London Labour Sparrow

The Labour Party in London used the London "Cockney" sparrow widely on its campaigning materials in the early 1980's.

One comment on the design is that it was the an idea adopted originally by Herbert Morrison when leader of the London County Council.

London County Council (LCC) Progressive Party

The London Progressive Party

The Progressive Party in London was formed in 1888 by Liberal’s , Trade Unionists, Fabians and Socialists. It contested the first London County Council (LCC) election’s in 1889 and secured around 70 of the 118 seats.

It was also successful at following the 1892 election, Eventually winning six elections in a row before losing control in 1907 to the Municipal Reform Party (run effectively by the Conservative Party) who controlled the council until 1934.

The growth and consolidation of the Progressive Party in East and South London is undoubtedly linked to the rise of the “New Unionism” movement, which evolved from the London Dock strike of August 1889.

However, according to Harry Gosling first real attempt to get Labour men elected to the London County Council was in 1895.

The Labour Group on the London County Council after the 1898 election consisted of

H.R.Taylor, W.C Steadman (Barge builders union) Harry Gosling (Riverboat lighter man) George Dew (Carpenter) John Burns(engineer), Charles Freak (Bootmaker), Will Crooks (Cooper), C. W Bowerman, Ben Cooper (Cigar makers union)

Above picture of Labour Progressive councillors elected in 1892

Harry Gosling stated of the Progressive Party on the LCC, that ....

“The early propaganda of the progressive Party in the London County Council both before my time and in the early years of my membership was as good as anything the Labour Party has been able to do”

“The Progressive Party stood then in municipal matters exactly where the Labour Party does today”

“It had vigor, vision and enthusiasm it believed in a fine and healthily London with fine thorough fares and fine bridges".

“The Progressives were citizens who were honestly progressive in their ideas and did the utmost to put them into practice”

Harry Gosling “Up and Down Stream” 1927

Labour secured control of the London County Council at the elcetion held on 8th March 1934. Labour winning 69 councillors and 11 Aldermen compared to Municiple Reform/Tories 55 Councillors and 9 Aldermen (total membership of LCC 144)

Labour elected Lord Snell as the Chairman of the Council and Mr E. G Culpin as Vice Chairman

Education Chairman Evelyn Lowe, Health Chairman Dr Somerville Hastings

General Purposes Chairman Miss Agnes Dawson,Public Improvements Chairman G Russell-Strauss, Fire Brigade Chairman Mr E. Cruse,Town Planning Chairman H. Berry,Finance Chairman Charles Latham, Parks Chairman R. Coppock

Labour won a by election in Wandsworth Central held on 27th June 1935 taking its councillors to 70 and its majority to 18

Such was the sucess of the Labour administration that Labour never lost control again. In 1965 the London County Council was consumed into the large Greater London Council in 1965 until outrageously abolished by the Tories 1986, it is now the Greater London Assembly.

London County Council (LCC) 1892 elected Progressive/Labour Councillors

Bannerman, J - Hackney South

Barrs, H.H.H. - Clapham

Bassett--Hopkins, A - Newington

Baum, F.C. - Kensington North

Bayley, E - Southwark

Benn, J.W. - Finsbury East

Bott, W.G - Newington

Branch, J - Bethnal Green South West

Bruce, W.W, - Bow & Bromley (Labour Progressive)

Burns, J - Battersea ( John Burns later labour)

Catmur, T - Whitechapel

Charrington, F.N - Mile End

Collins, W.J. - St Pancras West

Cornwall, E, - Fulham

Costelloe, B.F.C. -Chelsea

Crooks, W - Poplar (Will Crooks later Labour)

Dickinson, W.H. - Wandsworth (Deputy Chairman LCC)

Doubleday, W.B - Norwood

Downes, A.W. - Fulham

Earl Roseberry - (Chairman LCC)

Ford, C - Lambeth North

Freak, C - Bethnal Green (Charles Freak Labour Progressive)

Goodman, W - Islington West

Grigsby, W.E. - Islington North

Grosvenor,R - Kennington

Harris,H - Brixton

Harrison,C - Bethnal Green South West

Harvey, G.A. - Lewisham

Hollington, A.J - Mile End

Holmes, G.B - Hackney South

Hubbard, N.W, - Norwood

Hunter, T - Soutwark (Labour Progressive)

Hutton, J - St Pancras South (Vice Chairman LCC)

Jackson, R.S. - Greenwich

Jolly, J.R. - Woolwich (Ind Progressive)

Jones, E - Peckham

Keylock, H -Deptford

Lidgett, G - Greenwich

Lloyd, J - Kensington North

Lord Carrington - St Pacras West

Lord Monkswell - Camberwell

Lyon,R - Peckham

Marsland, J. - Walworth

McCall, J - Hackney North

McDougall, J - Poplar

Mercer, A - St Georges East (Labour Progressive)

Moss,N - Hoxton

Orsman, W.J. - Haggerston

Parkinson,W,C, - Islington North

Pearce, W - Limehouse

Pickersgill. E.H. - Hackney Central

Ponsonby, A.G. - Finsbury Central

Roberts, R - Islington South

Robinson, N - St Pancras East

Rowlands, E.B. - Finsbury Central

Sauders, W - Walworth

Sears, J.T - Camberwell

Smith, F.S - Lambeth North

Smith, W.A. - Chelsea

Steadman,W.C. - Stepney (Later Labour)

Stevens, L - Rotherhithe

Stockbridge, W - Kennington

Tarling, C - Whitechapel

Taylor, S.S. - Brixton

Thornton, J - Bermondsey

Tims, J - Battersea

Torr, J.F - Bethnal Green

Torrance, A.M - Islington East

Ward, H - Hoxton

Webb, S. - Deptford (Sidney Webb- Fabian)

Weir, J.G. - Islington East

Williams, T.H. - St Pancras North

Wood, T.M - Hackney Central

Jake Magee

Jake Magee was the Uxbridge Labour candidate at the 1983 General election

Magee won the selection as labour candidate on the third ballot beating Hillingdon Council Labour Group leader David Heppenstall and Uxbridge (Colham) Labour Councillor and Post office engineer Brian Hudson.

The other two candidates on sthe short list was jennie Fletcher and Slough Labour Councillor Timothy Hurley

Magee aged 34 in 1982 stood unsuccessfully at the GLC election in May 1981 for Uxbridge (Hillingdon)



J. Lemkin (Con) 15,413 49.7%
J.Magee (Lab) 11,791 38.0%
J. Stubbs (Lib) 3,675 11.8%

Labour plus 14.8% on a 50% turnout

Magee born in the North of Ireland was a factory worker and lived in Uxbridge since 1968 a member of the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU).

His election address was printed by Cambridge Heath Press run by Miltant Tendency and caused some consternation at labour party head office

NOTE
I believe he worked at a meat freezing factory

GLC Fares Fair

FARES FAIR
The newly elected Labour controlled Greater London Council (GLC) of 1981 under leader Ken Livingstone, and his transport chair Dave Wetzel's introduced a new travel scheme called "Fares Fair", starting on the 4th of October 1981,

This scheme divided the GLC area into four zones. The "Fare Deal" flat fare area became the Outer Zone, the Inner Zone was a ring (approximately 3 miles wide) between the Outer and Central areas, and the Central area was divided into the West End Zone and the City Zone. "Fairs Fare" introduced very low fares, as all child fares were reduced from 10p to 5p, a 10p short hop fare returned and a journey all in was zone was down to 20p.

Unfortunately, the increase in the rates to fund "Fares Fair" was disliked by Conservative especially Bromley Council (leader Dennis Barkway), which resulted in the GLC being taken to court.

In the meantime, Conservative Minister Michael Hesletine at the Department of the Environment immediately clawed back £119million of the GLC's transport grant and Norman Fowler at the Department of Transport creamed £20million off the GLC's train subsidy

The GLC won but the court of appeal overturned the decision on the 10th of November. On the 17th of November 1981 the Law Lords upheld the decision of the court of appeal that the fares policy was illegal.

It put a stop to Fares Fair, the success of which, Livingstone maintains, was the primary reason for Margaret Thatcher's subsequent abolition of the GLC.

In March 1982 as a result of the cour ruling fares were increased by 96% and London's experiment with affordable public transport destroyed
John McDonnell (then a GLC councillor for Hayes) and other local Hayes people did attempt to emulate the Italian Communists, who faced with bus fare rises refused to pay. known as the "The Can't pay won't pay campaign" While the campaign secured good press coverage few opted to go through the tiresome process of taking bus journeys and refusing to pay the increased fare or chaining yourself to the bus and then having to give name and address to a usually unsympathetic Metropolitan Police officer. However, the Fares Fair scheme did win popular support and on Ken Livingstone election as Mayor of London, he re introduced similar schemes including the popular free travel for Children (once again under threat from the Capitals Conservatives)

Gareth Daniel - Ealing labour Party

Gareth Daniel is Chief Executive of Brent Council, having been appointed in September 1998. Prior to that, he had been head of the Council’s corporate policy, planning and projects team since January 1990.

He started his local government career as a social worker in Ealing Council in 1976 after graduating from Jesus College, Oxford with an honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

He was elected President of the Oxford University Student Union for the 1974-75 academic year. He started working for Brent Council in 1986, working for four years as a planning and policy manager in the Social Services Department.
He also served as a Greater London Council (GLC) for Ealing North and London Borough of Ealing councillor between 1981-90. He was Chair of Ealing Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee between 1986-90.

Born in 1954 and educated at St. Edwards’s College in Liverpool, he has lived and worked in West London since 1976 and has three children.
Selected for Ealing Acton 1982 (see above)

Hayes Labour 1973

HAYES WARD REPORT. April 1973

Thank you Mr Editor (Hayes and Harlington Labour Party Journal) for your last number which was very good indeed. When I think how difficult it is to find something fresh to say about our activities I realise how hard. you must work to fill your excellent little journal.

From Hayes Ward we have nothing to report,, we still battle on with the same loyal few doing the work. How very few there are we realised to our cost during the recent GLC Election, (When Peter Russell was elected for Hayes & Harlington with a 7,000 majority)

For several weeks before April 12th our lives seemed to consist of canvassing, writing,. folding, and delivering. In this I feel sure we were not alone, it is sad to think ,that nearly all Wards suffer from lack of helpers. If it is any consolation the Tories must have been worse off, if their lack of effort was anything to go by. It was rather annoying to see known Tory supporters coming along to the Polling Station with our Poll cards, because their Party hadn't bothered to give them their polling number,

However, the marvelous result here made all the hard work worth while, and I am sure that in Comrade Russell we have a sincere and hard working representative,

 

Now- - -what else has happened, you will probably have read a report of the Labour Party Dinner and Dance., It was, I think one of the most successful we have had. The problem now is - - where can we hold another? Our Social Committee Secretary has written to many places, but they are all very expensive, and in many cases want a guaranteed" number of around l80.

There was a suggestion that we might have one for the Borough, but this seems to have fallen by the wayside

For the first time we, the Hayes & Harlington Labour Party Women's Section had a good deal of support for our jumble sale, and it was heart warming to see the number of male helpers who came along. Some felt that we should have made more money, but I think that is debatable. There has to be a choice of practically giving the jumble away and asking a fair price and having it on our hands I personally favour the first course, remembering the old 'bird' in the hand maxim,

Hearing of the death of George Marshall (twice Labour Chairman of Hayes & Harlington Urban District Council) set me thinking of when we first started the Women's Section, Mrs Abbott was secretary and about five of us met on alternate Tuesday afternoons in the Labour Hall, Mr George Marshall (Labour hall caretaker in later life) was always there either repairing tables or chairs, cleaning or working on the ground at the side which he used as an allotment.

He often had a cup of tea with us and talked of the old days on the Hayes Council. He had a little "lean-to” at the back of the Office where he did all sorts of jobs and it always seemed to us that he really loved the old place.

 

From that to the Labour Hall to-day. There are some General Management Committee delegates who seem to be of the opinion that the Labour Hall Trustees have some kind of magic power. At the drop of the hat they can conjure up an accommodating developer who will build a marvellous Hall to our requirements. If this were so, we should have been luxuriously housed long ago.

If any member has about £55,000 he wishes to invest the Trustees will be only too glad to accept the offer,

Just before the schools broke up my husband and I went to two very enjoyable entertainments. The first held at our Lady and St Anselms was the combined efforts of four Primary Schools. The Choir and the Orchestra were conducted by Mr Eric Stephenson and the way those children followed his baton was really marvelous. At the conclusion Father Fische thanked the children in a very amusing manner. The second event was a production of Hayden's Creation by the choir and orchestra of Hayes Grammar School. This was a first class production. The success of both these events is a great tribute to the hard work of the teaching staff. The children in this Borough are indeed fortunate.

 

Margaret Wiltshire.

NOTE:

Women's section was dominated by Sandleson supporters

Hayes & Harlington Labour Party Journal “News & Events

21^st edition of this monthly journal April 1973

450 copies printed

Harry Gosling - Hayes 1918

General Election 1918
 

To the ELECTORS OF THE UXBRIDGE
PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION OF MIDDLESEX.

FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS,

Having been selected by a representative Labour and Trade Union Conference as the Labour candidate for the Uxbridge Division, I now appeal to you for your vote and interest at the. forthcoming General Election.

I endorse the programme of the Labour Party. My outlook- upon the issues of the election is that the Government should accept its inundate from the House of

Commons, representing the entire people of the country, rather than that the Government should impose its mandate upon the freely elected representatives of the people.

In order to obtain the free and unfettered decision of the people of the country, I am entirely in favour of the complete restoration of freedom of speech, publication, travel, residence, and choice of occupation.

I am in favour of complete political democracy; a free House of Commons requires no House of Lords.

I am totally opposed to any form of conscription, military or industrial.

My policy regarding Ireland is one of the fullest possible measure, of Home Rule for the Irish people.

Together with my colleagues in the Labour Movement, I am resolved that just and generous treatment must be accorded to our soldiers and sailors who have borne the brunt of the war, and to their womenfolk and children. I am, moreover, convinced that full provision must be made for the civil war workers discharged from the various munitions factories and war industries during the period of resettlement.

Soldiers, sailors, and all disemployed workmen must be guaranteed work at the current Trade Union rates of their occupations, or full and free maintenance by the State.'

The complete fulfilment of the nation's pledge to the Trade Unionists that their pre-war practices and customs must be unconditionally reintroduced shall have my fullest support.

All monopolies tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. The Labour Party policy is not to rob the rich, but to see that the rich do not rob the poor.

Our experience during the war proves that it is essential that the State should 'maintain its control, and should assume ownership of all the national means of transport— road, rail, air, and water. It becomes more and more essential that the State must also assume the ownership and control of the coal and iron mines, together with all other monopolies.

The land belongs of right to the people. Therefore the State must assume ownership and control of that which is the legacy of us all.

I am in favour of a free national system of education, from the elementary school to the university, providing opportunities for the fullest use of the natural abilities of every child. The higher branches of education must no longer be kept a close preserve for the rich.

On the question of the tremendous war indebtedness, I am at one with the Labour 

Party in demanding that the country must pay its way by adjusting taxation strictly according to ability to bear it. I am in favour of the removal of all taxes on food and the institution of a graduated income tax.

The war was a war to end wars, and therefore the peace and security of Europe and the entire world must rest firmly established upon a League of Nations.

Regarding the question of old age pensions, I shall support the reduction of the age and a substantial increase in the amount.

Two important problems which are closely' allied are the questions of housing and health. This country cannot continue to hold a leading place amongst the nations unless we have a radical improvement in the standard of life of the
common people.

The Medical Boards have shown that afar too great proportion of our men were physically unfit for the onerous task of bearing arms. Yet the standard of life

has only been raised to its present position—which is still far too low—by the unceasing efforts of Trade Union and Labour organisations of the country. I am convinced that we must provide hundreds of thousands of well-planned,

well-built, and commodious homes for our people. These questions are of the most vital importance, and must not be delayed.

My energies and efforts have been at the disposal of various forms of public service for 25 years. During the war I have assisted the Government whenever called upon, and have served as a member of the Departmental Committee on the Reception and Employment of Belgian Refugees, the Statutory Committee on War Pensions, the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy. I am a member of the Port and Transit Executive Committee, the Special Grants

Committee, Ministry of Pensions, the Imperial War Grave Commission, and the Advisory Council to the Board of Trade,

I am quite prepared to continue to place my services at the disposal of the Government, but only as a free and unfettered representative of the people. I appeal to the men and women voters of the Uxbridge Division of Middlesex
to support me, asking during the election only for a fair field and no favour.

Yours sincerely,

Harry Gosling

Published by:

Uxbridge Divisional Labour Party Secretary: Percy Langton, 18 Angel Lane, Hayes, Middlesex

Agent: W. Knowles, 2 Brandville Road, West Drayton, Middlesex

John McDonnell MP

John McDonnell

The son of a docker and shopworker, John was born in Liverpool in 1951 before his family moved south because of work. He received his first degree from Brunel University and a Masters from Birkbeck College, London University.

He first worked as a production worker on the shop floor, before being employed as a trade union official for the National Union of Mineworkers and subsequently the TUC.

In 1981, he was elected as the GLC councillor for Hayes and Harlington and became Chair of Finance responsible for GLC's £3 billion budget. He was also deputy leader to Ken Livingstone.

Following the abolition of the GLC, John became the Chief Executive of the Association of London Authorities, eventually the Association of London Government, representing all the London Boroughs in relations with central government and Europe.

In 1992, he fought his home town seat of Hayes and Harlington but lost by 54 votes. He immediately launched a campaign to win the constituency and in 1997 won the seat with a 13,000 majority with one of largest swings to Labour in the country. Since then, Labour has held the seat with over 60% of the vote.

Locally John describes himself as a community MP, living and working in his constituency. He has been acknowledged by political friend and foe alike as an immensely hard working local MP on behalf of local constituents and for championing local community issues such as the threat of expansion at Heathrow airport and its impact on local communities.

In Parliament John is the Chair of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs. Within the Labour Party he is the Chair of the Labour Representation Committee, a rank-and-file organisation for Labour Party supporters and trade unionists.

He is also a leading member of a number of All Party groups within Parliament including groups representing individual trade unions, such as PCS, RMT, FBU, Justice Unions and the NUJ as well as topic groups on a wide range of issues such as the Irish community, the Punjabi community, endometriosis, and Kenya.

He is Chair of 'Public Services Not Private Profit', a campaign which brings together 16 trade unions and several campaigning organisations to defend public services against privatisation. He is a prominent member of the Stop The War Coalition, and has been a consistent campaigner in Parliament against the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

John is married with a ten year old son and with two adult daughters from a previous marriage, and has two grand children.

In his time he enjoys theatre, cinema, reading, football and cricket, but more actively he enjoys sailing on the Norfolk Broads, cycling, and playing endless games of tennis and football with his inexhaustible son.