Forum Topic

Royal Wedding

Happy Royal wedding day to you all. Hope you're watching it somewhere with someone or at least a cucumber sandwich!mark

Mark Green ● 5459d44 Comments

Very good point made. Many people like myself voted Labour in order to protect the poor. Perhaps trading standards could take that one up. Labour have a real issue after Blair in that they sold their soul to the corporations/banks/devil and as such can they be trusted to do what people want/need them to do?? There are many good people in the party but there needs to be a shift away from the right wing.

Peter Chadburn ● 5452d

I make no right wing arguments.Libraries are not a right-wing institution.Social welfare in the form of disabled day centres and centres for the mentally ill is not a right-wing concept.Building car parks where they are not needed to keep business happy is a right-wing concept not a socialist approach.Keeping the elite highest paid safe in the local council while cutting the lowest paid is not a socialist approach.Celebrating a royal wedding is definitely not a socialist and not a left-wing thing to do.It seems to me that the Ealing Labour Group is not behaving as a socialist endeavour.

Marc Races ● 5453d

I refuse to lower myself to your level. You cannot know what I am thinking and judging by the anti-library cuts protests I am not the only one thinking this way. Whatever mandate the Labour Party had in Ealing was lost when it started cutting services in areas such as disabled services and mental health support services while protecting the high-salaried elite employed by the council. The Southall car park was the icing on the cake. How can a true socialist prioritise a car park over the welfare and well-being of the least able people in the community? W What I am saying is that the Ealing Labour Party no longer has a mandate from its electorate and it is a great shame that wehave to put up with the damage it is doing until the next local election.As for the worsening change in attitude in Ealing Social Services this is from personal experience and the experiences of my friends.

Marc Races ● 5453d

Your argument is all over the place.You make right wing argument and then you attack the Labour Group in Ealing for not being socialist enough.You obviously are a right-winger and yet you deny that you support choice in provision of services.You are duplicitous to say the least.I would say that that the Ealing Labour Group can't be as 'off-beam from the fundamental principles of implementing British Society' as you call it in view of the overwhelming mandate they got everywhere in this borough except the central Ealing portion which has always been Conservative heartland.Can  you back up your claim that Social Services have 'markedly deteriorated' or is this just another of your groundless smears? Just precisely who are you referring to when you say 'businesses in Southall (preferably those run by Southall Labour Councillors) should build a car park?BTW most people don't slavishly follow extremes of left/right ideology but you can usually rely on genuine people to be a bit more ideologically consistent than you appear to be and I couldn't give a stuff how Americans rate the English Conservative Party personally but I do hate to see bigoted right-wing ranting on this forum!

John Holt ● 5453d

With respect, I am not a right winger as you term it. I am a resident of Ealing Borough and the work that ECIL is doing is wonderful, however not all the people who used the centres have gotten the allowance, nor can it be seen as a replacement for the facilities that have been shut down.I do not think that the Ealing Labour group are interested in Socialism or equality or indeed equity, or in the case of the Southall car park, common sense. What they are interested in is throwing their weight around, point scoring, and not being accountable to the electorate.Do not forget that not one of Ealing Council's 80 or so top paid executives has been made redundant yet, yet front line staff have been already. It is also worth noting that the services provided by Ealing Council Social Services have deteriorated markedly since Labour took over and the attitude has changed from serving the needs of its users to a "we can do what we want now that Labour is in power".I would suggest a review of the principles of Utilitarianism (Jeremy Bentham) to see just how off-beam the Ealing Labour Group are from the fundamental principles of implementing British Society.Perhaps the car park in Southall could be built on the same principles as the ECIL user group approach, businesses in Southall (preferably those run by Southall Labour Councillors) should get together and build a car park as a community venture. These people are somewhat better able to run community ventures than the disabled and the mentally ill (and Ealing Council could pay the insurance for it!My argument is not ridiculous mischief, nor is it inconsistent, you should bear in mind that most people do not slavishly follow the ideology of Adam Smith or the ideology of Karl Marx. Instead they try to lead a life as best they can and often have beliefs as well that over-ride any political dogma that they eoncounter. That is why one party does not stay in power for always.As a final thought do you realise that the American (USA) view of English politics rates the English Conservative Party as left-of-centre compared with US political parties!

Marc Races ● 5453d

With respect, I am not a right winger as you term it. I am a resident of Ealing Borough and the work that ECIL is doing is wonderful, however not all the people who used the centres have gotten the allowance, nor can it be seen as a replacement for the facilities that have been shut down.I do not think that the Ealing Labour group are interested in Socialism or equality or indeed equity, or in the case of the Southall car park, common sense. What they are interested in is throwing their weight around, point scoring, and not being accountable to the electorate.Do not forget that not one of Ealing Council's 80 or so top paid executives has been made redundant yet, yet front line staff have been already. It is also worth noting that the services provided by Ealing Council Social Services have deteriorated markedly since Labour took over and the attitude has changed from serving the needs of its users to a "we can do what we want now that Labour is in power".I would suggest a review of the principles of Utilitarianism (Jeremy Bentham) to see just how off-beam the Ealing Labour Group are from the fundamental principles of implementing British Society.Perhaps the car park in Southall could be built on the same principles as the ECIL user group approach, businesses in Southall (preferably those run by Southall Labour Councillors) should get together and build a car park as a community venture. These people are somewhat better able to run community ventures than the disabled and the mentally ill (and Ealing Council could pay the insurance for it!My argument is not ridiculous mischief, nor is it inconsistent, you should bear in mind that most people do not slavishly follow the ideology of Adam Smith or the ideology of Karl Marx. Instead they try to lead a life as best they can and often have beliefs as well that over-ride any political dogma that they eoncounter. That is why one party does not stay in power for always.As a final thought do you realise that the American (USA) view of English politics rates the English Conservative Party as left-of-centre compared with US political parties!

Marc Races ● 5453d

It is right wing ideology that thinks that people should have choice about what services they want rather than have a one size fits all state/council provision.Former day centre users now have their budgets paid directly to them so they have a choice whose services to buy.  Half of them have decided to use their personalised budget to purchase services from a venture started by some of the users and operating out of Ealing Centre for Independent Living. Do you think people should be bound to take a state provided service or be given the choice to purchase from whoever they like as in a free market?It is strange to witness a right-winger harking after state provided services and denying people choice of providers.Do you think you're being consistent or are you bent on winding people up and doing your best to inflame them against your political opponents?BTW the Labour Council Leader in Ealing is footing the bill for the insurance for the day care users in ECIL too, which is in Ealing (ie not Southall). Just another fact that shows your argument to be the ridiculous mischief it is.

John Holt ● 5453d

The please explain why the MP for Southall, the Mayor of Southall, and the Council Leader of Southall all were involved in this one event and no others. To me that is focussed public relations. That is what politicians do!

Marc Races ● 5453d

I do not as you put it, "have a problem with Southall", I have an immense problem with the way that the Labour Party in Ealing is focussing on Southall and treating it as though there are no cuts. What there is should be shared around the whole of Ealing and not pumped into a car par that is contra-environmental while libraries closures are proposed.Looking after cars seems a poor second compared with the disabled people of Ealing and the mentally ill of Ealing who have lost key support facilities. If the Albert Dane centre was "not fit for purpose" as the Council Leader for the Borough of Southall suggests then a portion of that £5.5 million earmarked for the car park in Southall could have gone to refurbish the centre.Ealing's residents are being bamboozled out of key frontline services to keep the MP for Southall and his researcher the Council Leader for the Borough of Southall in employment come the next election.I am sure there are disbled and mentally ill people in the Borough of Southall who will be severely disadvantage by the demise of the ALbert Dane Centre and the LINKS mental health centre, however they do not have the influence or voice within the Southall Labour Party that the so-called "business leaders" of the Borough of Southall do with their requirements for a new car park. Remember that half-a-dozen of these Labour stalwarts defected to the Conservatives in the election before last because they felt that they could get a better deal for the Borough of Southall by sucking up to the Conservatives Party.We should be keeping what we have got going as best we can in Ealing in these tough times and not building car parks!

Marc Races ● 5453d

Clarence Street where Kate Middleton's grandfather lives is in this borough and it's great the people there celebrated this connection of this borough of Ealing to this happy royal event. It's a shame that some narrow minded right wingers have such trouble in accepting Southall, which is home to that street, should be able to celebrate that connection.Mr Races seems to have a big problem with Southall full stop!

John Holt ● 5453d

Yeah!! Pull the other one.....

John Holt ● 5453d

It is just pure PR for boosting the Labour Party in their favourite West London seat!

Marc Races ● 5453d

I am not a Conservative, never have been, never will be. Just a resident who knows smelly self-agrandising media publicity when the Mayor of Southall, MP for Southall, and Leader of Southall Council are partying in Southall!

Marc Races ● 5453d

I find it disgusting that this thread has been hijacked by yet another right-wing political ranter on this forum.The royal wedding was an occasion for the whole nation to celebrate but obviously some right-wing neo-racists think that that should not include our neighbours in Southall.I find it disturbing that such narrow-minded bigots live in our Ealing community and have the nerve to try to turn a happy, positive community-inspired event into an abusive rant against the people of Southall.Shame on the Conservative party in Ealing for having started this sort of nasty, racist, political attack on residents from one part of the borough they were in charge of these last few years. It destroys so much good work that has been built up over the years.

John Holt ● 5453d

At a personal level, absolutely, hugs all round. Now back to the topic in hand,.

Marc Races ● 5454d

Surely the royal wedding is a political affair?

Marc Races ● 5454d

Attempting to hi-jack a non-political thread for political gain.

James Brown ● 5454d

Ah well, seems this thread has turned into an argument, I was hoping this thread would be just to say Hi and wishing people well.Happy Wednesday everyone. Hugs all round?Mark

Mark Green ● 5454d

And again, what exactly? Please specify.

Marc Races ● 5454d

And again....

James Brown ● 5454d

Hardly, the Labour Group are doing themselves the harm and muddying the waters with their accounting. Their activities, and hence the Mayor of Southall, and the Leader of Southall Council, and the MP for Southall are clearly not only not fulfilling their manifesto commitments, but are behaving in such a fashion (car park! etc.) that I am not sure that they can claim to have the mandate of the people who voted for them. Perhaps it is time for Labour to stand down in Ealing and for us to have a new local election.

Marc Races ● 5454d

Your response already highlights one aspect of this: the council covering the insurance, then add in the clean-up costs afterwards, and the policing, and the administrative costs withing the council.I am pleased that the Royal Wedding itself went well, however, surely our MP for Southall had more important things to do with his expensive time with the disabled and the mental health centres being cut, and the local libraries being cut, you would think he would have more important things to do than organising dance troupes!

Marc Races ● 5454d

Oh! There we have it!So it wasn't about a street party really after all. You're just trying to muddy the waters with the street party aren't you.Ugly politics that is easily seen through!

John Holt ● 5454d

I have only one answer to your logic: "5.5 million pounds for a car park in Southall while centres for the disabled and the mentally ill are closed with libraries to follow." I think that all speaks volumes.

Marc Races ● 5454d

You're speaking rubbish Mr Races.What have you got against the people of Southall I wonder!Why shouldn't they have a street party to celebrate the royal wedding just like everyone else?You are lying when you say the council organized it. The community themselves did so.You're just trying to make mischief for the Labour Group but all Cllr Bell did was give it a licence and block the road off just like he did for everyone else that had a party.To call him a council leader of Southall Council is pathetic.The local paper after the event quotes Cllr Bell saying 'the council were covering the insurance, the entertainment licence and the road closure, and therefore the party didn't cost local residents a penny.' As I said you should be asking Miss Bray why she did not bother to support any of the street parties in her area rather than slating a Southall MP off for supporting one in his area. There was another party in Hanwell that was on the One Show with Chris Evans so I hear but you have ignored that.So who do you think you're kidding? Do you really think people so stupid that they can't see through your obvious political propaganda?No wonder people get sick of politicians and their propagandists!

John Holt ● 5454d

Kill the puppies, I want them for a coat. That ones for you Mr Brown.

Frankie Power ● 5454d

The street party was definitely kept quiet. There was nothing in the normal press and nothing on the Ealing Council website before the event which is unusual for such a large event involding thousands of people and lots of council input.The fact of the matter is that the article you cite appeared in February and the wedding and part happened at the end of April. QED.It is a sad fact that the rest of Ealing outside Southall does not exist for Ealing's Labour Group and that what we have is a Mayor of Southall, a council leader of Southall Council, and an MP of Southall who has forgetton that his Ealing Southall constituency covers South Ealing, Northfields, West Ealing. and Hanwell.

Marc Races ● 5454d

I think Mr Races is winding you Ealing residents up with propaganda.He's lying when he says this street party was kept quiet.See article from your local paper in February below which shows it was organized by an MP and paid for by businesses.Your council leader just gave it a license as he did for others around Ealing borough so it didn't cost you anything.Your Ealing/Acton MP Angela Bray could have helped organize one in your area. Why didn't she bother? Maybe Southall's MP gets more involved with his constituents than Miss Bray and just works harder!Special street party planned in Southall for Royal Wedding Feb 24 2011 By James Gates WITH the Royal Wedding only weeks away, a special street party is being organised in Southall celebrating the area's connection with the event.Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall is organising the party on Friday April 29 in Clarence Street, where Kate Middleton’s grandparents once lived.Mr Sharma will shortly be writing to all the 140 homes in the street, outlining his plan.He has also enlisted Ealing Council leader Julian Bell to help give authorisation for the road to be closed and will be talking to local businesses to help sponsor the food, drink and festivities.Mr Sharma said: “As Kate Middleton’s grandparents lived in Clarence Street, Southall, it seemed a great idea to hold a street party in celebration of the Royal Wedding there.“Southall residents are proud of their connection with the newest member of the Royal family and this will be a great way to join in the festivities. I am looking forward to it and I’m sure it will be a great day for everyone involved.”Mr Bell said: “The council is making it easy to arrange street parties for the Royal Wedding and will send out a pack to anyone who wants to know how to close their road for a party.“If the residents of Clarence Street decide they want a party I will help get the street closed. It will be a nice way to celebrate the wedding and the streets connection with Kate Middleton’s family.”The Gazette spoke to a number of residents in and around Clarence Street earlier this week. Many were unaware of Clarence Street's connection.Swarn Singh Kang, ward councillor for Ealing Green said: “I think the idea for a party is a great one. It's a fantastic means of bringing people together.”So far Ealing Council has received a total of eight application forms asking to host street parties across the borough on April 29.

John Holt ● 5454d

So much incompetence in Ealing Council (elected and salaried) combined with a lack of democracy and vested interests. Anger is a natural reaction, and it muc better than being a vegetable and accepting what is wrong around you.

Marc Races ● 5454d

The flowers in the park are not free, of course, but well worth whatever they cost.Visiting bankrupt Dublin a month ago, I noticed that all the parks were immaculately kept and the flower beds brimming over. The Irish obviously understand that a little expenditure there raises people's spirits no end.

Susan Kelly ● 5454d

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and yes, I do like looking at the lovely flowers in the park or elsewhere. The beauty of nature is there for all to see and enjoy. The best things in life are free!I was one of the billions who watched the Royal Wedding marvelling in the spectacle and admiring how everything went like clockwork! If only the organisers were responsible for running public transport!Personally I ask for nothing in return but on such a day it made me proud to be British. It is a cynical world where one cannot appreciate the fact that two young people who seem to be so much in love said their vows in front of the congregation and we all looked on from the sidelines.There is so much sadness in this world and it is lovely to see this young couple starting out together.Certain members of the Royal Family may have tarnished their image somewhat in recent years but surely there are a few black sheep in many families?Queen Elizabeth has devoted her whole life to this country and all I can say is long may she reign.

Jean F Fernandez ● 5455d

So much anger...

James Brown ● 5455d

Hi Jean I bet you really enjoy watching the lovely flowers in the park but sadly the reality of it is that the flowers are totaly unaware of you and don,t give a stuff about you or your life,just like the royals as long as there getting what they need for free they're happy.I've got a life and feel no need to sycopantically doff my cap to these dreary con artists.So it is not me you should be feeling sorry for.

Frankie Power ● 5455d

So that is why Southall has got granite pavements on the main shopping street. Shame that it is such a slum in general in spite of all this labour lavishingness. didnt the southall labour councillors defect to the conservatives a few years ago

Moira Bourne ● 5456d

Jean (if I may)I share in your good wishes to Kate and William.Briefly back to the car park, I guess if you can guarantee to return a Labour councillor (as most of Southall does invariably) then you will get money spent on your area, if you can't make such a guarantee then, sadly, you 'don't matter'.

Nigel Brooks ● 5456d

Surely it is rather unfair to lavish all this attention on one area of the borough - what about the rest of us then, don't we matter???Anyway sorry for any spoilsports out there I certainly really enjoyed watching every minute of the wedding, what a glorious spectacle, I wish Kate & William a long and happy married life!

Jean F Fernandez ● 5456d

This time without the typos - apologies!Simply because Southall routinely returns Labour councillors. Labour have been divisive in this regard, pitching Southall against the rest of the borough, for as long as I can remember. 

Nigel Brooks ● 5458d

Simply because Southall routinely returns Labour councillors. Labour have been divise in this regard, pitching Soutall against the rest of the borough, for as long as I can remember

Nigel Brooks ● 5458d

Why isn't there anything on the Ealing Council website about this party thrown by Ealing Labour?

Camilla Horsfall ● 5458d

What is this obsession with Southall that the Labour Party seems to have at the moment? Doesn't the rest of Ealing exist?

Camilla Horsfall ● 5458d

I love the bit about where the district of ealing known as southall is described as 'primarily a South Asian residential district, also known as "Little India"'. When I have had to visit it it has always come across a large concreted over slum rather than a residential district. Nice to know when our services in ealing are being axed that our three top bods in ealing labour politics have got time to organise and prepare this big a shindig and keep it quiet. Does anyone know how much money and council and central government resources went on this little shindig?

Moira Bourne ● 5458d

While Royal Wedding celebrations in most of Ealing have hardly attracted any backing or interest from the council it is clear that the Southall area of Ealing is being "loved in" by Ealing's Labour glitterati - no doubt something to do with the unnecesary Southall car park. As residents are stunned by the cuts to disabled centres, mental health day centres and the libraries, Labour Council Leader Julian Bell, Labour MP Virendra Sharma, and Labour Mayor of Ealing Rajindra Singh Mann helped organise parties in Southall this week!All three helped organise the event with MP Sharma devoting a lot of his time recently to helping put the dance events together. Clealry the impact massive cuts in Ealing have a lesser priority than partying! Their participation was kept quiet and no prior publicity put out by Ealing Council to the press. No doubt it would be too embarassing for Councillor Bell and the Labour Party that Southall was to have "official" celebrations, but nowhere else in Ealing (strange that, isn't itTo quote The Economic Times today (which scooped the Ealing Gazette, of course): "The fairytale wedding of Prince William with his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton was celebrated all over the UK today but the 'street party' at the Clarence Street in Southall, where Kate's grandfather once lived, was special as it was celebrated in typical Punjabi style with Bhangra dance and folk music.While the wedding proper at the historic Westminster Abbey was shown on the big screen set up near a stage at the Clarence Street in Southall, there were typical scenes of Band Baja, Bhangra and Doli organised by Virendra Sharma, NRI Labour MP .Southall, primarily a South Asian residential district, also known as "Little India".Local businesses including TKC's Restaurant and Chandni Chowk Restaurant owned by leading NRI hotelier Baljit Komal helped to sponsor the food, drink and festivities.Sharma said, "As Kate Middleton's grandfather lived in Clarence Street, Southall, it seemed a great idea to hold a street party in celebration of the Royal Wedding there. " Southall residents are proud of their connection with the newest member of the Royal family. It is a great day for everyone involved."He suggested organising similar parties for celebrating various occasions including Eid and Diwali.Sharma and Mayor of Ealing Rajindra Singh Mann jointly cut a huge cake to celebrate the royal wedding. The cake had sketches of Kate and William on top.Councillor Julian Bell said, "This is a fantastic celebration for the people of Clarence Street. Besides the big screen for the people to watch the wedding, people enjoyed the mock Indian Wedding organised on the occasion. It was a nice way to celebrate the wedding and the streets connection with Kate Middleton's family.""

Marc Races ● 5458d

I would have more interest in knowing how much it cost the tax payer !

Andy Wright ● 5458d

I think I would have more intrest in watching the cucumber sandwich.

Frankie Power ● 5458d