Tulip Siddiq in hot water after Channel 4 News interview

My statement on Channel 4's news report last night pic.twitter.com/fODWYgxATU

— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) November 29, 2017

Voting in Brent? Read about your Green candidates before you cast your vote

Before you vote today check out your Green candidates:

John Mansook, Hampstead & Kilburn 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/johnmansook
Email: john.mansook@greenparty.org.uk



Shaka and John were both on Kensal 2 Kilburn Radio the other week with Gemma Dempsey and if you missed it, you can listen by clicking below 

https://www.mixcloud.com/ktokradio/the-green-party-visit-park-rise/

John Mansook had a good write up in West Hampstead Life (click the image to read the full article).


Also featured in that article is Poppy, your local super activist who also deserves a big thanks! 

Listen to John Mansook at the only hustings that occured in Hampstead & Kilburn
(As ever, you can click the image to listen!) 


South Kilburn is somewhere particularly struggling with challenges inflicted by Labour 

& where John received lots of positively for our Green message. 

To read more about what residents in 2014 described as social cleansing, click here: 
http://wembleymatters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/granville-community-kitchen-submission.html



Check out what Rashid Nix, our Green candidate for Brixton says about 'regeneration' like that which has been occurring in Kilburn & why its important we vote Green to send a strong message to local government. 
(Click the image to watch the video)



Michaela Lichten is our Brent North candidate"

and finally to share with your family & friends (click the image!) 5 snappy reasons to Vote Green 

thanks to Osman Noor, campaigns coordinator of London Green Party. 



For the latest local and political news during election day & live from the count.
Visit Wembley Matters, you'll hear the news there first from both Camden & Brent counts. 


Wembley Matters is edited by Martin Francis (An officer of Brent Greens)
http://wembleymatters.blogspot.co.uk/

H&K: No standing down without agreement on Brighton and Isle of Wight

Tulip Siddiq, Dee Searle (Chair) and John Mansook last night

Following a meeting of Brent and Camden Green parties in Kilburn on Monday 8^th May, Green Party members in Hampstead & Kilburn have voted that the prospective parliamentary candidate John Mansook will stand in the constituency in the upcoming General Election, rather than stand down and pursue a local electoral alliance. 

Brent and Camden Green parties would like to thank Labour’s incumbent Tulip Siddiq for coming to speak at the meeting, which was conducted respectfully at all times. In particular, they would like to commend her efforts to persuade Labour’s National Executive Committee to stand aside for the Greens in Brighton Pavilion and the Isle of Wight, and her voting record on key Green issues including resistance to fracking, renewal of Trident and HS2.

However, Labour’s lack of willingness to enter into electoral alliances with the Green Party in constituencies where the Greens have a better chance of winning – particularly Brighton Pavilion and the Isle of Wight – was a key factor in the vote. This followed new advice not to stand aside from the Green Party leadership unless Labour was prepared to withdraw in these constituencies. Members did add a condition that keeps an option open for standing aside in Hampstead & Kilburn if there is movement from Labour on electoral alliances nationally before a deadline of 12pm, Wednesday 10 May.

Hampstead & Kilburn Green Party candidate John Mansook said:

Any electoral alliance needs to be a true alliance, not a one way street. Sadly there hasn’t been any movement towards this from the Labour Party nationally. While we are very grateful to Tulip for coming to speak to us and advocating electoral alliances publicly in recent days, any decision to stand aside would have been very difficult knowing Labour are not likely to reciprocate. One of the Green Party’s key platforms in the upcoming campaign will be to change our unfair voting system, so that discussions like this are unnecessary and people can vote for what they believe in.

Camden Green Party co-Chair John Holmes said:

Brent and Camden Green Parties have selected an excellent local candidate in John Mansook, who is deeply connected with many of the issues facing residents of Hampstead and Kilburn. Voters deserve the option of being able to vote for him and for the Green Party’s unique policies, including a commitment to reverse privatisation in the NHS and measures that will dramatically cut Britain’s contribution to climate change. We can only deprive voters of that opportunity if Labour works with us to increase our Green voice in Parliament.

This is the resolution passed last night:

The members of the Brent and Camden Green parties living in the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency resolve:

1) To publicly thank Tulip Siddiq for meeting the parties, for the efforts she has made to secure a progressive alliance for the 2017 General Election and the undertakings she has made to work for a progressive alliance in future
2) With regret, unless the Labour Party agrees to the reasonable demands of the Green Party nationally to withdraw the Labour candidates in Brighton and the Isle of Wight by noon on Wednesday 10^th May, we will submit our nomination for John Mansook to be our candidate.
3) If an agreement is reached nationally, the election agent is instructed not to submit our candidate’s nomination.

Introducing Brent Green Party's parliamentary candidates for June's General Election

Brent Green Party has selected its candidates for the General Election giving Brent voters a chance to vote for what they believe in, fresh voices in Parliamment and a different, principled, way of doing politics.

These are our candidates:

Shaka Lish, Green Party candidate for Brent Central

Shaka Lish has been selected to challenge Dawn Butler in Brent Central:

I am a life long Brent resident, conceived in Harlesden, born in Kilburn, grew up in Queens Park and now reside in Willesden. I wasn’t always political but like many, after the Iraq war I was left with so many questions about politics in the UK. Questions like, what makes democracy work for the people, not just the powerful? Since then, I have become more engaged with issues that I am passionate about and also more informed. Since the global crash in 2008, there has been a change in the world. What appeared at first as an opportunity to change the way we are living – address climate change, inequality and neoliberalism – has actually appeared tighten the grip of disaster capitalism. There comes a time when we have to stand up to be counted and take part in effecting the change that we wish to see in this world. By standing for the Green Party I believe I am doing just that. The local, to the national, to the global, are all intimately interconnected. We begin locally but this inevitably has echoes further afield.

I have been a professional singer pursuing a career in music since leaving school and been lucky enough to make music, travel the world and share my creativity on a platform. Although I still make music, I have nurtured another passion - for social justice and for helping others. I recently became a mature student and finished an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics and History and currently I am finishing an MA in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation, at SOAS. Being lucky enough to get a grant to study, I know how enriching education is, so I am adamant tuition fees should be scrapped and that we should not create barriers to knowledge through eye-watering debt. Education is a social good for all.

My undergraduate dissertation was on the subject of climate change and it has been frustrating to watch how science has led the way but unfortunately our leaders have been slow to act. My priority would be to hold the government to account and to keep campaigning for investment in green initiatives, transport and technology.

I am passionate about community, the environment, equality, the NHS, animals and education. I often feel so inspired by what could be possible, how the country can be transformed for the good of all, not just the few. I see a country where we have clean air, renewable energy, we look after our environment, we care for the vulnerable, have meaningful and secure work and where everyone gets the opportunity to thrive and fulfill their potential. I know this is possible but I also know it can only be achieved together.

My local campaign would focus around these areas –

• Put pressure on the council to make commercial recycling mandatory, not optional.
• Campaign for more local cycling hangers – and for this to feed into a more coherent transport policy.
• Push for procurement of local land for community resources such as youth activities and allotments
• Create a plan that gives locals more power to decide on their dominant energy sources and scrap any disincentives to renewables.
• Strive for any new developments in Brent to be accompanied by appropriate services to sustain the growing population of residents – such as medical care, childcare, community resources and activities. Not just shopping facilities.

The opportunity to stand as an MP is humbling as it is a service to my community. Brent is a community that has given me opportunities and support and I would be proud to stand as a Green Party representative and spread the message to make sure people know, a better world is possible.

Email: shaka.lish@greenparty.org.uk

Michaela Lichten, Green Party candidate for Brent North

 Michaela Lichten has been selected to challenge Barry Gardiner in Brent North:

I’ve been a resident of Brent for over 30 years and am passionate about the built and natural environment.

So much of society is weighted against ordinary people and with the crisis in Housing and Education worsening, new and innovative solutions need to be found to halt further inequalities.

With Brexit now triggered The Green Party can ensure we don’t stop being Europeans. I’m proud to stand for The Green Party which has long been a feminist party, with policies including improved maternity services, quotas for women on boards and working with organisations to advance women's equality and employment opportunities. I’d strive to be a good constituency MP concentrating on local issues such as housing, schools, open spaces, pollution and the provision of good quality care for the elderly that doesn’t solely rely on the, often unpaid, contribution of the families of those effected. I’d work to provide better support for carers.

There are around seven million carers in the UK with 700,000 being under 18; I’d work to ensure that young carers and young adult carers are given vital support throughout their education. Having been a carer myself, for my husband who suffers from Alzheimer’s, I identify with the many carers that are over 65 and struggling with their own health issues and who deserve better support.I believe that it’s the duty of MPs to listen to, and be reachable by, the constituents that elect them. If elected I will work to raise the concerns of Brent residents with relevant Ministers ensuring a local influence at Westminster.

email: michaela.lichten@greenparty.org.uk

tweet: @michaelalichten

John Mansook, Green Party candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn

 John Mansook has been selected by Brent and Camden Green Parties to challenge Tulip Siddiq in Hampstead and Kilburn

I have lived in Brent all my life and I am also active in my community raising awareness and giving advice to residents. I believe because of my occupational and life experience I am able to identify and communicate with younger voters in Brent. I am aware of the issues such as poor health, pollution, crime, cuts to youth services and lack of affordable housing all of which affect the quality of life of all residents in Brent especially the next generation. My daily exposure to different groups such as elderly and disabled people has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the impact cuts to funding has had on the quality of life for the most vulnerable society. This awareness has motivated and mobilised me into action.

I am a diabetes community champion and I attend community events to raise awareness about diabetes and to educate the citizens of Brent on health and wellbeing. I have also previously volunteered in Camden working with the Leighton Project as a swim buddy which helped disabled young adults overcome their fear of water and become self- confident in water and ultimately learn how to swim. I have also volunteered in Camden on health and activity awareness days promoting health and wellbeing within the Borough.

Greens thank Brent voters for their support

This letter was published in the Brent and Kilburn Tines today.  Thanks to all our members and supporters for their help during the campaign. We will be letting you know details of our next meeting shortly.

We are writing to thank all the voters of Brent who took the bold step of voting Green at the General Election for an alternative vision for our country based on a transformed economic system and a commitment to equality, social justice and human rights. In total 1,157,613 voted for us across the country and it is an indictment of the first past the post system that this got us only one MP, the amazing Caroline Lucas.

We would also like to thank the many people who wrestled with their consciences over whether to vote Green, on the basis of 'Vote for what you believe in', or to vote for the Labour candidate in order to prevent the Conservatives gaining a seat. We know from conversations, phone calls, Facebook postings and emails that this was a hard decision and one that is a product of our unfair voting system.

It is likely that the General Election outcome and its manifest unfairness in terms of seats versus votes will result in calls for a fairer voting system and we welcome this. Meanwhile the support we have received forms a solid foundation for the 2016 London Assembly and London Mayoral elections where every Green vote will really count.

The Green Party is not just a party for elections so we will continue to take part in the many struggles that will result from the election of a Conservative Government hellbent on further austerity, privatisation and dismemberment of the welfare state.

Shahrar Ali (Green candidate for Brent Central)
Rebecca Johnson (Green candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn)
Scott Bartle (Green candidate for Brent North)

Detailed Brent election results

Our thanks to everyone who voted Green in the General Election and to all those who helped with the campaign.  Clearly we were squeezed by the two main parties but the results provide a base for the GLA and Mayoral campaigns where we will have the advantage of a fairer voting system.

These are the detailed results:

Rebecca for Hampstead and Kilburn

Rebecca Johnson is today' s featured candidate on the Green Party national website LINK

 I reproduce the post here: 

In the run up to the General Election we will be giving you the opportunity to get to know some of our candidates. Our key candidates and spokespeople can be found here.

This year we will be standing in over 90% of seats in England and Wales.

Our featured candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn: Rebecca Johnson 

Rebecca Johnson at Saturday's Save NHS Petition presentation

Why are you standing as a candidate?

I'm a feminist peace activist committed to participatory democracy. After joining the Greens I supported getting Caroline Lucas into Westminster and canvassed on behalf of other smart, committed Greens standing for local councils and the European Parliament. So when I was asked to put my name forward this time, how could I say no?

What are your top 3 priorities if elected?

1) Transforming British democracy. It makes me so sad to hear voters in Hampstead and Kilburn say after a hustings that they think I'd make the best MP, they love how I argue for the Green Party's joined-up policies across all issues, but they feel they have to vote for another candidate as it's a marginal seat and they don't want a Tory MP. British politics alienates more people than it engages, especially young people, because under the stale 'first-past-the-post' system, most of us feel that our votes don't count. So we need genuine proportional representation – constituency-based single transferable votes for the House of Commons. We should lower the voting age to 16, and of course replace the unelected House of Lords with a proportionally-elected and much more effective Second Chamber.

2) Tackling homelessness and poverty here, notably in parts of Kilburn. That means ending the scandal of empty houses, reforming Council tax banding and investing in genuinely affordable social housing, and bringing in legislation so that the private rental sector is better controlled to provide fair rents, better accommodation and more secure tenancies.

3) Scrapping Trident and putting the billions we would save into our real security needs, such as a truly world class NHS, lifelong education opportunities, and protecting our planet from the biggest security threat of all, humanity's pollution and climate change.

What made you want to get into politics?

I've been engaged in British and UN politics as a feminist peace activist for many years, promoting equality, social justice, disarmament and environmental responsibility. I lived for five years at the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp to get rid of one generation of nuclear weapons, and then for Greenpeace to ban nuclear testing. Successful in both, but we still have to scrap Trident and build security without nuclear weapons. I decided to join the Green Party in 2009, when I could no longer fool myself that Labour would transform itself into an effective socialist party with the courage to tackle climate change, nuclear disarmament, poverty and homelessness.

What are your favourite things about the constituency?

I love the community spirit here, from parishioners in South Kilburn and Queens Park determined to stop HS2 from destroying their homes and schools, to Belsize Park residents and shopkeepers campaigning to defend their local jobs and shops against Tesco and its identikit, low-pay, profit-first model. And I love cycling to Hampstead Heath and swimming in the women's pond... an oasis of bliss while busy london fades into the background!

Who is your political hero?

Sylvia Pankhurst – the socialist suffragette committed to practical activism on behalf of London's poor, especially hardworking women from British and immigrant communities in the East End. She was feminist, courageous in her commitment to peace, and worked closely with Keir Hardie, Labour's first MP, in breaking the Tory-Liberal two-party stranglehold. From Greenham onwards, I've worn the green, purple and white ribbons of the suffragettes. We must honour their struggle for the vote by refusing to throw our precious democracy away in "tactical" voting for the "least worst" of today's inadequate TweedleCon and TweedleLab parties and their short term political machines. Our votes can bring in the transformational policies this country and our planet need.

Reject Labour scare tactics in Hampstead & Kilburn and stick by the Greens - Vote for What You Believe In

Green voters in Hampstead and Kilburn are being told on the doorstep by Labour  that the outcome is 'too close ro call' and that they should vote Labour to prevent a possible Tory victory.  Green candidate Rebecca Johnson has been well received by voters at hustings and on the street.

Here she gives her reaction to that 'advice':

Brent Green party candidates on War, Peace and the Middle East

Demo snd Stall this weekend

United Nations Anti-racism day Saturday 21st March 

Stand Up to Racism Demo

Green Block assembly point 11-11:30am BBC Portland Place, Central London. We will have a large BME Greens banner, so you won't be able to miss us!!

Please bring your own banners and placards!!

With the dangerous resurgence of xenophobia, islamophobia, anti-semitism and racism across mainstream European politics and specifically UKIP in the UK, its vital we make a powerful stand with a MASSIVE presence at this demo. We must all work to send a very strong message of solidarity to some of the communities most attacked and scapegoated for the issues we all face, such as a lack of jobs and decent housing.

Pete Murry will have a small Green Party stall at Trafalgar Square, the end point of the demo from 12 noon. He will be glad of any help members and supporters can give.

A Green Party BME Group has been set up from Conference: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Greens-of-Colour/802384239839951

STALL AND LEAFLETING AT QUEEN'S PARK FARMERS' MARKET SUNDAY  22nd March FROM 10AM

Message from Rebecca Johnson, Green Hampstead and Kilburn candidate

CALLING ALL HAMPSTEAD & KILBURN GREENS – SUNDAY MARCH 22, 10.00-1.00 AT QUEENS PARK FARMERS MARKET

Dear Green members and supporters in Brent,

We're launching the Green Campaign to elect Rebecca Johnson as our MP for Hampstead & Kilburn, starting with a stall at the Queens Park Farmers Market on Sunday 22 March, from 10.00 to 1.00, 

We'll have leaflets and materials, and with your help plan to fan out from QP Farmers Market in groups of 2 and 3, and talk with people about what issues matter to them, and how Green policies can make a positive difference, from housing, safe streets and public transport to tackling inequality and environmental destruction. 

As you probably know,  Hampstead and Kilburn stretches from Hampstead Heath, across 11 Camden wards,  through to South Kilburn and 4 Brent wards. We can't cover everything, but we are keen to connect with as many people as we can in the next 7 weeks before the Election - and beyond!

Please visit our new Hampstead and Kilburn Greens website, which you can access here: 

https://hampsteadkilburngreens.wordpress.com

Beatrix Campbell Launches her General Election Campaign for Hampstead and Kilburn

Bea Campbell to contest Hampstead and Kilburn for Greens

Brent Green Party has today proudly announced that Beatrix Campbell has been selected to contest the Hampstead and Kilburn constitutency in the upcoming general election.

Launching her campaign alongside Shahrar Ali outside the West Hampstead Women's Centre, the well-known writer and broadcaster said: "This venue was chosen to highlight one of the chief differences between the Green Party and the other major parties: we put at the absolute centre of our policies the sustainability of social relationships and the need for a fundamentally fair society."

"We stand for social justice, respect and equality between the genders and the generations. And we don't think that slicing public services to ribbons can be the way forward for British society."

"I've spent my life campaigning for the disadvantaged women and men, who need services and support in their lives, as do we all at some time or another. Taking that away will cause irreparable damage to our society."

Beatrix said that voters were increasingly recognising that investing in sustainable economies demands radical reform of the way we do housing, transport, urban planning, farming and shopping.

"This electorate, Hampstead and Kilburn, I know contains many voters who recognise this fact. The electoral system must change to adequately reflect the spectrum of opinion in British society."

"Until it does, voters can express their concerns about the "grey" parties who have dominated British politics in recent years by supporting candidates, such as I, who offer hope that politics could be different - better and braver about climate change, the conflict zones ravaging the world and the inequalities and injustices makes millions of lives a misery."

Shahrar Ali, Green Parliamentary candidate for Brent Central, said: "I am absolutely delighted to see Bea standing, as my neighbour, in the new Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, which includes parts of Brent where we have campaigned hard and polled consistently well over the past few years."

Update: Press coverage in Camden New Journal, "Greens author goes for Glenda's seat", and Brent Times, "Beatrix Campbell throws hat in ring" (page 2).