Getting the message out in Hackney South

I am continuing moving round the constituency knocking on doors. I am most concerned that the arrangement with Royal Mail has not been working out – they are supposed to be delivering our leaflets to every elector in the constituency and very little has been done so far. My apologies to anyone who has yet to receive this message from me.

I find this most unsatisfactory and we are asking questions of Royal Mail as to their failure to deliver. However, I have set out my stall – as it were – here on this website. And my campaign team are also delivering leaflets through doors.

You can download my latest leaflet from this website.

The website is getting busy with quite a few enquiries coming in from people seeking my views. I am putting up some of the answers to them in the Q&A section of the website.

I will be at Chatsworth Road this Saturday from 11am to around 1pm at the Labour party stall outside Wayside Community Centre, 24 Chatsworth Road, (at the Clifden Road end) where Cllr Ian Rathbone holds his surgeries. Come and meet me!

You should have received your postal vote by now. The deadline has gone for receiving them. If you have any problems, call the Electoral Registration Dept on 020 8356 5000 (Council switchboard).

I had an enjoyable time on Saturday April 23 at the Shoreditch Trust Canal Cavalcade – an all-day event where I officially opened the ramp at the junction where Queensbridge goes over the canal. The Canal Arts Trail plaque was also unveiled at that time.

It was the launch of a new initiative to get more people to walk for further! Thanks to Shoreditch Canal regeneration, sponsored by the Shoreditch Trust with support from British Waterways, Haggerston SRB, Hackney Council and the NRF.

Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a huge success. About 800 people came to the range of events over the day – there were about 500 on the Carnival. What a triumph! My kids loved it – my son featured it in My News at school. The man from the carnival costume maker was full of praise. He said that in Harlesden you’d never get the community together in this way.Well done everyone!

On Monday 25 April, I was campaigning in Lea Bridge ward and walked down Chatsworth Road, meeting traders. I know the area well having helped to sort out some of the problems with the 242 bus. It would be good if the market could come back to life.

On Tuesday 26 April, I was at Hoxton hall at a public hustings meeting organised by NATFHE, the College Lecturers union, whose Community College Hackney branch are in dispute with the management.

They told me proposed cuts including threatened compulsory redundancies within the College may be pushed through later in the year with ‘devastating results’. I am watching closely to ensure that the College management is making sensible decisions. MPs in this area of East London need to work together and press ministers for more provision for 14 – 19 year olds, and to encourage more staff through affordable housing. The meeting was packed but very good-natured and all candidates gave a
reasonable account of themselves I felt.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I continued on the doorstepping trail in Hackney Central and Queensbridge wards. People are very positive about Labour. They are recognising the considerable achievements we’ve made for people since 1997 – and no-one wants to go back to the bad old days of the Tories. Michael Howard is definitely not popular with people!

On Friday 29 April, I am speaking at the Sulamaniye Mosque from 12.30 until 2.30 – please come and meet me there.

Don’t forget you can call the hotline on 07895 671 359, or e-mail me at www.meghillier.com.