The Day Bradford Went To Bridlington

Today, I joined in on the community trip from Bradford to Bridlington.

It was a great fun day out with families from all across the whole Bradford District.  There was so much joy and laughter and squeals of delight from the children.

My favourite quote of the day was from a young lad running  past shouting, "Mum, Aisha's chasing me with a dead fish!"

The joy of the day for me is that no-one gave a monkey's about race, religion or disability. We just all enjoyed ourselves on our adventures to the seaside.

This was Bradford at it's best.

Election Results 2015

I can't even properly explain how depressed I feel right now about the election results.  The sad thing is I can't pin it down to anything more I personally could have done. 

I did all the right things - I gave donations and committed to monthly giving towards the Labour Party General Election fund.  I campaigned until it hurt.  I went to all sorts of areas to campaign (Keighley, Pudsey, Bradford West, Bradford South and numerous different council wards).  I delivered a small forest worth of leaflets.  I put my children in full time day care and took loads of time off work to do all this. 

Bradford Labour Group maintained a majority on Bradford Metropolitan District Council for the second year running, and 3 out of the 5 constituencies now have Labour MP's, so this was an achievement of sorts I guess, but those MP's should have been in government, not in the opposition.

There is nothing more that I could have done and yet I feel like I failed.  I am only 1 person but the same feeling could be felt by hundreds of thousands of party activists.  Collectively we achieved so much and sacrificed so much to do it.  We had millions of conversations with people on the Labour Doorstep over the last 5 years and it feels like it was all for nothing. 

I have seen all sorts of comments on various social media platforms ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous and although I hate that we are now stuck with a Conservative government that is democracy.  Sometimes we do not get what we want or what our country desperately needs. 

But, this is not a time to give up.  It is time to regroup, focus on what our core principles are and keep reaching out to the people in our communities.  We need to get right back to being a grass roots movement and properly connect with members, supporters and communities. 

There are people who seem to think that being a member of the Labour Party means being a member of 'new Labour' which is ridiculously untrue. The Labour Party is a broad church of people from all sorts of different traditions and backgrounds. If more traditional Labour people got more involved then there would be less of the 'new' Labour people that some don't like.  I'm a big believer in changing things from the inside by getting involved.  
(Quick advert - if you feel inspired to join the Labour Party click here )

We achieve so much more together by our collective endeavour than we do alone.  The world is so very individualist and yet the area I am proud to serve (Clayton & Fairweather Green) has amazing groups of people who work closely together, volunteering for the greater good of others and our community. 

We need better political education so that our hard work as councillors (or MP's or community activists) is properly communicated and understood.  There is so much we do in the background that no-one ever sees and if we never communicate it then the people we have worked hard for will never know. 

I had too many conversations with people who said that they think all politicians are the same.  It's a common refrain but is genuinely not true.  We need to communicate why that's not true.  Each person in an area needs to feel a connection with their local representatives. 

Issues around immigration were also raised and it's a hard conversation to have.  Not everyone who expresses their concerns about immigration is a racist and to label them as such is appalling.  Most of the people I listened to on this subject were concerned that if immigrants are coming into our country for work then this reduces the number of job opportunities for our own nationals.  It puts pressure on our NHS and other public services. Also even though non-UK citizens are not able to receive benefits until they have been resident here for 2 years there is a perception that immigrants are costing our country millions in benefit payments.  Whereas the truth is that EU migrants are actually contributing more into our economy than they are taking out. See http://www.richardcorbett.org.uk/britons-lose-out-because-of-eu-migration/

Also while on this subject the conversation about immigration never really divides out non-EU migrants, EU migrants and asylum seekers and each group has different effects on our country.

No-one ever really properly addressed these concerns at a national level.  It was only those people we managed to talk to in our doorstep conversations that we could discuss the issues with.  There was the fabulous "I am an immigrant" campaign but it felt like too little too late.  These issues should have been addressed over the last 5 years.

Anyway it may seem like it's all over for now but we will fight on. I will fight on. 

The importance of libraries

I've always been convinced of the value of libraries because it was through using a library that I got a real love for books and the world which opened up for me through reading. Reading became a passion for me and through it a thirst for knowledge and the joy of learning new things.

"A young mother living on the Holme Wood estate regularly took her daughter to the library bus to borrow books as she couldn't afford to buy books other than the occasional book at Christmas or for a birthday present. Every week when she took her daughter with her to the launderette to wash clothes they would sit and wait for the machines to finish and together read through the library books. It was a tough life in those days but this young mother instilled in her daughter a love for books and lifelong learning through those times reading the books from the library bus."

Although this is my background and everyone is different it does give me an insight into why the library bus and the local libraries run by qualified librarians are so important.

They're important for families to learn together, for children who need a safe, warm, quiet space to study and for older people to get out and enjoy a visit to the library and a friendly conversation with someone and guidance on books available or how to use the computer etc.

It's because of this and other reasons that I will always fight to defend our libraries. I could get quite militant about it in fact and chain myself to a library to defend the rights of people to continue to have access to a library. 

It's also enshrined in law that we should have access to a library service - see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1964/75

"It shall be the duty of every library authority to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof, ." s.7(1)

This is just a brief overview on the value of libraries and there's a lot more about it on http://libraryatoz.org/index.php/importance-libraries/. 

Also please have a look at this link about what a difference the mobile library bus is making in Honduras 

http://vimeo.com/user24687014/httpvimeocommobilelibrary

War, what is it good for?

The answer in the song is, absolutely nothing!

I've got to say that although I tend to agree I am realistic enough to appreciate that we in the UK have a freedom that was fought for by our forefathers and that there are circumstances where sometimes it's a case of kill or be killed.

But, having said that, my abiding reaction to war, the taking of lives and destruction of communities is that it is abhorrent.

I struggle to understand why in 2014, civilisation has not yet evolved to the point where we can live harmoniously and in peace.

There are wars, conflicts, genocides, whatever label you want to give all over our world right now.

I started writing this while enjoying a leisurely breakfast with my daughter. It was an enjoyable time. Then last night I went to Bradford City Park to play with my children. We had so much fun and I got totally soaked. But, constantly in my mind and heart is the thought that while I'm going through my daily life here in the UK, there are women mourning the dead in their families and wondering how or when they'll be able to feed their children or give them a clean glass of water. The basic necessities of life are not available for so many people in these zones of conflict/war. It must be utterly terrifying. There are women on both sides who care deeply and want an end to the terrible killing. Each and every death is a tragedy.

Where is our humanity?

I mean seriously what is it in us which prevents us from living harmoniously and in peace.

I genuinely don't think I have ever prayed so much, so fervently and consistently for worldwide PEACE.

I have seen and read an awful lot about the horror of what's going on in Gaza, a little less on Syria and Ukraine and almost nothing lately on Iraq and still rather than condemning ALL violence against humanity and advocating for Peace, I see many people taking sides and suggestions made about fighting back. I can understand this but taking up arms each time results in more dead. As Ghandi more eloquently put it: An eye for an eye means we all end up blind.

So although, I may be at risk of people not understanding why I'm for Peace I truly believe it is what this world needs. Who's with me?

Nanny Esther

Feeling so so sad. An amazing girl, incredible woman of God and fantastic childcarer is leaving me.

This last year, it's felt as if she is part of the family but now she's going. I am so gutted. However, it's important to release her well and with love so that she can continue being a blessing but to many more children than just my 3. I had tears in my eyes today when I received and reluctantly accepted her notice.

I truly wish her well.

This last year has totally whizzed by and she has put up with such a lot.
She's helped #LaraGulp with her homework and taken her to after school clubs and dancing lessons and listened to her constant chatter.

She's encouraged my gorgeous shy, sensitive little #SophieGulp to talk and be more interactive and responsive. She's dealt with potty training issues etc too - bless her.

She's helped #RebeccaGulp develop and has patiently fed her despite major eating disorders. She's taken her to development groups, learned signing and loved her.
In fact, I feel as if she's loved all of my children.

She's done parties with them and picnics and all sorts of adventures. She's prayed with them and for them and we've prayed for her. The children are always happy and excited to tell her about things and include her in their lives.

My #LaraGulp was my most incredible amazing and precious gift from God when she was born and not once during her 6 years of life had I ever felt such peace about leaving her to be cared for by anyone until Nanny Esther came into our world.

Nanny Esther has been an unbelievable blessing to our family and an answer to prayer but I'm crying as I write this. I hope she feels released in love and blessed by us too.

(Note: we do have a fabulous new childcarer lined up who will hopefully be able to start so that the transition will be seamless but this post is all about the incredibly fabulous woman who is Nanny Esther)

Why am I a Politician?

That should be an easy question to answer but it's actually not that easy to convey the multitude of factors that contributed towards me seeking election as a local councillor.

I have always been interested in social justice but not so much politics and never imagined that little old me could make a difference. I was always passionate about movies and wrote a dissertation on the British Film Industry while I was at College. I'll never forget the feedback I got from a senior lecturer - she said, "You will never change the world so don't bother trying." Well this was like a red rag to a bull for me. If someone tells me I can't do something I will fight hard to prove that I can.

On several occasions I heard speakers talk about being the person who makes a difference and standing up and being counted and it stirred in me a burning desire to do whatever I can to help others.

My son (Joshua) died in 2006 and since that point I have wanted to make my life count for something far bigger than myself.

So, in 2010, on the day that Gordon Brown left Number 10 and he said, "it is by the strength of our common endeavour that we achieve more than we do alone",  I joined the Labour party with tears streaming down my face. I knew that the country was going to suffer under the Conservative led government and that we all had a part to play to create an environment where the people of the Bradford District that I love so much would be able to survive the government and hopefully still flourish. Here's a link to my first post about joining the Labour party http://isthisasmileoragrimace.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/politics-and-me.html

Bradford District has not benefited from the inward investment and vision of other cities and Districts nearby but what we have got are amazing people drawn from an amazingly wide range of backgrounds. There are many strengths in our District if we have the vision and the desire to work together to utilise these strengths. There are also many challenges which I won't gloss over but I truly believe that we can make life better at an individual and a District wide level.

Each time, I help an individual with some casework that matters deeply to them, I know that it isn't going to make waves or headlines but I don't care about that because all that really matters is that it will help that person.
Each time I go to a school governors meeting or go and hear a young person read or talk about the work they are doing in school, it's not going to get me a vote but it may help that young person to achieve a renewed sense of achievement or confidence in their abilities.
Each time I go to a council meeting or committee meeting and raise issues that are of concern to the people in the District and in my ward, I am helping to give them a voice.

It's not easy though - there's a lot of sacrifices to make in terms of personal time and finances too. If I put all of this effort into a business, I'm sure I could make a heck of a lot of money but I honestly don't care about the money (or lack thereof). It would be nice to have a little more sleep but since I was elected I feel like I am constantly thinking about what I can do to contribute more to the betterment of our District and to create more opportunities for all people while also concerning myself about how we as a community look after our most vulnerable citizens.

Politics is something that has the potential to be brilliant if everyone involved in it gives their all to serve the community. It is my hope that when I am no longer involved in politics, whether people remember me or not, that I will have left a legacy that benefits other people for many years after I have gone.

Using Others or Saying Thank You

Life is sometimes a bit of a minefield especially where relationships with others are concerned.

There are often situations where one person needs the help of another and the other gladly gives their help. However, if the person who needs the help does not treat the other person with kindness, respect and gratitude then they can be left feeling used. 

The person who feels used then has a natural reaction to this which often starts with anger, disappointment and regret at having put themselves in that position and sadly then tells others of the situation so that it has an effect on others perceptions.

So, isn't it so much better to just be a decent human being in the first place, and treat others with kindness, love and respect. Then if you need some help at a season in your life, you can ask people for their help and then say thank you afterwards. Perhaps you could then offer your help to others also. Mutual help, respect and appreciation just makes the world a nicer place to be in.

I found out recently that I had been used by someone and thankfully there is enough distance to allow me to not get bitter about it but to just move on in grace and dignity and just remember not to put myself in that situation again. Sometimes, you've just got to chalk this stuff up to experience and still be the generous, caring, helpful person you always have been but with a more cautious and thoughtful attitude.

Here's a song from the show Nashville called Used, although it's about a girl who stupidly allowed herself to get used by a guy.

http://youtu.be/cdIeoqO7jgA