North East: Labour Lose Control

LABOUR have suffered a catastrophe in the local elections after losing control of all five Tees Valley councils and dozens of seats in the process. 

The results mean Labour has lost control of Middlesbrough Council for the first time since 1974, Stockton Borough Council for the first time since 1979, Darlington Borough Council for the first time since 1991 and Hartlepool Borough Council for the first time since 2010.

In Darlington, the party lost control of the council and the Conservatives are now the biggest party.
The Tories have 22 seats, Labour 20, Liberal Democrats three, Independent three, and Greens two.
Conservative leader Heather Scott said she was "absolutely delighted" with the result.

In Middlesbrough, Labour have lost their majority for the first time since the council was created.
Independents are currently on 22 seats, with Labour on 18. One result is still to declare.
In Hartlepool, Labour were left without a majority, and suffered several losses including two senior councillor, whilst in Stockton, it has been confirmed the party cannot retain control.
Labour have also suffered significant losses in Redcar, falling from 29 seats to 15. Independents are now the biggest group with 18,Lib Dems on 13, Conservatives 11 and UKIP two.
There was also a crushing defeat for Labour in the Middlesbrough Mayor election, with Independent Andy Preston storming to victory to win with 58 per cent of the vote.
His nearest rival, Labour’s Mick Thompson, came in at 22.93 per cent.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said the results were "stunning", adding: "The people of the Tees Valley have voted for real, positive change."

In Hartlepool, Labour councillors Rob Cook, chair of the planning committee, and deputy council leader Kevin Cranney, chair of the regeneration committee, lost their seats in the De Bruce and Foggy Furze ward respectively.

In De Bruce The For Britain Movement gained their first seat with Karen King, while in Foggy Furze, Lee Cartwright, from the Veterans’ and People’s Party, gained the seat.

The party lost overall control of Stockton Council, throwing the future of decisions at the authority into uncertainty, as they lost six seats in all – taking 24 of the 56 seats available, while the Thornaby independents made hay.

Labour remains the biggest group in the borough, but it fell short of the 29 it needed to form a majority administration.

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Sour Relations in South Sheilds Labour Party

THE SOUTH Shields Labour Party constituency branch has been suspended after an inquiry into allegations of bullying and intimidation.  Henceforth, it will be run by officials in Labour’s regional office, who will organise training sessions and members meetings in an attempt to put a stop to the branch’s problems.

This follows an inquiry by the national party into the branch.

In a report was produced by Labour’s Compliance Unit, the body responsible for internal discipline, found that a long-standing culture of bullying had grown up which meant different groups of members were at in conflict.

The report has not been published, but it is understood that there are no allegations of wrongdoing by the constituency’s MP, Emma Lewell-Buck, a Shadow Local Government Minister.

A Labour North spokesperson said:

'The Labour Party has today informed the local constituency party of the outcomes of its investigation in the conduct of South Shields constituency Labour Party (CLP). The investigation has found that there is a genuine problem in the relationships between some members, and there is a deep separation of different parts of the local party that is not seen in other CLPs.

'Labour will not accept bullying and intimidation in any form. The party are therefore suspending South Shields CLP until January 2017 so that a number of changes can be made to improve the working of the local party including all member meetings, training sessions and a renewed focus on campaigning in the community.

'Day to day administration of the CLP will be taken over by the Regional Office of the Labour Party. We are hopeful that this suspension will be short and that all members in the constituency party can play a part in bringing the local party together.'

Last week, in the 'Rotten Boroughs' section of the current Private Eye a correspondent declared:

'All this has been the case for ages, so why the sudden crisis?', and asked 'What are the chances of Lewell-Buck's vision of a new touchy-feely local party coming to pass?'

It seems that, according the Private Eye, that the former MEP Alan Donnelly ('godfather of Labour in the North East, chair of lobbying firm Sovereign Strategy') is the man of the moment who'll be sorting out the mess, together with his deputy, Iain Malcolm, who is himself leader of the Council and head of the currently dysfunctional local Labour Party since 2008.

Blacklist Support Group: May update

1. Government refuses to support blacklisted workers:

After a 3 year investigation into blacklisting, the Scottish Affairs Select Committee report proposed a number of recommendations to eradicate blacklisting. The cross party report by MPs called for no public contracts to be awarded to blacklisting firms until they prove they have "self-cleansed". This included paying compensation at levels agreed by the trade unions, direct employment on future public contracts and a procedure to ensure that blacklisted workers are not denied jobs in the future. The proposals were sent to the government but unfortunately they have all been disregarded by both the governments in Scotland and Westminster.

The response by Ian Davidson, chair of the Select Committee is in this link:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/scottish-affairs-committee/news/publication-of-report-blacklisting-in-employment-update/

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/government-has-not-learnt-the-lessons-of-the-blacklisting-scandals/ 

2. Employment Agency exposed as running blacklist of pro-union workers:

A Danish TV programme has exposed ongoing blacklisting by the employment agency Atlanco Rimec. The agency operates in the UK and Ireland in the construction industry. The Scottish Affairs Select Committee have stated that they will open up further investigations into ongoing blacklisting following this revelation.

http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2014/05/12/131454.htm

http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/wider-political-news/blacklist-allegations-spark-new-inquiry.24243603 

3. UCATT Conference:

UCATT national delegates conference last week unanimously passed a motion calling for a full public inquiry into blacklisting and in support of the Shrewsbury Pickets.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-4bf6-Ucatt-members-back-campaign-for-public-probe-into-blacklisting#.U3p0fPldUud

4. Recent blacklisting protests have taken place at Alder hey Hospital in Liverpool where Laing O'Rourke and Crown House continue to blacklist union activists and at the Scottish parliament during the debate about the proposed procurement Bill. Great stuff everyone who took part (pix attached).

5. Friday 23rd May - sparks day of action against agencies:

Following the recent changes in the rules on self-employment there have been a number of industrial disputes involving agency workers demanding to be taken on the cards directly. Some of the sites have been successful, with workers either taken on directly by the contractor or the agency, while other agencies have developed an "umbrella" scheme to avoid the law. The UNITE construction rank & file under the banner of 'Site Worker' paper are organising a series of actions across the UK on Friday 23rd May against agencies who are refusing to take workers on the cards. Blacklisted workers will be participating in the events in London, Manchester, Wales, North East and Midlands

For further details contact: siteworkers@virgingmedia.com 

6. PCS Conference:

Blacklisting is being discussed at a fringe meeting about undercover police at PCS conference in Brighton this Wednesday evening. 

Keep the Faith

Dave

 

Blacklist Support Group

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/ 

David Miliband, MP for South Sheilds

David Miliband's Register of Members' Interests 

Directorships:  

Vice-Chairman and non-executive director, Sunderland AFC, from 1 February 2011, 12-15 days a year, �75,000. Address: Sunderland AFC, Stadium of Light, Sunderland SR5 1SU

Received £25,000 on 23 June 2011. Hours: 3 days. (Registered 13 April 2012)

Received £25,000 on 23 October 2011. Hours: 3 days. (Registered 13 April 2012)

Received £25,000 on 23 February 2012. Hours: 4 days. (Registered 29 March 2012)

Received £25,000 on 23 July 2012. Hours: 3 days. (Registered 3 August 2012)

Received £25,000. Hours: 2 days. (Registered 25 October 2012)

2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc

Payments for speeches from London Speaker Bureau. Address: Elsinore House, 77 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JA:

Payment of £15,000 for speaking at the Simonsen annual dinner, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA, Filipstad Brygge 1, PO Box 2043, Vika, 0125, Oslo, Norway on 26 April 2012. Travel and accommodation also paid, value �1,711. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 16 May 2012)

Fee of £14,000 for speaking at Global Arc event at the Landmark Hotel, London, on 23 May 2012. Hours: 3 hrs. (Registered 29 June 2012)

Fee of £14,000 for speaking at Cameron McKenna LLP Partner Dinner at Claridges Hotel, London on 14 June 2012. Hours: 2 hrs. (Registered 29 June 2012)

Fee of £12,750 for speaking at St James� Place Wealth Management annual meeting event at The O2, London on 25 January 2013. Hours: 4 hrs. (Registered 1 February 2013)

Senior Global Advisor, Oxford Analytica; from 10 March 2011; payment on project basis. Address: 5 Alfred Street, Oxford OX1 4EH.

Payment of £6,000 Hours: 1 day. (Registered 14 May 2012)

Payment of £12,000. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 25 October 2012)

Senior Advisor to VantagePoint CleanTech Advisory Council, from 1 August 2011. Address: VantagePoint Capital Partners, 1001 Bayhill Drive, Suite 300, San Bruno, CA 94066. Payment on a quarterly basis. (£90,001-£95,000) (Registered 22 July 2011)

Quarterly payment of £23,210. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 9 May 2012)

Quarterly payment of £23,210. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 3 August 2012)

Quarterly payment of £23,210. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 25 October 2012)

Quarterly payment of £23,210. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 1 February 2013)

Member of the Advisory Board to the Sir Bani Yas Forum hosted by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chatham House. (£60,001-£65,000)

Payment of £64,475 from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 1, Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Registered 29 November 2012)

Transport and accommodation to Sir Bani Yas Forum on Future of Middle East, 15-18 November 2012, provided by Foreign Ministry of UAE; cost £4,935. Hours: 3 days work. (Registered 29 November 2012)

Senior Advisor to Indus Basin Holdings, from 30 January 2012. Address: No 5, Street 15, Sector F-7/2, Islamabad, Pakistan. Payment on a quarterly basis. (Registered 16 February 2012)

Quarterly payment of £7,560.85 from Indus Basin Holdings. Hours: half a day. (Registered 19 May 2012)

Quarterly payment of £7,560.85 from Indus Basin Holdings. Hours: half a day. (Registered 3 August 2012)

Received travel (valued at £4,650.63) and accommodation for a week�s teaching from 2 to 7 April 2012 at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 79 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. No fee paid. Hours: 6 days. (Registered 9 May 2012)

Fee of £12,500 for speaking to the Bridgepoint annual meeting of investors on 9 May 2012. Address of payer: Bridgepoint, 30 Warwick Street, London W1B 5AL. Hours: 4 hrs. (Registered 25 May 2012)

Payment of £450 for article in Evening Standard published 22 October 2012. Address: 2 Derry Street, London W8 5EE. Hours: 2 hrs. (Registered 29 November 2012)

Fee of £2,250 for attending roundtable discussion at Danish Media Festival on 12 November 2012. Travel and accommodation also paid; value �2,923. Address of payer: Dansk Journalistforbund, Gammel Strand 42, 1202 Kobenhaven K, Denmark. Hours: 1 day. (Registered 13 December 2012)

Payment of £2,000 for article published in the Daily Mail on 3 December 2012. Address: Associated Newspapers Limited, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT. Hours: 2 hrs. (Registered 1 February 2013). 

Donations Received: 

Name of donor: Pew Environment Group

Address of donor: 901 E Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, USA

Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): travel and accommodation for me and one member of staff; estimated cost �8,717.22

Destination of visit: Singapore

Date of visit: 20-24 February 2012

Purpose of visit: attend the Economist World Oceans Summit

(Registered 14 March 2012)

Name of donor: Government of Jordan

Address of donor: The Royal Hashemite Court, PO Box 5166 11183 Amman, Jordan

Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): travel and accommodation; estimated at £2,043

Destination of visit: Aqaba, Jordan

Date of visit: 3-5 May 2012

Purpose of visit: to attend the Aqaba foreign policy forum, organised by the Government of Jordan

(Registered 25 May 2012)

Name of donor: Africa Governance Initiative (Tony Blair Office)

Address of donor: P.O. Box 60519, London W2 7JU

Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): travel and accommodation; estimated cost £4,995

Destination of visit: South Sudan

Date of visit: 28-31 May 2012

Purpose of visit: pro bono advice on organization of government

(Registered 29 June 2012)

Address of donor: Embassy of the State of Qatar, 1 South Audley Street, London W1K 1NB

Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): approx �4,000 for air travel and accommodation

Destination of visit: Doha, Qatar

Date of visit: 20 -22 May 2012

Purpose of visit: to attend and speak at the 12th Doha Forum conference on Middle East Security, on a panel with another Member.

(Registered 15 August 2012)

Name of donor: Chief Executives Organisation

Address of donor: L7920 Norfolk Avenue, Suite 400, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-2507, USA

Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): approx �5,895.64 for air travel and accommodation

Destination of visit: Washington DC

Date of visit: 1-5 October 2012

Purpose of visit: to attend and speak at the CEO Global Leaders Forum

(Registered 25 October 2012)

Name of donor: Indus Basin Holdings

Address of donor: No 5, Street 15, Sector F-7/2, Islamabad, Pakistan

Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): travel and accommodation; estimated at £4,942

Destination of visit: Lahore, Pakistan

Date of visit: 8-11 October 2012

Purpose of visit: to meet with businesses and politicians

(Registered 25 October 2012)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/david_miliband/south_shields

Balfour Beatty Back Out of Bid to Slash Pay

AFTER construction giant Balfour Beatty lost its bid to block a strike by Unite workers, it pulled out of a scheme involving several building companies to dilute wages through forcing workers to sign a new contract. The union UNITE had been targeting Balfour Beatty with the threat of strike action and a recent ballot had shown a 2-to-1 majority for industrial action against the new contract proposals. Other companies such as Shepherd Engineering, Matthew Hall and N.G. Bailey Building Services are considering their position.

Ray Smith, Secretary of the Newcastle Central Branch of UNITE told the Newcastle Journal, last Saturday, that: 'This is fantastic news ... Balfour Beatty is the biggest company and I think the others will cave in.' Balfour Beatty was one of seven firms accused of seeking to tear up long-standing agreements and impose semi-skilled grades. UNITE has said that the new terms would result in pay cuts of up to 30% and poorer terms and conditions for key construction staff.

A meeting has been called by UNITE's General Secretary, Len McCluskey, for today, but some militants fear that the union bosses may settle for something not much better that the bent deal the building bosses had on offer in the first place. Nationally electricians and other workers by organising a series of weekly actions, have been resisting the controversial contract that the core building companies had been trying to force them to accept.

Now some trade unionists in the North East and North West fear that some dodgy deal will be cooked-up between the union bosses and big building companies. There are some good reasons for concern and distrust among building workers because there has long been stories, backed-up recently by information gathered by the Information Commissioner's Office, that some paid union officers - formerly in Amicus - may have been actively encouraging firms to implement a blacklist against members of of other unions in order to gain advantages for their own members..