Labour late converts on Civic Centre

From Willesden and Brent Times April 22nd 2010

LOCAL CCC MEETINGS

Tuesday 27 April 7.30pm, St Gabriel's Church, Walm Lane, NW2 4RX - Brent Friends of the Earth free film screening: "The Age of Stupid"

Thursday 29 April 7.30pm, Leary Constantine Centre, 43-47 Dudden Hill Lane, NW10 2E2 - Brent Friends of the Earth Eco Hustings for Brent Central Parliamentary Constituency. Your chance to question the candidates on local or national environmental issues.

Thursday 13 May 7.30pm, Baldwin Studio, Tricycle Theatre, 269 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7JR - Brent Campaign Against Climate Change public meeting: "News from Cochabamaba - Report back from the People's World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, Cochabamba, Bolivia, 20 - 22 April". Speaker from Campaign Against Climate Change and local trade unionist. Others who made it to Cochabamba would be welcome to speak.

Also important:

Friday 30 April 7.00pm, Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH - Public Meeting "Save Kilburn College". Not strictly a climate issue but it's important to make the connections. We need to safeguard our colleges if we are to create the infrastructure for a low carbon economy.

Finally, a reminder:

Saturday to Sunday 15 - 16 May - Climate Emergency Candlelit Procession and Overnight Vigil outside Parliament. Assemble 11.00pm outside St Martin's in the Fields, Trafalgar Square. Anyone interested in joining a Brent contingent should e-mail me at Brentcacc@gmail.com

Shahrar Ali on the General Election

Up Up and Away for Brent and Barnet Green Parties

Photo of Brent and Barnet Greens by Claudia Evans (l-r): Lia, Johnny, Shahrar, Alex, Donald, Gardi, Andrew, Rebecca, Noel and Ben (stitting).

On Sunday 18 April, Green candidates were out in force at Clitterhouse playing fields near Brent Cross. Donald Lyven, parliamentary candidate for Finchley and Golders Green was attempting to fly a kite at 140m to bring attention to the height of a proposed chimney for a gasifying incinerator – even taller than the Wembley arch. He had to gain permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to attempt the stunt.

Donald was supported by several colleagues from Brent Greens: Shahrar Ali, parliamentary candidate for Brent Central, plus council candidates Alex Freed for Queen’s Park and Lia Colacicco Evans and Johnny Wharton from Mapesbury.

Shahrar said: “This was an imaginative idea well executed. The air was still and even at half its intended height, the kite display showed us just how obtrusive an incinerator chimney would be. The balloon release was inspiring. But instead of lifting the spirit the smoke would be oppressive."

The team released helium balloons with a message to finders – warning them that if the wind had blown the balloon in their direction, then they would also receive toxic emissions from the proposed chimney.

Brent and Barnet Greens are members of the Coalition for a Sustainable Brent Cross, and were joined by local Friends of the Earth groups. Coalition co-ordinator Lia Colacicco is also a Green candidate for Mapesbury.

Lia added a message for local residents: “People may be fooled into thinking that energy from waste is renewable. But after hearing the evidence from leading environmental chemist Paul Connett, I was shocked. The toxic nanoparticles produced by vapours in rubbish are so small they can’t be regulated, and can travel for miles. Rather than getting stuck in the lungs they pass through into the blood and are carried to the brain."

Local Press. Barnet Times.

A Sketch on Shahrar's Mapesbury Hustings

Shahrar Ali spoke last night at the Parliamentary hustings, attended by over 300 people. It was hosted by the Mapesbury Residents’ Association (MapRA) in St Gabriel’s church, which was unfortunately festooned in Lib Dem gold.

The evening began with a chance for Shahrar and Mapesbury council candidates Lia Colacicco (me), Tim Storer and Johnny Wharton to mingle with local residents and candidates for other parties.

The highlight of the evening for me was the man serving the wine asking the sitting MPs for a £2 donation then cheekily asking “would you like a receipt for that?”

After a very short AGM we were called up to sit on the stage. The speeches began with the 3 party leaders on Brent council – as we had no sitting councillor Shahrar had no voice but was allowed an extra minute on his parliamentary speech. I don’t think he missed much - the 3 speeches were a straightforward competition for who has lived in Brent the longest and who really REALLY loves Brent the most.

Shahrar’s Speech

Actually, Shahrar was brilliant at making additional points during the Q&A and even managed to slip in two mentions for my campaign to improve the local High Street so that people don’t need to drive – it was certainly an issue that emerged spontaneously from the residents. On Brent matters he talked of our objection to civic centre was proud that we are standing a record number of candidates from all walks of life and backgrounds.

Shahrar was first to speak for the parliamentary election. He started by thanking MapRA for including us – unlike the BBC debate. He added a refreshing note of passion to the proceedings as he spoke of Green values, and:

• why voters were right to trust us after the expenses scandal because we had warned about climate change long before it became perceived as popular to do so, therefore we could be relied upon to say what we believed;



• how our funding commitment to green jobs dwarfed that of the lib dems;



• the urgency of combating climate change for the sake of the impoverished and vulnerable around the world dying as we speak;



• and finally our commitment to properly funded and valued public services such as health, housing transport and education.

People should vote green to progress for politics worthy of the name.

People were generally very warm and positive to Shahrar, Tim, Johnny and me. We ended the evening with a convert, who said he would vote for us because we were “the nicest people” – even though he had told me earlier that there was no way he could vote for a party which is against fly-fishing!

By Lia Colacicco
Candidate for Mapesbury, and Co-ordinator of the Coalition for a Sustainable Brent Cross
Photo of Shahrar Ali, parliamentary candidate for Brent Central with Lia Colaccico by Claudia Evans (click to enlarge)