" person test.
Mr Petticrew was fined £210 and ordered to pay costs totalling £417.83. The court heard that the council sent him a licence application form in July 2007 and issued several reminders when he failed to reply.
He later claimed he could not afford a licence whilst investing in improvements to the property. In court he said he disagreed with the scheme and thought it was "another tax" but now realised it was a legal requirement.
Councillor Peter Connor, lead member for housing, said: "We wish to support all landlords through the licensing scheme so that we can raise standards in the private sector. But we will continue to prosecute those who fail to take it seriously or just ignore it."
More information on landlord licensing in Salford.
Adrian Petticrew, of Lentworth Drive, Worsley, pleaded guilty to failing to sign up to Salford Council's Selective Licensing Scheme, which operates in the Langworthy regeneration area.
The scheme was introduced two years ago to secure improved standards of property management and to tackle problems of low demand and anti social behaviour in the locality.
Licences are granted only if landlords provide information about their management arrangements and pass a "fit and proper" person test.
Mr Petticrew was fined £210 and ordered to pay costs totalling £417.83. The court heard that the council sent him a licence application form in July 2007 and issued several reminders when he failed to reply.
He later claimed he could not afford a licence whilst investing in improvements to the property. In court he said he disagreed with the scheme and thought it was "another tax" but now realised it was a legal requirement.
Councillor Peter Connor, lead member for housing, said: "We wish to support all landlords through the licensing scheme so that we can raise standards in the private sector. But we will continue to prosecute those who fail to take it seriously or just ignore it."
More information on landlord licensing in Salford.
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Council notice of motion on Bees.
I was happy at council to support the below notice of motion. It is a serious issue and we shouldn't take it lightly. Read Benjamin & McCallum book A World Without Bees.
"That this Council expresses its concern about the decline of the British Bee population. That it will consider and implement the necessary and appropriate environmental steps to implement and promote measures to protect and increase the local bee population. Bees are essential to the food supply not just in the UK but worldwide, the total loss of bees would be catastrophic for our planet. And further that this motion be sent to AGMA Authorities''
"That this Council expresses its concern about the decline of the British Bee population. That it will consider and implement the necessary and appropriate environmental steps to implement and promote measures to protect and increase the local bee population. Bees are essential to the food supply not just in the UK but worldwide, the total loss of bees would be catastrophic for our planet. And further that this motion be sent to AGMA Authorities''
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
CHEK WHYTE THIRTY MILLION POUND DEBT
Thanks to the Salford Star for bringing this to light.
CHEK WHYTE THIRTY MILLION POUND DEBT
A Salford Star Exclusive
Star Date: 13th July 2009
`The only cheek Chek Whyte's turned is his backside to us and Salford.'
HELL FOR LOCAL BUILDERS AS SECRET MILLIONAIRE OWES THOUSANDS FROM SALFORD CHURCH PROJECT…
Chek Whyte rode into Salford in 2007 as the Secret Millionaire, promising good deeds, even `rescuing' the ailing £6million Emmanuel Church project in Langworthy last year. Now his various enterprises have `aggregate liabilities' of over £30million, and sub contractors who worked on the church are owed thousands of pounds which they fear they'll never see…
The man from PDW - the consultants overseeing the £6 million Langworthy Road church and community scheme - confirms that yes, Chek Whyte has been paid by the Church for building work on the scheme…that, yes, Chek Whyte has been paid public money from the £1,550,000 pot for the 22 affordable flats within the development…
When it comes to asking where all that money has gone, he's less committal. When asked about the morality of taking money from a church and public funds, and not paying people in full, he's totally non committal… "It's been a difficult project" he sighs.
The contractors who are owed thousands of pounds have no such qualms about Chek Whyte and his Building For God sign… "Turn the other cheek?" sneers one "The only cheek Chek Whyte's turned is his backside to us and Salford."
Over at the insolvency company, Begbies Traynor, Richard Saville is currently trying to work out Chek Whyte's total liabilities. He reels off what he knows…"Secured creditors around £26million, mainly banks…Trade and unsecured creditors, that's mainly sub-contractors, around £5million…Inland Revenue, anywhere between £1.25million and £2million. Let's just say upwards of £30million" he decides "We're working out the best way to get a return for the creditors and are trying to get an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) where he offers to pay `x' in the pound to his creditors. If we don't get that agreement he'll be made bankrupt."
Which means no-one will see a cent.
Chek Whyte first arrived on national screens as `The Secret Millionaire' in November 2007, pretending to look for work in Salford while secretly looking to flash his cash at deserving community projects. Described by Channel 4 as `one of the richest men in England' he was seen, away from Salford, flaunting his wealth which included a yacht and a manor house where leather bound books were bought `by the yard' for decoration.
Soon after the programme aired, Chek Whyte bought two tower blocks in the area, Rosehill and Churchill Court. And in issue 8 of the Salford Star we revealed that the planning application for the towerblocks' conversion was sent to the council in the name of Chek Whyte Industries, for which the last filed accounts showed only £1 cash at bank and in hand. We also revealed that Chek Whyte wasn't a director of Chek Whyte Industries as he'd been banned by the courts for being "unfit".
Earlier this year, one of the towerblocks, now named Madison Court, was sold and is now in the hands of Wrightchoice Developments. Two weeks ago, Wrightchoice, a Salford based company, also took over the contract for the Emmanuel Church project in Langworthy, after originally working as sub contractors on the development, and say that the scheme will now be completed on time…
"The Church asked us to take over and we were very happy to help out" says the company's Paul Wright "But our contract is just from the date we took over and we don't know anything about paying people who are owed money by Chek Whyte."
The man from PDW would only say that "Chek Whyte offered us the opportunity to reassign the contract…his programme of work was changing and the completion made less sense to him. It was all approved and signed off."
But public money appears to have been handed to Chek Whyte, who hasn't paid his sub contractors and workers in full. Many are now facing even more hardship in the midst of a major building recession.
We spoke to Rev Ken Stokes, of Emmanuel Developments Ltd, who didn't want to comment on Chek Whyte's ethics, or anything else. This is the second time the project has been in potential jeopardy after the original contractors, Gleesons, left the site derelict following a row over costs. Some are asking why a publicly funded contract for the 22 flats didn't go out to formal tender again once Gleesons pulled out.
We tried to speak to someone from Great Places (formerly Manchester Methodist Housing) about how much money from its £1.5million Housing Corporation (now HCA) grant for the flats was paid to Chek Whyte, and the morality of him leaving sub contractors probably high and dry. But no-one got back to us. We asked Salford City Council for a comment about Chek Whyte but no-one got back to us. We asked the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) for a comment but they put us on to Great Places. And we spoke to Chek Whyte's office who threatened to sue us if we quoted anything other than "People will be paid"…
They didn't say how much though…
"I couldn't believe the way people treated me in Salford and I'll never forget it" sighed Chek Whyte during a Secret Millionaire press interview. We don't think those who stand to lose money from his Salford venture will ever forget the way they have been treated by him either…
* A meeting will take place on August 17th with Chek Whyte's creditors to decide what to do next…
CHEK WHYTE THIRTY MILLION POUND DEBT
A Salford Star Exclusive
Star Date: 13th July 2009
`The only cheek Chek Whyte's turned is his backside to us and Salford.'
HELL FOR LOCAL BUILDERS AS SECRET MILLIONAIRE OWES THOUSANDS FROM SALFORD CHURCH PROJECT…
Chek Whyte rode into Salford in 2007 as the Secret Millionaire, promising good deeds, even `rescuing' the ailing £6million Emmanuel Church project in Langworthy last year. Now his various enterprises have `aggregate liabilities' of over £30million, and sub contractors who worked on the church are owed thousands of pounds which they fear they'll never see…
The man from PDW - the consultants overseeing the £6 million Langworthy Road church and community scheme - confirms that yes, Chek Whyte has been paid by the Church for building work on the scheme…that, yes, Chek Whyte has been paid public money from the £1,550,000 pot for the 22 affordable flats within the development…
When it comes to asking where all that money has gone, he's less committal. When asked about the morality of taking money from a church and public funds, and not paying people in full, he's totally non committal… "It's been a difficult project" he sighs.
The contractors who are owed thousands of pounds have no such qualms about Chek Whyte and his Building For God sign… "Turn the other cheek?" sneers one "The only cheek Chek Whyte's turned is his backside to us and Salford."
Over at the insolvency company, Begbies Traynor, Richard Saville is currently trying to work out Chek Whyte's total liabilities. He reels off what he knows…"Secured creditors around £26million, mainly banks…Trade and unsecured creditors, that's mainly sub-contractors, around £5million…Inland Revenue, anywhere between £1.25million and £2million. Let's just say upwards of £30million" he decides "We're working out the best way to get a return for the creditors and are trying to get an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) where he offers to pay `x' in the pound to his creditors. If we don't get that agreement he'll be made bankrupt."
Which means no-one will see a cent.
Chek Whyte first arrived on national screens as `The Secret Millionaire' in November 2007, pretending to look for work in Salford while secretly looking to flash his cash at deserving community projects. Described by Channel 4 as `one of the richest men in England' he was seen, away from Salford, flaunting his wealth which included a yacht and a manor house where leather bound books were bought `by the yard' for decoration.
Soon after the programme aired, Chek Whyte bought two tower blocks in the area, Rosehill and Churchill Court. And in issue 8 of the Salford Star we revealed that the planning application for the towerblocks' conversion was sent to the council in the name of Chek Whyte Industries, for which the last filed accounts showed only £1 cash at bank and in hand. We also revealed that Chek Whyte wasn't a director of Chek Whyte Industries as he'd been banned by the courts for being "unfit".
Earlier this year, one of the towerblocks, now named Madison Court, was sold and is now in the hands of Wrightchoice Developments. Two weeks ago, Wrightchoice, a Salford based company, also took over the contract for the Emmanuel Church project in Langworthy, after originally working as sub contractors on the development, and say that the scheme will now be completed on time…
"The Church asked us to take over and we were very happy to help out" says the company's Paul Wright "But our contract is just from the date we took over and we don't know anything about paying people who are owed money by Chek Whyte."
The man from PDW would only say that "Chek Whyte offered us the opportunity to reassign the contract…his programme of work was changing and the completion made less sense to him. It was all approved and signed off."
But public money appears to have been handed to Chek Whyte, who hasn't paid his sub contractors and workers in full. Many are now facing even more hardship in the midst of a major building recession.
We spoke to Rev Ken Stokes, of Emmanuel Developments Ltd, who didn't want to comment on Chek Whyte's ethics, or anything else. This is the second time the project has been in potential jeopardy after the original contractors, Gleesons, left the site derelict following a row over costs. Some are asking why a publicly funded contract for the 22 flats didn't go out to formal tender again once Gleesons pulled out.
We tried to speak to someone from Great Places (formerly Manchester Methodist Housing) about how much money from its £1.5million Housing Corporation (now HCA) grant for the flats was paid to Chek Whyte, and the morality of him leaving sub contractors probably high and dry. But no-one got back to us. We asked Salford City Council for a comment about Chek Whyte but no-one got back to us. We asked the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) for a comment but they put us on to Great Places. And we spoke to Chek Whyte's office who threatened to sue us if we quoted anything other than "People will be paid"…
They didn't say how much though…
"I couldn't believe the way people treated me in Salford and I'll never forget it" sighed Chek Whyte during a Secret Millionaire press interview. We don't think those who stand to lose money from his Salford venture will ever forget the way they have been treated by him either…
* A meeting will take place on August 17th with Chek Whyte's creditors to decide what to do next…
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