Vivien Lichtenstein, Green Party candidate for Queen's Park and Maida Vale constituency

 

Following the boundary changes three Brent wards are in the new constituency of Queen's Park and Maida Vale. They are  Queens Park, Kilburn, and Harlesden and Kensal Green.

The Green Party candidate, Vivien Lichtenstein, writes:

 

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, we moved to Manchester when I was six and to London when twelve. Maida Vale has been my home since 1978. My degrees are BA Econ Hons (University of Manchester) and MSc (London School of Economics). My professional background primarily revolves around financial management in both industry and the charity sector. I dedicated a significant portion of time to caring for my elderly parents who were Holocaust survivors, which profoundly shaped my values and volunteering/political activities.

Prior to joining the party and simultaneously, I worked on hunger-related issues, and campaigned, since 1982, for peace and human rights in Israel-Palestine with Jewish and joint Jewish-Palestinian groups, including Jewish-Arab Dialogue and Jews for Justice for Palestinians.

After joining in 1997, I played a pivotal role in establishing West Central London Green Party in time for the first London Assembly elections, being active until 2002 when I concentrated on Israeli-Palestinian issues until 2017. In my role as Chair of Jewish Greens, I have been spending quite some time recently – following the Hamas attacks on October 7th and the subsequent Israeli attacks on Gaza – on this and related issues.

My other political foci are a Green New Deal; Universal Basic Income which would help resolve poverty and homelessness, and improve mental health; and the appreciation for diversity in our communities.

Beyond politics, I volunteer at Crisis at Christmas, enjoy exercising and shopping on my tricycle, tending to my plants, and reading; and am staff to three cats.

UPDATE from Ricardo Davies, your Green Party candidate for Queen's Park

 

Ricardo Davies in listening mode while campaigning

Ricardo writes: 

We've met many residents across the ward in the past few weeks, and there were some clear concerns which were raised.

    👂Traffic congestion: Our streets are choked with cars, impacting air quality and our quality of life.

    👂Green space loss: We're worried about the disappearance of trees and vital green spaces.

     👂Housing concerns: The council needs a real plan for affordable housing and tackling rogue landlords.

    👂An accountable council: Residents deserve a council that hears their residents and acts in their interest.

On Thursday, you have a chance to make your voice heard. Vote Green Party vote Ricardo Davies

✅ I will fight for cleaner air, pressuring the council to meet its targets for active travel, and invests in cycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

✅ I will fight for our green spaces, working with local groups and experts to ensure we maximise green spaces for recreation and for clean air.

  

✅I will ensure the council holds rogue landlords accountable within our ward and across the borough. The rental sector is rife with poor housing conditions, and landlords who seem to think laws do not apply to them. I will ensure the council uses the full range of their enforcement abilities to ensure better conditions for renters.

 

✅ I will pressure the council to deliver genuinely affordable housing. Too many people are being priced out of the ward and the wider borough. At the moment the council's plans are to tell people to deal with it and find somewhere cheaper. We need to ensure that there is greater focus on social homes and regaining housing stock lost to right to buy.

 

Together, we can build a fairer, greener, better Brent

 - vote Green on Thursday.

Voting will be on July 4th alongside General Election polling.

Introducing Sheila Simpson your Green candidate for Queens Park

 

 

I’ve lived in Brent for decades working in the NHS and Local Government supporting children and families. 

 

 Over the last two years it has been heartening to see Brent residents rise to challenges - pandemic, continuing cuts to public services, rising living costs and inequality – their commitment to building diverse and caring local communities is impressive. People want to be part of the solution but need a listening and effective council to deliver a fairer, healthier life.

 

 I am standing to offer Queens Park residents the opportunity to vote for Green values of social justice and tackling climate emergency.

 

 We all benefit when the majority party is firmly challenged to be open about decision-making, planning and spending and deliver on their promises to us. 

 

Affordable well-insulated housing, protected trees and green spaces, well-managed traffic and public transport - all need urgent action to provide cleaner, safer, greener neighbourhoods for us now and for future generations.

Green council candidates for Queens Park, Queensbury, Tokyngton & Kensal Green

John Mansook (Queens Park)

John writes:

I have been a sports and exercise coach for over 10 years and have been involved with initiatives to improve the health of people in Brent. I have strong links in Queens Park and Kensal Rise as it has always been my local area and I was the Parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn in the 2017 General Election. I am proud to be the lead Green Party candidate for Queens Park and Kensal Rise. I am an advocate for better health in our area and I support any initiative which helps to make our community healthier.

Having worked with children and young people, I understand how important it is to have a safe community for those most vulnerable. As a self-defence instructor I understand the need for people to feel safe. I will support and fight to keep our streets safe from criminals by supporting our local police. Knife and moped crime has been a blight in and around Queens Park and Kensal Rise and I seek to address this major concern for residents.

Air pollution is on the increase in and around Queens Park and Kensal Rise. As your Green party councillor I am committed to ensuring that the state of our roads are maintained to the highest standards  and initiatives to reduce air pollution are scrutinised to ensure that the air we breathe is safe.

I support local businesses. After speaking to business owners about their concerns over how Brent council does business, I am committed to working with small businesses in Queens Park and Kensal Rise to ensure that they thrive and continue to prosper. We have and always will support local businesses that are environmentally responsible with their waste and we would push to offer incentives to businesses that are environmentally conscious and socially responsible.

Nesrin Ahmet (Queensbury)

 Nesrin has lived in Queensbury most of her life, and aspires to do the best she can for her community. She has been a Green Party member for over a year, and strongly believes in pushing for a “greener” society. She hopes that the Green Party will receive the support it deserves at the local elections, which will encourage policymakers to do more to tackle climate change and protect the environment. 

Nesrin is currently studying towards a politics degree at the University of Nottingham and has a passion for helping others. She is currently a fundraiser for the Rosie May Foundation, a charity which aims to help children at risk of abandonment. She hopes to use her compassion and skills learned to help and inspire others, which is why she thinks she would be a great councillor.

Martin Francis (Tokyngton)

Martin Francis was born in Kingsbury and has lived in Harlesden and Wembley. After reporting the London Stock Exchange for Reuters Economic Services he switched careers to teaching.  He has taught in Neasden and Wembley as well as other areas of London. Now retired he is Chair of Governors at a Wembley primary school and a trustee of the Brent Play Association. He runs the voluntary organisation Brent School Without Walls providing nature activities for primary pupils. 

Martin is a member of the National Education Union (formerly the NUT) and is on the steering group of the Anti-Academies Alliance. He is a member of the Green Party Trade Union Group.

Martin believes passionately in local democracy and provides news and scrutiny of Council policies though his blog Wembley Matters. Martin believes that the current composition of Brent Council, overwhelmingly Labour, is bad for democracy and that ineffective scrutiny by the current opposition has allowed the implementation of many poor decisions, especially over regeneration and waste services. 

Martin says:

You may not agree with everything I say but you can’t deny that effective opposition is healthy for democracy and Green councillors are the way of strengthening the accountability of this Council.  As the African proverb says, 'If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.'

Samuel Hopkins (Kensal Green)

Samuel works in the arts and creative industries and has a passion for all things Green. He has a particular interest in LGBT+ rights and affairs, and is delighted to see a strong presence from Brent Green Party at the 2018 local elections.

-->

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

Queens Park Day - 16 Sept 2012

Locally sourced honey

Election Campaigning: Kensal Green, Queens Park & Barnhill

Greens were out in force at the weekend, both south and north in the borough. We met campaigners supervising the pop-up library outside Kensal Rise library on Bathurst Gardens (pictured above).

I spent an afternoon distributing literature in Chalkhill estate in Barnhill, a stone's throw from the Town Hall. My comrade, Martin Francis is pictured above catching up on local politics with local resident, Kathleen.

This was a warm afternoon and the locals were equally warm. There were a variety of cooking smells to be had around every street corner, always enticing us. People were going about their play and their neighbourly conversation, and engaging us at the earliest opporunity. I was particularly charmed by the kid writing a love poem for another on the street - it seemed to have landed on the pavement without a recipient, but the children were quick to identify its destination, with a little teasing for good measure.

Pictured (above) raised beds form part of a gardening project for the local primary school on the estate, bounded by the railway to one side.

Picture without an apparent owner in Victoria Road, Queens Park.

Green Candidates for Queen's Park Ward

Click on image to enlarge

from Wembley and Willesden Observer March 26th 2010