What should I say to Margaret Hodge tonight?
This is your one and only chance to use me as a proxy to put your thoughts and feelings across to Margaret Hodge MP for Barking, and Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Tonight I am speaking at a post-show discussion of “A Day at the Racists” at the Finborough Theatre, SW10. I’m going to ask her to apologise for claiming in the Observer in May 2007 that immigrants were the reason that white working class people couldn’t get council housing in Barking & Dagenham.
I’m also going to urge her to organise black and white working class residents for better public services and fight cuts that are coming to B&D.
But what else would you want me to say… I’m sharing a platform with her for 30 minutes to an hour in a panel discussion.
Your views are required – add a comment and I’ll read them by 7pm tonight.
P.S. Here are some facts on Hodge
She wrote in the Observer:
” However, most new migrant families are economic migrants who choose to come to live and work here. We should look at policies where the legitimate sense of entitlement felt by the indigenous family overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by the new migrants”
“If you choose to come to Britain, should you presume the right to access social housing? Need is an important factor, but it’s not the only factor. This is about a rebalancing; listening and responding to a strongly felt sense of unfairness in the allocation of public resources. “
Richard Barnbrook, BNP councillor and now member of Greater London Authority shortly after the publication of the article, sent a gift of flowers (which were refused) and a note which said :
“I am indebted to you for having the gumption to tell the truth about housing allocation. We must stop agreeing like this.”
Read more about Margaret Hodge on the Public Whip:
* Voted strongly for introducing ID cards.
* Voted very strongly for introducing foundation hospitals.
* Voted strongly for introducing student top-up fees.
* Voted strongly for Labour’s anti-terrorism laws.
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Why wont MP’s back the robin hood tax when that would bring billions into the economy, and therefore helping everyone families, hospital schools rather than taxing everyday joe
Whatever you say she doesn’t care
Labour have imitated the conservatives in their pushes for privatisation, weak trade union influence and an aggressive foreign policy.
This has resulted in it’s lowest ever levels of membership as well as number of votes.
The lurch to the right is clearly an effort to imitate the BNP in order to gain more votes in B&D.
When will the labour party learn that voters want policies that are good for them. Playing the immigrant blame game of the reactionary right, and the pro-business game of the conservative right does nothing more than alienate whats left of them support base?
Ask her why the wards in Barking with BNP councillors have not had any Labour material. Has she abandoned the white working class?
To say we’re pissed off is beyond belief.
Hi Justin,
How about this – its more assertavie statement that she can respond to:
“Multiculturalism and institutionalised identity politics have been pushed by the political class – especially New Labour over the last decade, and have helped displace class from the public sphere.
Similiarly, neoliberalism and the globalization of capitalism have led to the abandonment of any pretence at defending or advancing the interests of the working class, almost as much as nEw Labour’s love affair with the City and the rich. The BNP is capitalising on this and expoliting it for its own ends.”
Looks like I was a little too late to chip in to your debate with Ms Hodge..which i guess was anything but dull. So all the same I jus wanna say thanks for highlighting issues of concern to my neighbours in BnD!
Your work is Sterling my friend…
Please keep it up!!!
Bro F
Thanks for all your comments!
I did put some of your thoughts to Margaret Hodge but El Greco was almost proved entirely right…
Anyways the next post is up and explains!