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All materials published and promoted by L Smith, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU
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I've lived in London most of my adult life. From where I live in Tower Hamlets, I see the extremes of wealth and poverty and the mainstream parties' failure to act in the interests of ordinary people.
I became politically active after seeing the privatisation of the tube, attacks on workers in the fire service and other industries, and the drive to war against Iraq - all things that served the interests of those in power but not the interests of working class people.
I'm a safety rep on the tube for the RMT, where I've fought hard to protect passengers and staff against attacks on safety driven by cost-cutting and profiteering.
I was at the forefront of defending tube workers and passengers after the July 7 bombings, when management tore up safety rules just to get good media coverage. But I've also fought hard against the racism and Islamophobia that Brown's government stirred up after those bombings to justify attacks on the most oppressed parts of our society.
As a gay man, I'm proud to belong to a party that fights so publically for the rights of minorities under attack, and that works so hard to draw working class people of all colours and religions together to fight for our interests: Defending public services, fighting for decent housing, defending victims of racism, fighting for the rights of workers and building a society where need is put before greed.
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Having been expelled from the Labour party because I stood against them in a local election to fight for council housing (working Against Tenancy Transfer WATT) in Southwark, I was keen to exercise my democratic right to express my opinion about local issues.
As our local New Labour councillors then proceeded to vote in favour of demolishing the council estate where we had successfully campaigned against stock transfer, I needed to find other people who shared my concerns about a local library campaign, stop cuts in vital psychiatric services and work to keep public services such as local education authority schools and Southwark Council building services.
It was on a Saturday stall that I first met the lively activists who inspired and invigorated me to get involved in saving public services.
My membership of the No2ID campaign enabled us to invite the national coordinator to speak to the Southwark branch of Respect.
There was a great response to petitions on this in Borough Market, the Southwark campaign is lively.
Another important voice for democratic change is the Make Votes Count campaign which is working towards replacing the "First past the post" electoral system to proportional representation which could make the electoral system meaningful to people who are currently disenfranchised as none of the major parties represent their views.
I have worked in the public sector all my life.
Most of my nursing career was spent in neurology where I developed a special interest in epilepsy.
After nursing I completed a 4 year honours degree in Librarianship.
I mention this to demonstrate that many people like me (of a certain age) benefited from grants for many years of higher education, and yet the MPs who also received grants; approve legislation to impose fees on students.
With a poor school record, it was however possible to pass the IQ test for nursing training.
Having had a variegated career is a great asset as it enables me to relate to people from many different walks of life.
My work experience includes:
working as an invoice clerk, private nursing, bookselling, working on farms in Norway as well as brief periods of nursing in Norway and Germany.
My librarianship career has been in healthcare libraries and currently providing an information service for dementia care workers.
It was a great honour to be selected to stand in local elections for Respect in 2006 and now for the GLA list, because the values of: Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environment, Community and Trade Unionism absolutely correspond with my personal goals.
Having experienced the anti-Irish stigma which persisted until the latest arrivals of "foreigners" came to Britain, has taught me the importance of the values of Respect and Equality.
Growing up in the vapours of hatred in Belfast which led to bloody battles makes me aware of the need for peace.
I am proud that our MP was one of the few really honourable MPs who opposed the illegal occupation and invasion of Iraq.
I greatly value working alongside trade unions for justice at work (UCU), and defending council housing supported by Amicus and Unison as well as the fight to keep the NHS public supported by Unison and Unite.
Margot Lindsay, RGN, BA, MClip, MPhil, PhD.
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I have lived in Tower Hamlets since 1978. In 2006 I stood for election to Tower Hamlets council to represent the Shadwell ward and was elected, along with my two colleagues, by an overwhelming majority.
I beat the then New Labour leader of Tower Hamlets council, Michael Keith. Since then, we have successfully defended a by-election in the same ward against Keith. |
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I am 52 and have a long record as a political and anti-racist campaigner, and as a lay trade union official.
I was involved in the counter demonstration against the National Front in Lewisham in 1977, organised early Rock against Racism concerts in the late 1970s, and joined the Anti-Nazi League (ANL) at its inception.
I was a trade union official in Southwark for 25 years, most recently as the UNISON branch secretary for the town hall branch, comprising more than 3,500 members. I also organised support for all the major industrial disputes during that time, including the miners, firefighters, printworkers and ambulance workers in my capacity as president of Southwark Trades Council.
I left the Labour Party after 13 years as an activist, including the role of constituency secretary for Bermondsey Labour Party, on the day Tony Blair became leader, and contested both the 1997 and 2001 general elections as a socialist candidate.
I joined Respect when it first formed, and stood as its candidate in the last Euro-elections.
I believe that, if elected, I can use the position to fight for the people abandoned by the New Labour.
It's unbelievable that after 11 years of a Labour government, half of London's children live in poverty and thousands of pensioners die from the cold each winter because they cannot afford to heat their homes.
The gap between the rich and the poor is wider than ever, with business paying less tax than it did under Thatcher. Working people need a party that will fight for their rights. Respect is that party. |
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I have been selected to contest the City and East constituency in the
London elections on May 1. I am determined to remove the invisible New
Labour man who currently occupies this seat, only representing the
interests of his party's friends in big business.
I have lived and worked in east London most of my life. I was raised
and educated in Tower Hamlets. After acquiring a BA (Hons) in Politics
and History, I started working at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO).
I am currently on a sabbatical from the FCO, raising a young
family of three boys with my wife Aisha and working part time for an
international charity.
Over the years I have worked as a youth and community worker in
Islington, Newham, Greenwich and Tower Hamlets. I moved to in Newham
2001 where I became one of the three first ever elected Respect
Councillors.
In my spare time apart from dealing with local ward issues, I help run
voluntary youth and community projects aimed at empowering young
people and women to fulfil their full potential.
If elected I will be the voice of the working class millions of all
races and faiths and not a puppet of the millionaires. |
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