I've signed this
@UKChange
petition calling for the removal or replacement of the mural of Winston Churchill in Croydon Town Centre - please sign and share.
Another day on the campaign trail. That’s my vote posted - a vote for free school meals, affordable homes, clean air and better public transport with
@UKLabour
’s Sadiq Khan and Maddie Henson 🌹✊🏻
An honour to be in the Chamber tonight as Croydon Council presents
@CPFC
manager Roy Hodgson with the Freedom of the Borough in recognition of his magnificent career
It’s an honour to have been elected as Chair of Croydon Council’s Planning Committee. I’m looking forward to working with members to ensure that our town has the homes and infrastructure that current and future residents need.
Today I visited the Queen’s Gardens - a good example of what a Labour council can achieve. Over 500 homes, over 50% affordable, with 90 opened to council tenants last year, and improved public gardens and play space, co-designed with the local community. A great day for Croydon.
Great to be out in Strood today campaigning for what would be a historic Labour victory in the elections to Medway council. If there are elections where you are, you’ve got till 10pm - and remember, you’ll need photo ID.
#votelabour
Very positive
@UKLabour
doorstep listening session on Church Road and neighbouring streets this evening. Great to be joined by former Labour councillor Rob Canning and new member Fidelis!
Tonight the Conservative chair of Croydon Council’s Planning Committee used his casting vote to approve an application to build a 28 storey tower next to East Croydon station, with just 9% affordable homes. Croydon Labour councillors voted against approving this scheme.
An excellent evening on the
#labourdoorstep
in Fairfield. Lots of positive feedback from residents and strong support for me, Julie, Jose, Sarah Jones MP and our mayoral candidate
@ValShawcross
.
#onecroydontogether
THANK YOU to everyone who voted Labour in Croydon on Thursday, and all who joined us on the campaign trail. It’s an honour to have been re-elected. Sad that Jose and Julie won’t be joining me. I know they’ll be with me supporting residents, and flying the flag for our values.
THANK YOU to Val Shawcross for joining Palace fans sharing the message that football is for everyone, racism is not welcome at Selhurst Park, and encouraging people to join the
#MarchAgainstRacism
on Saturday.
#cpfcfamily
#onecroydontogether
Great to see members of the USDAW union out in Croydon town centre spreading the word about the
#CostOfLivingCrisis
and encouraging people to
#JoinAUnion
.
Thanks to everyone who joined me on the Tamworth estate this evening to hand out my latest newsletter and ask residents how things are going locally. We picked up a few issues that I’ll be following up!
Huge congratulations to
@IanByrneMP
- a good friend to the trade union movement - who has been reselected as
@UKLabour
candidate for Liverpool West Derby 🌹✊🏻
Congratulations to
@Ria__Patel
and
@CroydonEsther
on your election in Fairfield. 👏 We may be in different parties but your passion for our area shone through in the campaign, and it is clear we have many shared values. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead.
Proud to join comrades from across the labour movement standing in solidarity with GMB members employed by
#G4S
at Croydon University Hospital who are taking strike action over being denied
#sickpay
.
Very disappointed to learn that
@waitrose
proposes to close its shop on George Street on 12 November. Thoughts with the 58 staff whose jobs are at risk of redundancy. I hope they will consider alternatives to closure during the consultation process.
Honoured to have been reselected by
@CroydonLabour
members as a candidate for Fairfield in 2022 alongside
@JulieSetchfield
and
@JoseJos37971715
. I look forward to building on the relationships we have built with residents over the past 3.5 years.
Inspiring to be at
@LSBU
’s campus in Croydon for the launch of ‘Croydon Stands Tall’ - an exciting, inclusive project for Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture 2023 that aims to raise 100k to support homeless people through Crisis Skylight Croydon 🫶🏻
Fantastic to see Sarah Jones MP and my old mate Tom Copley at the opening of Malcolm Wicks House - 90 new council flats in Fairfield ward, central Croydon.
Today we officially opened Malcolm Wicks House - 90 new council flats in a building named after the late Malcolm Wicks, the former Labour MP for Croydon North. The ribbon was cut by Malcolm’s widow, Margaret, and the Mayor of Croydon, Cllr Sherwan Chowdhury.
Last week a Fairfield resident informed me that his house didn’t have the recycling bins it should - so today
@cleanstreetstu
and I delivered them to him
Nice to have a brief chat with
@jeremycorbyn
and to get a mention in his fantastic speech at
@TSSAunion
conference today. The sooner he is our Prime Minister, the better.
It was great to be at Croydon Pride yesterday. Lovely to see many members of the local community celebrating our diversity - and
@NDIrons
and I accidentally came in matching outfits!
Thanks to Jamie, Sarah, Stuart and Joe for their support on a v useful listening session in West Croydon. Picked up a number of local issues that I’ll be following up on.
Delighted to be appointed Shadow Cabinet member for Planning & Regeneration. I look forward to working with
@CroydonLabour
colleagues to hold the ‘local Conservatives’ to account, presenting a vision for our town based on Labour values and the aspirations of residents.
Such a special occasion to be at last night’s official opening celebration of The Cronx Tap, and to be joined by the Deputy Civic Mayor of Croydon, Cllr Appu Srinivasan. Thank you
@markrusselluk
and
@joepbenedict
for the invitation! The place looks fantastic. 🥰
At the last Croydon Council meeting, I asked Mayor Perry if he opposed the closure of every ticket office in our borough. He wouldn’t give that commitment. You have until 26 July to respond to the consultation.
#SaveTicketOffices
A useful
#labourdoorstep
session this afternoon with Cllr Maddie Henson in Addiscombe East listening to residents. Issues raised included crime/policing and safety on local roads. Thanks to Kyle, Martin and the other Martin (not pictured) for your help.
So a Change UK MEP candidate (and former Labour councillor) claims her party 'kicks out racists' unlike Labour - and then blocks me when I ask why the MP who used the words 'funny tinge' has not been kicked out. Inconvenient things, facts.
Hugely inspiring
#BlackLivesMatterUK
demonstration in Park Hill Recreation Ground, Croydon. Some incredible speakers from the grass roots and community organisations. What a movement! Peace, love, solidarity ✊🏻
Spent this evening on the
#labourdoorstep
listening to residents on Scarbrook Road. A number of local issues to follow up, and lots of support for me, Jose, Julie and our mayoral candidate Val Shawcross.
#ANewDirectionForCroydon
Sarah Jones MP speaking to London, East & South East TUC about the housing crisis inc permitted development, fire safety, and Labour’s solutions: remove cladding, retrofit speinklers, end leasehold, end right to buy, build council homes, reform benefits and planning systems
Delighted that the Secretary of State has accepted the Planning Inspector’s recommendation that the developer’s appeal against Croydon Council’s decision to refuse permission to build a tower at 103-111a High Street.
Fantastic turnout at the antifascist demonstration outside Lunar House this afternoon. Proud to stand alongside comrades and send the clear message that refugees are welcome here in Croydon.
#NoPasaran
#WRD21
: Show Racism the Red Card's annual Wear Red Day is FINALLY HERE!
You can do your bit by sticking on something red, and donating to help fund anti-racism education across the UK.
To donate, and for more info, click the link below ⏬
🔗
Thanks Olga, Rowenna, Dave, Rob and (later)
@JulieSetchfield
and
@CoopFraser
for a positive
#labourdoorstep
session listening to residents in Halstead and Mann Close, Charles Street and Scarbrook Road - quality conversations as always with some issues to follow up
“It’s a miracle”, says new Fairfield resident Bernard. Great to attend the opening of Croydon Churches Housing Association’s new development, Angel Oak Point, complete with onsite office and
#SharedOwnership
,
#LondonLivingRent
and
#LondonAffordableRent
homes. Very impressed! 👏
“I just want to give something back.” Every Tuesday at 9pm, Jose Joseph hands out free food to homeless people in Queen’s Gardens. Last night Niro & I had the privilege of helping out. Props to Cockney’s pie & mash for letting Jose use their kitchen too! ❤️
Tip top announcement about face coverings needing to cover nose and mouth by the conductor on the 14:10
@SouthernRailUK
service from East Croydon to Eastbourne. 👏
Socials team - please pass this commendation to his manager
With working from home back next week, a reminder not to sneer at colleagues who can’t afford a spacious home with a pristine study and are thus stuck using their ironing board or bed as a desk or whatever else you might be tempted to make a snide comment about. Thanks.
Thanks to Manju, Julie, Gabriella and Joe for helping collect signatures for my local road safety petition today - we have now secured the 100+ signatures we need so I will be making arrangements to present the petition to the Mayor of Croydon at the next Council meeting
Untimely rain did not stop our
#labourdoorstep
listening session in the Wandle Road area of Fairfield ward last night. Picked up a fair few items of casework that I’ll be following up. Rounded things off with a Hophead or two at the Royal Standard. Thanks team for your efforts!
‘I remember us being in Division 4’, says
@CPFC
manager Roy Hodgson - closing out a fantastic event at Selhurst Park listening to local young people Shamel, Mackenzie, Louis and Angel talking about the work of the Palace For Life Foundation in our communities.
Thanks to colleagues who joined the Fairfield Labour team listening to residents on Chatsworth Road and distributing our latest newsletter on Tuesday evening.
This the modern Labour Party in
#Croydon
. Campaigning to remove a mural to the man who did more than any other to defeat Nazism, a Prime Minister *Labour Ministers* proudly served under.
@Keir_Starmer
has his work cut out dragging a once great party back into the mainstream
@THEJamesWhale
Correct - this government is very selfish - if they'd let Network Rail and the train operating companies negotiate with the unions without their hands tied, this dispute could be resolved amicably and quickly
Really enjoyed representing Croydon Labour on the ‘Croydon Excellence’ panel as part of
@SMEDay
. An interesting opportunity to meet people from many Croydon SMEs and hear their stories, and discuss what we can do together to help our fantastic SMEs grow and thrive.
Superloop is GO! The launch of SL5 - the express bus service from Bromley to Croydon - is excellent news for residents and businesses in both boroughs. 👏
New Superloop route launching today: Bromley to Croydon.
By the time it’s finished this spring, the Superloop will encircle the whole of London, making travelling between towns and transport hubs in Outer London quicker and more convenient than ever.
Seems that
@CPFC
made it to a semifinal at Wembley, and we’ve got tickets. Looking forward to seeing how the fan-funded display looks! And supporting our club for every minute of the game. “We’ve got super Pat Vieira…” 🎵🔴🔵✊🏻
At the weekend we saw and removed these hateful stickers on the plinth of the Nelson Mandela statue on the South Bank and at the entrance to Waterloo station. All you fascists are bound to lose. ✊🏻
#antifa
Solidarity with GMB opposing the conversion of Red Gates School, South Croydon, which specialises in children with severe learning difficulties, to an academy - not in the best interests of the pupils, the staff or the school itself. Sign the petition:
It’s five years since Croydon Council declared a climate and ecological emergency. The resulting Commission produced an excellent report. Tonight I joined a demonstration by Croydon Climate Action and others outside the Town Hall, calling for action to be taken now.
@WilliamMBHolmes
@UKChange
Hitler was a genocidal dictator who was defeated by Allied forces, the allies including the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain and her Empire. Churchill's role in reversing the appeasement policy should be celebrated, just as his less positive actions should be remembered
Good news that govt will pay to replace Grenfell style cladding in council & housing association towers. Why not for residents in private blocks like Centrillion?
@theresa_may
covering for
@GavinBarwell
?
@LabourSJ
&
@SteveReedMP
will keep fighting!
I’m going to weigh in on this and say that if you think he’s tarnished his legacy, then I disagree. In fact I disagree to the max. MAXIMUM disagreement. I love Wilf and wish him all the best whatever happens. 🔴🔵
#cpfcfamily
Those asking why we’ve not posted on the Zaha ‘drama’ - really don’t think we can add anything. You think he’s tarnished his legacy, fine. You think it means nothing, all good too. Just want us to sign players really!
#cpfc
Thanks to the Mayor for meeting the TSSA delegation at City Hall today, and to many comrades from across our movement for supporting our campaign against government cuts to TfL funding
#savetfl
#tflfightback
#WeKeepLondonMoving
Thanks to colleagues for joining me at East Croydon this morning to campaign to
#SaveTicketOffices
. Complete the
@LonTravelWatch
consultation by Friday 1 September:
Croydon Labour’s amendments to the Council’s Housing strategy include supporting leaseholders in private buildings with concerns about fire safety and high service charges, and providing genuinely affordable housing
Britain is experiencing a housing crisis. Conditions in private rented homes in Croydon are amongst the worst in London.
Good to be out today speaking to residents on housing issues & Labour Councillors successfully securing changes to improve the Council’s Housing Strategy. 🏡
Looking forward to speaking about government cuts to
@TfL
on behalf of
@TSSAunion
at the
@unitetheunion
‘Keeping London Moving’ fringe at
#LonLab19
. It’s at 13.25 in the Youth Room. ✊🏻
Huge congratulations to South London’s OTHER number one,
@DulwichHamletFC
, on securing agreement to return to Champion Hill. Well done to everyone who’s backed
@dhfc12
and the
@saveDHFC
campaign. See you back in Tuscany! ✊🏻