18 days to go…

BARON CAMDEN

IN Camden Town, we were told lots of times that they were queuing around the block today to get into the People’s Vote campaign launch event at the Electric Ballroom; a bid to convince the government to hold a second referendum on the final Brexit deal. Whether you agree with that view, and if you live in Camden the stats suggests you probably do, or not, there must have been a fair few residents turning green at the sight of Lord Andrew Adonis honking on about how he was back in his “native Camden Town”.

It’s not so long ago that native Camden residents were calling for him to drop his title in the unelected House of Lords, the Baron of Camden Town, on the basis that he had played such an important role in bringing the High Speed 2 forward, a project which is causing almost unprecedented upheaval here and will do for the two decades to come. People have been moved from their homes, businesses turfed from their shops and pubs, and not once has the baron been back to his native Camden to talk to these campaigners at the HS2 discussion meetings.

We could also move on to what Camden’s teachers and governors think of the baron’s architect role in the academy schools programme, given his native Camden has seen a ‘family of schools’ resist academisation like few other areas in the country, but the aggrieved HS2 campaigners want first dibs.

DID THE INVITE GET LOST IN THE POST?

DURING the Labour leadership contests Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters were often told that filling large venues with people wouldn’t get them what they wanted, because Michael Foot had done that and see where that ended… Today, celebrating how many people were inside the Electric Ballroom for the People’s Vote launch seemed quite important to the campaign’s leading figures like Lord Andrew Adonis and Chuka Umunna. Interestingly, given the event was right bang in the middle of our patch, however, there does not seem to have been a local Labour figure among the HUGE turnout.

This could be inaccurate, but there’s no ‘great to be at xx’ tweets out there, the normal stamp. Some of those who I’ve checked with said they didn’t even know it was happening, even though it was taking place on their doorstep. In any event, if they were there, would they want to publicise it? The message of this rally, after all, cuts across what Keir Starmer had told them about the party’s position on Europe at the local election manifesto launch last Tuesday.

Nevertheless, it’s almost as if the organisers deliberately chose a venue inside the Holborn and St Pancras constituency.

CAN YOU RECYCLE BLACK TRAYS?

Does anyone know the answer to the question above? As you may have noticed, Conservative council election candidate Henry Newman has been firing away FoI requests on waste and rubbish over the last two months. Recently, he asked for a cache of emails sent and received by councillors in the immediate aftermath of the new waste contract’s introduction last April. The released emails essentially cover the frantic first fortnight of reduced collections, the jammed helplines and the confusion among residents. Somebody – the message is redacted, so we don’t know who – asks for a ‘coherent message’ on the black trays… oh and adds something about voting ‘for the party all my adult life and I weep’. Labour councillor Sue Vincent replied by saying she does and everybody else should do (and if it turns out she’s wrong, they’ll be sifted out anyway).

From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX]

Sent: 10 April 2017 19:33

To: Vincent, Sue (Councillor)
Cc: Apak, Meric (Councillor); Leyland, Claire-Louise (Councillor); Rea, Flick (Councillor); Berry, Sian (Councillor); georgia.gould@camden.uk <mailto:georgia.gould@camden.uk> ; Hayward, Sarah (Councillor); Fulbrook, Julian (Councillor)
Subject: Coherent message

Dear Sue,

I am going with the over-riding opinion that residents can’t recycle black plastic trays. Please ask the any new Leader about this. How has the Party allowed this?

I voted for the Party all my adult life and I weep.

Georgia Gould!!

No.

XXXXXXXXX

From: Vincent, Sue (Councillor)
Sent: 11 April 2017 11:40
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Subject: RE: Coherent message

Dear XXXXXXXXX

I recycle black plastic trays and suggest you do as well; if all else fails the rather impressive recycling facility Camden uses in Edmonton can sift out items that are only suitable for landfill.  When a new leader is appointed I am sure there will be a review of this; as you know, with any change of process, particularly with a contract this size, there is always a little ‘transition’ stage where the practicalities are ironed out!

With regards

Councillor Sue Vincent

Holborn & Covent Garden Ward

FLASHBACK

THE Lib Dems plan to finally release their local election manifesto in Camden this week, so let’s look back at the ‘3am election special’ of the CNJ back in 2006 when they became the largest party at the Town Hall. That was a late night! The Greens also had a breakthrough election, winning their first seats on the council, two in Highgate. Highgate is interesting: the Greens at that time were splitting the ward with the Tories (until a by-election two years later when they made it all Green), whereas now they are sharing with Labour. A ward to watch on May 3.