Forum Topics

Healing centre Chiswick 9 December

We're afraid that the Healing centre session, at London Buddhist Vihara for Monday 9 December, has been cancelled.We will be back on Monday 13th January 2020.In the meantime, wishing you a very happy Christmas and New year.

Chris Edwards ● 2474d0 Comments ● 2474d

Taking Advantage of Santander Bike Offer in Central London

I was thinking of planning a trip through the central London parks using the Santander bike offer featured in the Ealing newsletter this week. I cycle quite a bit but my wife and daugther haven't been on a bike for a while and I thought it would be a good way to build up their confidence.I know there are some parts of the parks you can't cycle on so I was wondering if someone could suggest an itinerary for a half day out with breaks at cafes etc. Remember the free offer is limited to half hour trips and the bike would need to be docked not to incur a charge.

Andy Jones ● 2476d0 Comments ● 2476d

Huq Arab Labour

Dear Rupa Huq,You were a speaker at the Arab Labour meeting on 30.11.19.Could you clarify a point? How do you/they intend to redress the injustice of the Iraq War? Andrew Farmer

Andrew Farmer ● 2477d2 Comments ● 2476d

Avoid the Rose and Crown Pub in South Ealing due to poor and unfriendly service

It is with a heavy heart that I find that I must share with the Forum the decline of the Rose and Crown pub in South Ealing with the warning that the Rose and Crown pub in South Ealing should be avoided due to poor and unfriendly services. Anyone thinking of consuming alcohol, having a meal, or booking a Christmas or corporate event should look to other member pubs in the Fullers chain or elsewhere. You should not consider yourself safe here.

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2513d84 Comments ● 2477d

1 day work experience

One of my 6th student is looking for a 1 day work experience next Wednesday 11/12/2019. he is looking to work in the IT section. He is willing to travel from home counties in to Central London if needed. Any offers please?

Jim Wong ● 2478d5 Comments ● 2477d

Labour Council Tax plans

Labour says its tax reforms will not affect anyone earning less than £80,000.   What about Council Tax?   Anyone have an idea of their plans in respect of that?   Something nasty waiting in the wings? Their manifesto is written in headlines.  Can’t find anything even in the small print.   Is Chairman Mao’s “little grey book” online?  Tried Google.  Can’t find. 

Andrew Farmer ● 2486d15 Comments ● 2478d

An Excess of Decs

Was in the loft space at the weekend to get the decorations for Christmas when in quickly became apparent that over the years we have accumulated more than we would ever be able to put up.There is probably a couple of box loads of not too gaudy decorations including working lights that I'd be happy to give to a local community group or charity if they could make a use of them.

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 2479d1 Comments ● 2479d

CHEAP GOT CHEAPER

Cheap got cheaper.  I pointed out how cheap it was of Rupa Huq to make political capital out of the stabbing that occurred near me home.  It was all to do with “the cuts”.  Here we go again.  Two people murdered by a moslem terrorist.  First Khan, the mayor not the moslem terrorist, tells us how wonderful Diversity is.  Some people hate it, he said. Little wonder when it yields an individual such as Kahn. Then we have Labour laying the blame for his release and so the murders on cuts in the funding of prisons and the probation service.   The blame for the incident was Kahn.  He was evil.   Not a word one hears too often today.  Instead we have excuses.   In this case in the Guardian from Kahn’s lawyer.   “He requested intervention by a deradicaliser when he was in prison, Sharif said”.Might that have been because he wanted to look good as he was intending to appeal? “The only option was the probation service ….  Probation do a good job with conventional offenders but they can’t deal with ideological offenders.”They can deal with ALL inmates according the obligation of their role,  which is not to discuss interpretations of religions.   For that, inmates have representatives of various religions available.    I cannot believe Kahn did not have access to an Imam during his years of imprisonment.  If he did, then the statement that “the only option was the probation service” is a false statement.His lawyer claims he “accepted his understanding of Islam was deficient” but “extremists may have targeted him to be regroomed after release from jail”. It’s those groomers again, never the responsibility of the individual.And what was his understanding of Islam?  And what is the proper understanding of Islam, according to its Scholars?  When they make up their minds, they will be able to tell us.   For now, the politically convenient understanding is that it the religion of peace.  

Andrew Farmer ● 2480d0 Comments ● 2480d

Smart Meters  - Any Thoughts?

My energy supplier is being quite insistent that I take up their offer of installing a smart meter. Any views on whether this is a good idea?

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 2503d17 Comments ● 2480d

Ealing & Acton Central - no overseas postal votes

I have just received my postal vote for the General Election from London Borough of Ealing. It contains The postal voting statement attached to envelope A, envelope B , instructions, but NO BALLOT PAPER!Same thing for my wife.I cannot believe it is just us two who are being denied our right to vote.  Is this affecting all ex-Ealing residents?

Robin Hall ● 2482d1 Comments ● 2482d

Event _ Christmas Meet and Make  Friday 6th December 7.30pm

Join us at St Mellitus Church on Friday 6th December at 7.30pm Social event where you can make decorations and gifts and enjoy a glass of wine/juice £5 on the door More information  here https://www.facebook.com/groups/287277310821/permalink/10157572626185822/

Alison Hood ● 2482d0 Comments ● 2482d

Kenmure Mansions, Pitshanger Lane proposed development

Hello All,Just to let you know that the owners of the main block of shops and flats on the south side of Pitshanger Lane are proposing a major redevelopment scheme, which could affect those shops. It adds two extra floors to the three story building, with 44 additional flats.The information is on the Ealing Council website, together with 31 documents.Needless to say, all the traders and residents are extremely worried about the short term (2 years?) of building work, and the long term damage to the traders businesses and the residents' living conditions.Please do give your thoughts to the council, as this could be a major change to the centre of Pitshanger Lane.The details are here :- https://pam.ealing.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search for 193235FULThere are also petitions in many of the affected shops, but it is the council that really need to know your views.There are already many objections, but the more the merrier.

Andy Hame ● 2597d14 Comments ● 2482d

Rupa Huq.  Anti-semitism.  The "investigation".

Dear Rupa Huq, In June, you were accused of anti-semitism by your staff.  A Labour Party investigation was held.   In secret. An “independent” barrister was involved. I doubt his brief was to represent the complainants. Were they invited to give evidence?  Were you questioned?  What did you say?  We have no idea.The finding, as reported, was “insufficient evidence”, though you claimed the letter you received said “not in breach of the Party’s rules”.  Considering the Labour Party’s current reputation for anti-semitism, that is not entirely reassuring. The public, I think, has “insufficient evidence” of whether anything resembling an investigation ever took place into your behaviour.“Insufficient evidence” is a good old Labour standby, back to when haggard-faced gaolbird Stonehouse was accused of colluding with the commies. Would you be kind enough to let us have a transcript of the “proceedings”?   We shall then be able to see the extent of the evidence that was considered and how the investigation was conducted.I found the accusations credible in their circumstantial detail.And it is a matter in which, in my opinion, you have “form”. I shall post this email on the Ealing Today website and look forward to a response.   Your sincerely, Andrew Farmer

Andrew Farmer ● 2492d29 Comments ● 2482d

Is Ealing Central and Acton a safe seat for Labour?

I've had a number of conversations in the area about what seems likely to be a general election in the near future. Nearly everybody I have spoken to voted Labour in the last election, these included not just life-long Labour party supporters but dyed in the wool Tories and floating voters.The reasons were various but boiled down to three main factors with Brexit being the main one obviously. The other factors most often mentioned were Theresa May's social care plans and the belief that there was zero chance of Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister.Given that Rupa Huq is widely acknowledged to be a good constituency MP and she won a massive majority last time out it may seem preposterous to think in terms of her not winning at the next vote. However, it shouldn't be forgotten that she previously held the seat with a tiny majority and it was initially expected that she might not win.My unrepresentative sample suggests that circumstances this time will deprive her of some of the votes she had before. Jeremy Corbyn being prime minister is a much more likely scenario which means that disaffected Tories and many habitual Labour voters are not going to back her. Also her huge majority was in large part a protest vote against Brexit. Although her personal record on the subject is impeccable, her party's is not and many people wanting to signal support for remaining in the EU are going to vote Lib Dem. Plus this time the Greens will probably stand losing her more votes.Whether or not these changes are enough to put the seat at risk is debatable but Rupa probably needs to brace herself for a much reduced majority. It will be interesting to see the resources the Tories committ to the constituency because they will probably need a few surprise results to form a government and no doubt Dominic Cummings is looking very closely at all the data.

Andy Jones ● 2559d46 Comments ● 2484d

Only eleven new flats sold in W13/ W5

See front page.So, no need for hideous tower blocks in West Ealing then.Smaller developments of 100% social or affordable housing would be far, far better.

N V Brooks ● 2504d17 Comments ● 2485d

Uber - 'Not Fit and Proper'

Will be interested to see further explanation of this but, at first glance, this looks like a politically motivated decision. The Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association is quite a powerful lobbying group.My firm view is that the existence of Uber makes London a safer place. Most fathers of teenage girld will tell you that it was a comfort to know that she was a few clicks away from a ride home which was statistically far safer than the alternatives.The last time I chatted to a driver about this he said that he would just end up working for another equivalent ride service but his terms would be worse so I can't see who is benefiting from this other than black cab drivers who charge rates which are now prohibitive for most Londoners.

Andy Jones ● 2486d6 Comments ● 2485d

Equality Trust Pledge - Where are the Torys?

The Equality Trust was founded in 2009 to examine the effects of inequality on society and, following the significant findings, is now funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.Great inequality is the scourge of modern societies. The Equality Trust has provided the evidence on each of eleven different health and social problems: physical health, mental health, drug abuse, education, imprisonment, obesity, social mobility, trust and community life, violence, teenage births, and child well-being. For all eleven of these health and social problems, outcomes are very substantially worse in more unequal societies. They have also checked the relationships wherever possible in two independent test beds: internationally among the rich countries, and then again among the 50 states of the USA. In almost every case they have found the same tendency for outcomes to be much worse in more unequal societies in both settings.During this election period the Trust has asked parliamentary and local council candidates to show they're committed to reducing income inequality by signing the following statement:"Compelling new evidence presented by The Equality Trust shows that more equal societies - those with a narrower gap between rich and poor – are more cohesive, healthier, suffer fewer social problems and are more environmentally sustainable. In view of these findings I am committed to making the UK a more equal society as the most effective means of building a better society. I will therefore actively support the case for policies designed to narrow the gap between rich and poor; and engage with the debate on which measures should be implemented to achieve that aim."The 290 pledges given so far (Sat 10th) give us an interesting picture. The percentages by party I have discovered are: Green Party: 36%Liberal Democrats: 32%Labour: 21%Conservative: 7%Other: 4%Readers can draw their own conclusions from this and some candidates may say that they were unaware of the pledge which is in any case telling.The question for me is if so few conservatives are unaware or unwilling to make this pledge how can the Tory’s “Big Society” idea really be the panacea that David 's Cameron talks about?However I do welcome the upper limit for the public sector announced by the Tory at 20 times that of the lowest paid. However, if this is to have any real impact (20 times has little impact) it should be set at 10 times as set by the Greens for both the private and public sectors. To my mind the “Big Society” can only succeed without the “Great Inequality”.http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/ C BRYANhttp://conradbryan.blogspot.com/

Conrad Bryan ● 5989d27 Comments ● 2486d

1984 at Questors

Simply stunning production with the man playing Winston Smith giving a performance that would be hard to better, even with a professional.Pretty heavily booked, I think, so hurry if you want a ticket.

Susan Kelly ● 2498d7 Comments ● 2490d

Does Rupa Huq Car?

Dear Rupa Huq, Do you care? I wrote to you some time ago about a neighbourhood problem:  a landlord with an appalling record and a council officer who, knowing his record, licensed him as a fit and proper person to have control of an HMO.   I received an automated respond but nothing more.  I felt that, because there was criticism of the Labour Local Authority in my email, you were putting your party before the safety of the lives of your constituents.Here is a chance to redeem yourself.  I am putting the matter to you again. THE BAD LANDLORD:  ThamesHouse Property Ltd.  For several years the landlord had been using his property (354-6 Uxbridge Road) as an HMO without planning consent.   The tenants were housed in damp rooms with cracked, mouldy walls; the smoke-alarm was taped over; the fire escape route was blocked and there were no proper fire-doors.   THE COUNCIL OFFICER Mark Wiltshire Wilshire knew all this.  He also knew the tenants were causing neighbourhood nuisance.  He was supplied with evidence that the landlord had admitted it but was doing nothing about it.  He had over thirty statements from neighbours setting out the antisocial behaviour they were suffering from the tenants: drunken noise within the building and a squalid business they were operating in the street outside, polluting the air with engines left running, fouling the road with empty food cartons and intimating passers-by. Wiltshire licensed this landlord as a fit and proper person to have control of large-scale HMO. As a candidate for the social-justice Labour Party that claims to care for “generation rent”, will you condemn this landlord, whose record was of a merchant in filth and fire-hazard, as unfit to have control of a large-scale HMO and unwelcome in our Borough and will you condemn the council officer, who ignored his record and who know rejoices in the title Director of Safer Communities, as unit to hold office? And BEFORE the election would be nice, JUST TO SHOW THAT YOU CARE.I am copying this to the local Labour Party as I am not clear whether you are receiving emails via Westminster. Andrew Farmer

Andrew Farmer ● 2502d32 Comments ● 2490d

Arron Banks' Twitter Account Hacked

This election looks as though it is about to get very interesting. 'Northern monkeys'!

Georgina Stuart ● 2492d0 Comments ● 2492d