Lynne Featherstone

Went to the launch of GFest – London’s premier LGBT cross-arts festival. As Equalities spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats – this is the second year I have been asked to come and speak at the launch – and it is a great honour.

GFest is a platform for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) organisations and venues to promote LGBT arts. Organised by arts charity “Wise Thoughts” which is based in my constituency.

This is the third year of the festival – which each year is growing like Topsy and this year has over 100 artists from all over the world – a testament to the organisers – Wise Thoughts.

David Lammy MP (Labour) hosted the meeting, and the other speakers were Ben Summerskill from Stonewall, Richard Barnes (Tory Deputy Mayor of London) and me.

Last year I remember saying that ‘artists are streetfighters’ and so I said the same again – for it is true. All the speakers touched on the issues around the Daily Mail’s column on Stephen Gately, Nick Griffin’s open homophobia and the appalling killing of a gay men in Trafalgar Square.

Legislatively speaking – gay rights are pretty advanced these days (with exceptions like the blanket ban on gay blood donations and unequal protection in schools against homophobic bullying). The point I was making was that whilst legislation might be in place – clearly from those horrific examples above – at street level there is still a very very long way to go.

Also we forget, in London, how cosmopolitan we really are and how different it is elsewhere.

It was a good launch and I hope that many Londoners will flock to the various exhibitions, shows and so on that form the festival.

Haringey Council should take swift and firm action to halt the surge in betting shops in the Wood Green area to limit crime and anti-social behaviour, local Liberal Democrats have said .

Speaking out against applications to Haringey Council for three new betting shops in Wood Green High Road and Green Lanes, Cllr Ron Aitken, Liberal Democrat Crime spokesperson, has said that Haringey Council needs to urgently lobby the Government to change the law to enable councils to limit the number amount of betting shops in an area.

Recent statistics revealed by the Liberal Democrats show that 735 incidents of criminal damage occurred in Haringey’s betting shops in the past two years as well drug related and public order offences.

Cllr Ron Aitken, Liberal Democrat Crime Spokesperson, comments:

“Statistics indicate that Haringey’s betting shops are a source of significant crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as being a nuisance to local residents.

“We are not against people having a flutter but enough is enough. Haringey Council needs the power to declare that no more betting shops should be allowed in Wood Green or Green Lanes.

“Labour need to lobby their own Government to give local communities the power to curb the ever increasing numbers of betting shops.”

Cllr Fiyaz Mughal (Noel Park) adds:

“The explosion of gambling and gaming venues blight Wood Green’s main shopping street and they do little to support the local economy

“It is time to call a time out and say that enough is enough. Such venues cannot be allowed to grow exponentially whilst the local authority is virtually powerless to stop them. I would be delighted to hear from any Noel Park residents who would like to help us take this campaign forward.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“I will be contacting the Government Minister responsible for the planning laws that leave Haringey Council and local residents powerless to stop betting shops taking over our high streets.”

I was invited to give out some of the certificates yesterday and make a short speech at the celebration of 5E being awarded Beacon Status by the Learning and Skills Council. 5E is a local provider of education and training to employment for those groups in the community who struggle against various barriers. The litany of who those groups are is familiar: black and ethnic minorities, refugees and asylum seekers, women, those with disabilities or health or mental health problems, lone parents, long-term unemployed, older people, ex-offenders and others –  who so often find they are not even in the running for getting jobs that others take for granted. And there are so many people who for one reason or another – don’t start anywhere near a level playing field.

For me, the recipe for a better and happier world is a fairer society. And what I really mean by that is a more equal society.  But Britain has steadily become a less equal and a less fair society, rates of social mobility have actually fallen.  And your educational chances are strongly correlated to your social class – setting the prospects for children even before they reach school. And that affects everything in life – because inequality begets inequality.

In fact, a whole host of studies across different countries have consistently shown that not just in terms of education and health, but also in terms of crime, social respect, trust and participation – the outcomes are linked to the degrees of inequality in wealth and income. So narrowing that gap benefits everyone.  

So the work that Raj Doshi (the head of 5E) and his committed, energetic and enthusiastic team do and their brilliant track record with of achievement with 5E having been awarded Grade 1 (outstanding provision) three times by OFSTED – who are the inspection authority for this – is vital.

With support, training and skills – everyone can and should have the opportunities that others take for granted. Congratulations to all who have taken the courses and all those who have made them so successful.

That’s the point of receiving Beacon Status – so they can shine a light for others to follow.

If I ruled the world I would ………….. that’s the challenge I have set local children in Hornsey & Wood Green schools to tell me in 200 words for Local Democracy Week.

I launched my mini-writing competition today at Alexandra Park School – where the amazing Jo (Citizenship teacher extraordinaire) had agreed to set up to undertake this project with the Citizenship and the English classes working together. So today I was attending the Citizenship class where Jo was brainstorming with the children to get them involved and engaged in beginning to think what sort of things might need changing or what worried them – and then – how that might be changed.

The first round of ideas were just brilliant – from the young girl who wanted to make life better for young carers, to world peace and beyond. I’m not going to go through the list – but suffice to say – that it is completely fascinating to to listen to the ideas they had about what worried them – and recognise where the input came from. Some clearly came from school work, much from television and newscasts  – but Jo was really clever – and as well as those sort of universal issues tried to move them onto a more personal level of what worried or concerned them in their own lives.

So I am greatly looking forward to reading all the submissions when they come in. I always feel very uplifted when I come out of a school visit like that.

There has been a flutter of speculation about the future of Wood Green police station. I have asked our local commander – Dave Grant – to give a horse’s mouth briefing of what he understands to be the case. Rumours have included the police station not being rebuilt; the front counter moving down the road; no police station there, etc etc.

This is what Dave Grant says is the case following enquiries he has made. He has asked the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) about what steps are being taken. The only activity at the moment is between Local Authority officers and MPS staff from Property Services Department about the format of the plans. Commander Grant says he knows that nothing has been agreed and that there are meetings scheduled to discuss the content of the plan.

The MPS uses a company to undertake the formal public consultation process and Mr Grant knows that they are drawing up a list of individuals and groups, with the help of his staff, who must be consulted. This would include me and councillors amongst others. He says he is more than happy to share that list with me when it is complete – and of course I will be checking to see that local people are the key consultees.

At some stage in the autumn a formal planning application will be made, which will then trigger the consultation process. As soon as the process begins, Commander Grant will be personally involved and intends to help with the key briefings.

So – as ever – it is down to whether this will be a real consultation – i.e. whether our responses to the consultation can affect outcome. I will post any news I get as this proceeds.

Noel Park councillor Fiyaz Mughal has demanded answers from Haringey Council after he discovered extremist Anjem Choudary, who previously led the banned Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun, holding a public road-show in Wood Green last weekend.

Cllr Mughal, himself a Muslim, seized the opportunity to openly debate with Mr Choudhary, who was being followed by a Danish camera crew. Cllr Mughal highlighted that the inclusive nature of Islam should respect and protect the rights and beliefs of Christians and Jews, and challenged Choudhary’s view that Muslims should not follow the laws of the UK.

Cllr Fiyaz Mughal (Noel Park) comments:

“Anjem Choudary is solely interested in promoting a simplistic and twisted version of Islam that is offensive to me as a Muslim.

“The messages of this extremist are contrary to any idea of tolerance and he was promoting the failed theory of a ‘clash of civilisations’, a term which should be consigned to the scrapheap just like the Blair & Bush phrase ‘the war on terror’.

“Islam, for me, is based on tolerance, respect for diversity and the laws of the land. These are values which promote the cohesion of communities like those within Noel Park and they need to be protected.

“I was surprised and shocked to see this individual in Noel Park. I will be writing to Cllr Nilgun Canver and the Labour Council to ask them why Noel Park councillors were not informed that he was here and would be carrying out public events.”

Cllr John Oakes (Bounds Green) added:

“Anjem Choudary’s twisted views of Islam are potentially a dagger pointed at the heart of British society, particularly in areas like Haringey.

“The President of the Wightman Road mosque reminds me that Choudary’s predecessor Omar Bakri Fostock was first banned from peddling his violent creed and then deported because of his anti-Semitic views.

“Successful community leaders like Liberal Democrat Cllr Mughal know that Choudary has to be challenged openly with logic, truth and goodwill.

“We must make sure that all law-abiding faiths and cultures are respected and that our local and foreign policies reflect this.”

Haringey are at it again – or more accurately – they are not at it. Yet another ‘consultation’ on parking that has failed to be properly delivered. The local Noel Park LibDems carried out a survey that shows that one in six people failed to even receive the consultation document.

Local people should have received their consultation documents in April this year asking their views on a proposed parking controlled zone for West Green and Bruce Grove. However, from the survey in Boreham Road and Westbury Avenue, carried out by local LibDem councillor Fiyaz Mughal, it is clear that many people never received the documents at all.

The LibDem survey also showed that around seventy per cent of those people who did not receive the consultation documents were against the new CPZ.

Tonight, the Council’s Labour cabinet will decide is the scheme will go ahead – which is clearly nuts – as so many people haven’t even been asked.

Haringey Council proposals to expand parking controls in Noel Park have been thrown into doubt after a survey by local Liberal Democrats showed that one in six people failed to receive consultation documents on local streets.

Local residents were supposed to receive documents in April this year asking for their views on the new West Green and Bruce Grove Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). However, it has emerged that many residents surveyed in Boreham Road and Westbury Avenue by local Noel Park councillor Fiyaz Mughal did not receive consultation documents at all.

Local Liberal Democrats have expressed their concern at Haringey Council’s failure to provide all households covered by the proposed new parking restrictions with an opportunity to respond to the consultation. They have also highlighted that the responses received to their own survey showed that nearly seventy per cent of those people who did not receive information about the consultation were against the new CPZ.

Next Tuesday the Council’s Labour cabinet will decide whether to proceed with the new West Green and Bruce Grove CPZ. Reports for the meeting show that 72% of local residents do not want it.

Cllr Fiyaz Mughal (Noel Park) comments:

“It is very worrying that Haringey Council can go ahead with new parking restrictions when local residents have not had an opportunity to take part in the consultations.

“We decided to run our own survey and this clearly shows that Haringey Council’s consultation failed to provide a true reflection of public opinion in Boreham Road and Westbury Avenue.

“I have written to parking bosses at Haringey Council for them to reconsider any decision taken to implement a CPZ in these roads until they take into consideration the results of our survey.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“This shows that Haringey Council is failing to engage fully with local people. If residents have not been provided with information and an opportunity to voice their opinions, then Haringey Council should not go ahead with plans.”

Fiyaz Mughal, local Liberal Democrat councillor for Noel Park, was named this weekend an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s birthday honours list for his services to the voluntary sector.

Cllr Mughal, the director and founder of Faith Matters, has dedicated 14 years to working in the voluntary sector. Earlier this year he was named as special advisor to the Liberal Democrat leader on Interfaith and Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism.

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, comments:

“Fiyaz’s work in the critical sphere of encouraging respect and understanding across faith boundaries is of particular importance here in Haringey. This well deserved recognition will provide a boost to this important challenge for our community.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“This is fabulous news and fantastically well deserved. Fiyaz has been working tirelessly to increase community cohesion and prevent violent extremism in the UK and it’s great that his work is being so well recognised. Well done Fiyaz!”

Cllr Fiyaz Mughal comments:

“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award, which in the end is a testament to the communities that have worked with me. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many good people.”

A local Liberal Democrat councillor has demanded action after it emerged that Haringey Council has failed to take action to resolve flooding problems on Wood Green High Road for two years.

Local residents are often unable to use pavements near Turnpike Lane after heavy rain due to inadequate drainage. Letters received by Cllr Fiyaz Mughal show that Haringey Council has said that it has applied for funding to resolve the problem. However, Transport for London (TfL) has said that that it is up to Haringey Council to spend money TfL provides on the council’s priorities.

Cllr Mughal has written to Haringey Council transport bosses to demand that they provide money to resolve the flooding problem.

Cllr Fiyaz Mughal, Noel Park, comments:

“What is clear from this is that Haringey Council is ignoring Noel Park and local residents who use Wood Green High Road. When we have even modest amounts of rain the drains are overwhelmed and pavements and the road are flooded.

“It is disingenuous for Haringey Council to say that they are applying for funding when they are already given money from TfL to improve roads – and they have decided that this is not their priority. Local residents and the many hundreds of people passing through Wood Green each day to do shopping will feel let down.”