Clapton Pond Blog

No cuts to Millfields school's funding, please Mrs May

In 1994, a small boy called Frankie started his school life in the reception class of Millfields primary school. It was was the start of a 20-year period during which at least one child of mine was at Millfields. After my youngest, now aged 15, completed Year Six it took a while to get used to not regularly visiting.

Biddles keeps EU flag flying as 2016 ends

A forlorn scene on a gloomy morning during the dead zone between Christmas and New Year, but not without a note of defiance from the builders' merchant turned bar in this heartland of Remain.

Buy my book on Zac versus Sadiq at Pages of Hackney

This is me lurking behind a copy of my book about the recent, revealing and often unpleasant fight to become London Mayor, which I covered extensively for the Guardian. I completed the book within ten days of the election on 5 May and it was out as an eBook a few days after that. Then, it became a paperback. I have published the book myself as a sort of experiment, which has turned into a voyage of discovery. Five boxes of "Zac versus Sadiq", each containing about 50 copies, have arrived at my house. Some of those copies - three, I believe - have already been sold at our local bookshop, Pages of Hackney. There are further copies there, just aching to be purchased. I would love it if you bought one. It would help create more space in my house. Thanks.   

Something is rising from the 'former toilet'

It's been years since an estate agent planted a sign heralding a "former toilet" above what was, indeed, the site of a defunct public lavatory at the confluence of Mildenhall and Millfields Roads - nearly ten years, would you believe. In 2011, an architect's design appeared in virtual form along with plans. There was a public consultation. But 18 months later nothing had happened and went on not happening until suddenly, recently... serious construction action! Will it look like what was envisaged five years ago? Will anyone who isn't absolutely loaded be able to afford to live there?  

BREAKING NEWS: Millfields school elects first pupil prime minister after knife-edge election campaign

Pupils of Millfields community school have elected their first prime minister at the end of a week of fervent campaigning and passionate debate. Eleven year-old Cem Owens led his Millfields Mania party to a narrow but decisive victory after votes were cast on Thursday afternoon. Quoted in the Millfields Daily newspaper, produced by student reporters each day, the newly sworn-in PM said he felt "honoured and grateful" and pledged to run an inclusive premiership in which "everyone's voice is heard."

An eclectic election debate at the Arcola

On Sunday I attended an election hustings at the new home of the Arcola Theatre in Dalston, organised by the excellent Hackney Citizen. The eclectic panel comprised (from left to right) Hackney North and Stoke Newington candidates Diane Abbott (Labour), Simon De Deney (Lib Dem), Amy Gray (Conservative), Heather Finlay (Green), Keith Fraser (Ukip), Vanessa Hudson (Animal Welfare Party, actually standing in for the indisposed Jon Homan) and Jonathan Silberman (Communist League). The woman in the middle is the Arcola's Feimatta Conteh, who made a fine job of chairing the event.

Good morning, bus strike

 

Judging by the half hour I spent hanging around the bus stops by the Pond first thing this morning, the first London-wide bus strike for decades has been well supported by the drivers. I spotted just two in the space of about an hour. The aim of the stoppage, called by Unite, is to bring about a single, pay deal for drivers employed by all the different bus companies that operate routes in the capital.

London mayor campaign: Lib Dem Brian Paddick visits the Pedro Club

The Pedro Club in Rushmore Road is one of the most long-established youth clubs in London. It began in 1929, closed, but came came back to life in the 1960s. All candidates to become London Mayor in May are eager to show that they want to support young people and help prevent those in danger of getting involved in crime to find a better path. Lib Dem Brian Paddick (centre), a former senior Met police officer and a bit of an athlete on the quiet, putting on the gloves to prove the point for the cameras. 

The Politics Of Fighting Cuts

Meet Gilbert and Lawrence, two very nice members of the Labour Party campaigning outside Palm 2 the other week against the government's public spending cuts. They were rallying support for the big TUC March For The Alternative on 26 March. Of course, there are a number of anti-cuts positions. I saw two very different ones being set out at the Town Hall the other week. One was our Labour Mayor and Council's regretful wielding of the scissors handed to them by Eric Pickles and the other was the "shove your scissors" position of the assorted Outer Left agitators in the public gallery.

Our very own Leabridge Councillors and three others had, for a while, lined up with the "shove your scissors" tendency but changed their minds. There is a problem with Councils defying government orders on spending that wasn't there in the past. If you break or ignore the Law you don't get surcharged or sent to jail. You just can't make a martyr of yourself these days. Instead, officers and men from the ministry set the budget for you. Not much of a victory. I wrote about Hackney's budget night for my Guardian London blog. If you've comments you'd like to make - no trolls, bores or abuse - I'd be very happy to publish them here.

The Politics Of Betting Shops (And Other Kinds)

You might have read about Ken Livingstone's recent visit to the now former Railway Tavern, which has just turned into a Paddy Power. I'm sad to see the pub go, partly because I used to know the landlady (hello Tina) and partly because I agree with Livingstone - and with Jules Pipe Lammy who was also on the scene - that the proliferation of betting shops is going too far. That said, the arguments for halting it need to be solid. Do they really encourage crime and anti-social behaviour? If they do, wouldn't restricting the number of high street bookies just send it elsewhere? Some politicians, including the more libertarian Tories, would probably maintain that these things are better left to the market and point out that betting shops close down as well as open in response to local demand (though they might find a stroll down Chatsworth Road enlightening). Others would complain that do-gooders have no business depriving the working - or non-working - man of a traditional pleasure (a workerist position) or that the real growth in betting is online so getting agitated about a few more high street shops is missing the point (a betting industry view).