Abolition! The Thomas Clarkson Story

I have blogged in the past about Thomas Clarkson, his links to Ipswich and the key part he played in the abolition of the slave trade.
His links to the town is something we should be proud of, and this month, Ipswich Museum have opened an exhibition about his life with plenty on the fight to abolish the slave trade.

Ipswich has recently seen a number of statues appear in the town, the most recent the Rugby playing, Russian emigre who fought with the RAF in World War II. Now he deserved a statue as he fought from Martlesham Airfield and his grave is in Ipswich cemetery, but surely a statue of Thomas Clarkson is long overdue.
Location? How about Barrack Corner, a number of the streets around that part of town are named after those from the Quaker movement and others involved in the abolition of the slave trade.
Recently I have read the biography of William Wilberforce, after his death there occurred a number of arguments between Clarkson and the sons of Wilberforce about who played the major role in the Abolition movement. But both have been quoted - Clarkson and Wilberforce, that this evil trade would not have been abolished with out the efforts of the other.

So Ipswich council, when ou ext get a cash handout from some property developer, a statue of Thomas Clarkson would be a excellent visual reminder of a son this town can be proud of.

Good news for Renfrew Road- at last!

Some good news to report at last!
After a long campaign by my Labour colleagues and myself we have been informed that essential carriageway repairs will take place on the Renfrew Road/Ayr Road junction on Friday 26th June.

This is long overdue as this junction is also on the main bus route through the ward.

This is only a small victory, as we push to receive our fair share of cash for road improvements.
the Labour Government has increased the amount of money for road repairs it gives to Suffolk County Council, the trouble is the Tory run council does not give Ipswich it's fair share of the money.

Hazel Blears- too late to come crawling back

Hazel Blears let down the Labour Party and it's members. I actually like some of the stuff she said in her campaign to be deputy Prime Minister, her close links with her Labour roots, working class girl 'made good', her push for the parliamentary party to be closer to those of us out campaigning every week. I was also impressed by her use of new technology, tied in with good old knocking on doors, shaking hands and talking to people.

Then she acts like a spoilt child who has her toys taken off her! She quits just before the Euro and County elections- her aim to damage Gordon Brown. She did that bur she also kicked in the teeth those who campaign week in week out, and especially those who had spent every spare minute of the last 4 weeks fighting a campaign that was difficult anyway.

Now she has changed her tune! Her interviews this weekend have been very emotional, now I am not saying that she is not upset, I am sure she is, but partly because she realises she made a big mistake, she is from a strong Labour family and I am sure those in the North West who know her better will rally round her but I hope some there are honest enough to tell her that she had let them as well as us down.

The 'rocking the boat' brooch just made her quitting look more like an act of a teenager playing up because she is not allowed to go out Saturday night.

The election was always going to be hard for Labour this time but we suffered more than others because of the expenses controversy, even though more Tories were caught with their noses in the trough, but lets face it Hazel, you were caught ' playing the system' and that is when you should of quit.

I am sure she will bounce back, and that she will work hard in the Manchester area, but for many of us in the Labour movement we feel betrayed by her actions - maybe she should go on 'You Tube' and explain her real reasons for going.

Keep the BNP out of Ipswich

Keep the BNP out of Ipswich – It was a sad day for the town this week when the BNP announced that they would stand in Bridge and Chantry. I have always been proud of the fact that Ipswich has been a town of many cultures and one that was not blighted by the race riots of the 80;s or the rise of the National Front in the 1970’s.
One of my old school friends has contacted me since I have been in Afghanistan and we both remember the great times we had at Toweramparts, but the best thing about the school was how everyone got on – white, West Indian, Sikh, Indian, Ukrainian- it was a school of many different cultures but the fact that we all stuck together- what ever the provocation was part of my education and upbringing that I am proud of.

Now we have fascists standing in this town that is not what is Ipswich is about – recently we have had Mayor’s born in the West Indies, but if you go to the Racecourse estate and just off Felixstowe Road is a street named after the first Asian Mayor in Ipswich – and that was in the 1920’s.

It seems funny and slightly perverse that I am sitting in Afghanistan, trying to bring democracy and freedom to all in a troubled country, when back in Ipswich we have two people standing who would like to take away the right to live in a democracy from thousands who now see Britain as there home.

Please make sure in June we show them at the ballot box that they are not wanted in this town and that they go back under the stone they crawled out from.

ROAD WORKS PROMISED TO BE DONE IN RENFREW ROAD

NOT BEFORE TIME!
ROAD WORKS PROMISED TO BE DONE IN RENFREW ROAD

For a very long time I have been pressing the council to repair potholes and bad road surfaces on the Rushmere estate.

In particular, the part of Renfrew Road at the junction with Ayr Road has been in a terrible state.

At long last, and after more pressure on the council, we understand that resurfacing work is being planned for this part of the road and that ‘currently’ the council anticipates the works being completed by the end of June.

Welcome though this will be, there are, as we all know, very many more potholes and bad road surfaces, some of which are potentially dangerous to cyclists and motor cyclists, not to mention the damage they do to car tyres.

Labour councillors will continue to press the Tory/Liberal council to make our roads safe.

This week I will depart for Afghanistan after completing my training in Ireland, but whilst I am away my Labour colleagues will continue to campaign on your behalf and mine. So if you have a pothole or bad road surface you’d like your labour team to refer to the council you can contact us by any of the methods below:


New e mail address: alasdairrosslabour@hotmail.com You can also contact my Labour colleagues by writing to
A Ross, c/o 33 Silent Street Ipswich, IP1 1TF
or you can phone the office on: 01473 255131

I hope to be able to continue with my blog whilst I am away, I also have a Twitter page that will give you a feel of the type of work the Army is undertaking in Afghanistan: http://twitter.com/leftwingsoldier


Thank you,

Shackleton -Timewatch- Rifles at the South Pole.

Last year I blogged on the Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition to the South Pole. Shackleton is my hero and probably one of the greatest British leaders of all time.


Tonight I have just watched the BBC 2 Timewatch programme, which followed the successful 2008/09 Expedition. A fantastic programme and a great achievement,

The picture is of Lt Col Henry Worsley, a former colleague of mine, here he is at the South Pole, with the Rifles flag.

A proud moment.

Daniel Hannan - showing the Tory Party is still full of far right politicians

You would have thought that now he is the 'darling' of the US media and a 'You Tube' star, the Tory party would be pushing Daniel Hannan forward as a spokesman for the Tory Party, grass root Tories are even suggesting he may be a future leader or even PM.

Today has shown why those in Conservative Central Office were not so keen to see Hannan take central stage. On a US Chat show (not sure he is doing much for his constituents, whilst he is appearing on US TV) this week he has declared that the NHS is a failed Socialist experiment. Both my parents spent most of their working life working for the NHS, so I have notrhing but great pride when it comes to talk of the NHS and like most of my Labour colleagues I believe the NHS is the greatest social invention of the 20th century. We all know that the NHS needs to improve and that changes have to be made but no way can the last 60 years of the health service be seen as a failure. This is what Hannan said on US Fox TV:

"If you see a friend about to make a terrible mistake you try and warn him ... We have lived through this mistake for 60 years now. It began with the best of intentions. It began because people thought it was wrong for those who weren't well off and who couldn't afford the best healthcare to be treated differently. Everyone felt it is a nice togetherness solidarity thing if we all took part in this experiment. But the reality is that it hasn't worked. It has made people iller ... As long as you have a socialist system, no amount of extra spending is going to save it".

If you can stomach it, you can see the vile man talking on US TV here.

I am still waiting for Mr Cameron to tell Hannan he is wrong and to defend the NHS, it was only 3 months ago that Cameron stated that the Tories could become: "the Party of the NHS".

I actually believe that Cameron is an admirer and supporter of the NHS, trouble is most Tory MP's, MEP's and activists are more likely to agree with Hannan. Even in Ipswich, Tory councillor Gavin Maclure called one of Hannan's speeches -'Superb'.

Well the fame has got to him, not sure how going on a Right wing/republican supporting TV Channel and criticising the NHS is showing the British public that the Tories are 'the Party of the NHS'. I just believe that in his attacks on the health service, he is insulting all those who have devoted their lives or still are devoting their lives to the care of others through the NHS.

Funny thing he seems to forget to mention to his new friend - Far Right American, Sean Hannity that Daniel actually said he wanted Obama to win the US Presidential election.

The Tory Spring conference will be upon us soon, I wonder who will get the biggest cheer from the Tory faithful? Cameron telling them they are now 'the Party of the NHS' or Hannan telling them that the NHS is a failed socialist experiment.

John Prescott has become so enraged that he has even made a video critisising Hannan, watch John here, defending the NHS.