Saturday, November 07, 2009

Green Street Labour Party Stall – Free School Meals 4 Newham Kids

Picture is from today’s West Ham Labour Party stall in Green Street, E7. Our local MP Lyn Brown (left of pic) is shown with local Party activists.

We were handing out leaflets about the introduction of free school meals for all Newham Primary school children. This is a very welcome Labour Government and Newham Council anti-poverty initiative that I think will make a real difference.

It’s not only just about important issues such as good nutrition and “healthy” meals. Some of our kids live in such dysfunctional families that they come to school without any breakfast never mind lunch. You cannot learn on an empty stomach. Also this is so, so important for hard pressed working parents bringing up kids while struggling to survive on low wages.

The campaign went down very well with local residents and shoppers. It is not that often in my experience that while on political street stalls passerbys queue up to ask for a leaflet! Many shoppers in Green Street live out of the borough and were asking when their local council will by doing the same (hint, hint to all those local Labour Parties about to hold manifesto meeting).

Overall I felt that the stall went very well concerning how so called “badly” the Party is supposed to be in the polls. People were pleased that we were out talking to them when there was no impending election. One man told me, apparently seriously, that he thought I looked like former USA president Bill Clinton! No comment.

While I was really pleased at the number of people of various faiths and backgrounds wearing British Legion “Remembrance” Poppies. We had lots of young British Asian kids very proudly showing off their Poppies to us while waiting for their Labour Party balloons.

It was all in all a lovely day.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well the proof is in the eating of pudding John, depends on whether you and the Labour Government are going to extend the free school meals trial beyond 1) a single pre-election year and 2) beyond 2 of only 400 local authorities.

The recession, finance and maths suggests not, but hey, why let that get in the way of economical with the truth

John Gray said...

Hi anon

"Proof is in the eating" well, I suppose it is? I thought it is a 2 year pilot?

Yes, I hope that the government enables it to be extended more widely. Clear red water and all that...

Anonymous said...

its a government initiative, newham was selected to run the pilot...

its not a newham initiative?

John Gray said...

Hi Anon

It's a Labour Government initiative which a Labour Council has adopted. Which we all know a
Tory Government would cut.

Mike Law said...

Blimey John,

I've only just come across this last comment of yours.

Do we all really know that the Conservatives would cut this? Have you conducted a poll of everybody and everybody has told you that they know this?

How do you know it?

Where's your evidence?

John Gray said...

Hi Mike

Your Tory boys believe in lower public spending than Labour. They believe in a smaller "state". You know that so why on earth do you argue otherwise?