We'll pay the price for Lib Dem broken promises

When it comes to Lib Dem broken promises, sadly it seems we're all in this together.

During the election, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg attacked Tory secret plans to increase VAT. Two months later, he’s supported the Tories’ 20 per cent VAT bombshell.

The unfair Tory budget wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Lib Dems. Hard-working families are paying the price for Nick Clegg’s rise to power.

In the past few weeks they’ve u-turned on three years of Lib Dem economic policy by supporting the Tories in delivering a Budget which will risk the recovery, and people in this country will pay the price.

The Lib Dems have betrayed their own voters by:

Supporting the Tories’ 20 per cent VAT bombshell
Backing early cuts to public spending when he had previously denounced them
Supporting cuts to frontline services

Do you feel let down by the Lib Dems? Join Britain's progressive alternative - go to labour.org.uk/join
Or email us at labourtulsehill@hotmail.com if you want to help in our local campaigns.

MP Chuka backs Ruth Ling

Streatham’s newly elected MP – whose patch includes Brixton and Tulse Hill – has backed Ruth Ling to be our new councillor.

MP Chuka Umunna said: “Ruth is a tireless campaigner who will work hard for local people.

“She’s got the experience to make a real difference for Tulse Hill, campaigning hard for new schools, more police and better homes.”

He added: “I’d like to thank everyone who voted in the General Election, and now I urge everyone to vote for Ruth Ling as our new councillor.

She will be a real champion for this area!”

To contact Chuka call 020 8769 5063 or email chuka.umunna.mp@parliament.uk

Lib Dem campaign “vile and disgusting”

A local political commentator who often supports the Lib Dems has called their Tulse Hill by-election campaign "vile and disgusting".

The blogger wrote on his popular website:

"Lambeth Lib Dems have confused the possibility for political debate with a vile and disgusting mud slinging opportunity."

"The election leaflet represents a new low for Lambeth electioneering – and that really is saying something."

Other residents agree with him. One dismayed local mum asked:

"Have the Lib Dems got nothing positive to say to local people? First they put the Tories in power, and now they’re putting this rubbish through our doors. We’re sick and tired of their negative politics."

Lib Dems target cuts on Lambeth

The new Lib Dem-Tory coalition government has admitted their savage funding cuts will hit inner-city areas hardest. That means Brixton and Tulse Hill will get MORE cuts than better-off areas leaving local people to suffer the most.

Lib Dem-Tory Government Minister Bob Neill said, “Those in greatest need ultimately bear the burden of paying off the debt”

Labour’s Ruth Ling was quick to defend local services. She said “The Lib Dems must rethink their unfair plans to hit inner city areas hardest. It’s now clear that only Labour will stand up for Brixton and Tulse Hill.”

Before the General Election the Lib Dems claimed a vote for them would keep the Tories out. But after the election the Lib Dems couldn’t wait to put David Cameron’s right-wing Tories through the door of 10 Downing Street. After that shameful betrayal many local people are saying “we will never trust the Lib Dems again”.

Money for new schools, better housing, and help to get unemployed people back to work is under threat from the Lib Dems. But local people are shocked to hear the Lib Dems are targeting the worst of the cuts on areas like Lambeth. They will hit inner city areas like Brixton and Tulse Hill hardest while richer areas will get let off more lightly.

It’s simply unfair – but then that’s the Lib Dems all over.

Oona King lends a hand in Tulse Hill

The former MP and candidate for Mayor of London, Oona King joined local Labour activists in Tulse Hill campaigning to get Ruth Ling elected as their new councillor.

Here are some pictures of Oona, Ruth and the team talking to local residents about why they're backing Labour to protect them from the 'savage cuts' that the Lib Dems have promised to impose on hard working residents in Lambeth.

Lambeth comes 2nd in London’s Greenest Councils table.

Darren Johnson, the London Assembly Member for the Green Party has compiled a new league table that highlights many of the environmental challenges faced by London’s new borough leaders. Lambeth is rated second in London for its excellent progress in reducing CO2, improving recycling rates and reducing road traffic and is a testament to Labours investment and improvements to make Lambeth a greener place to live.

The league table partly reflects how boroughs performed on domestic energy use, carbon emissions, waste arisings, and recycling rates. The table also partly reflects how boroughs improved in terms of helping people to reduce their energy use and carbon emissions, making the roads safer and reducing congestion. In these areas boroughs face very different challenges, so making improvement an important additional measure of success.

Labour Cllr Lorna Campbell, Cabinet Member for Environment said;
“This is good news for Lambeth and reflects the importance we have placed on helping people be more environmentally friendly as part of their day to day lives. We have been improving and extending recycling facilities, incentivising people to use their cars less and other forms of transport more, and helping residents save on energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient through our ‘Green Doctors’ scheme. Our ‘Green Community Champions’ scheme is also recognised across London, and now has hundreds of members who are working to make their local areas more sustainable by setting up food growing projects and other council supported schemes.”

Ken revisits childhood home on Tulse Hill estate

When residents of the Tulse Hill estate answered a knock on their door on Tuesday evening, they were surprised to find Ken Livingstone standing on their doorstep.

The former Mayor of London was visiting the estate where he grew up so as to introduce Ruth Ling, the Labour candidate in the Tulse Hill by-election to be held on 1 July, to local people.

Ken was born in Shrubbery Road, Streatham, but then moved to Irby House on the Tulse Hill estate, and attended Tulse Hill Comprehensive School before being elected as a Lambeth councillor in 1971.

“He got a great reception, with several families inviting him into their homes and kids clamouring round him,” says Ruth. “A number of families had their photo taken with him and lots of people came up and shook hands with him. He’s still very popular with Londoners and hopes to make a comeback as Mayor in 2012.”

Council Leader Steve Reed and several other Lambeth councillors joined Ken Livingstone and Ruth Ling on the estate walkabout on 8 June.

Ruth's Tulse Hill diary

Since being chosen on 29 May as Labour's candidate in the Tulse Hill by-election, Ruth Ling has been busy out and about in the local community:Sunday 30 May – walkabout throughout the ward with Councillor Jackie Meldrum, deputy leader of the Council, including streets and the High Trees / St Martin's, Tulse Hill and Cressingham Gardens estates.

Monday 31 May – meeting residents on the St Matthew's estate and picking up problems to report to the Council.

Tuesday 1 June – meeting residents on the Tulse Hill estate.

Wednesday 2 June – meeting residents on the High Trees / St Martin's estate.

Thursday 3 June – attended a meeting of the Tulse Hill Tenants' and Residents' Association, then to the town hall for the Brixton Area Leaseholders' Forum.

Friday 4 June – assisted Councillor Marcia Cameron at her advice surgery.

Saturday 5 June – meeting residents and collecting signatures on a petition protesting against the new LibDem / Tory government's cuts to public service funding.

Monday 7 June – attended a meeting of the High Trees Community Development Development Trust Board.

Tuesday 8 June – meeting residents on the Tulse Hill estate with Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London, and picking up problems to report to the Council.

Blur star meets Tulse Hill residents

It’s not every day that you pop down to the shops and find one of the stars of Britpop there. But that’s what happened when residents went to the shopping parade in Upper Tulse Hill on Saturday 5 June, and found themselves chatting to Blur drummer Dave Rowntree. Dave was there with members of the local Labour Party and Tulse Hill by-election Labour candidate Ruth Ling. They were there to talk to local people about the cuts in spending on public services threatened by the new LibDem-Tory coalition government, and to collect signatures on a petition protesting against the cuts.
“The first thing to go when the new government got in was the Child Trust Fund,” says Ruth Ling. “A lot of people we’ve spoken to in Tulse Hill in the last week have told us they are disgusted that children will be losing out in this way.” The scheme, introduced by the last Labour government to encourage parents to save for their children’s future, gave all children born after 2002 a voucher for £250. The money belongs to the child and can't be touched until they turn 18, so that children have some money behind them to start their adult life. All payments are to be scrapped by next January.

Labour chooses experienced community activist as election candidate

Local Labour party members met last weekend to choose their candidate for the upcoming byelection, Ruth Ling.

Ruth is an experienced community activist to be the Labour candidate in Tulse Hill. She brings 16 years of knowledge of how Lambeth council works, having been a councillor in a ward just up the road.

The election will be held on Thursday, July 1st following the resignation of Toren Smith.

Ruth said: "I'm delighted to have been chosen by local party activists as the candidate. From now until election day I will be out every day talking to local residents in Tulse Hill. I want to see local services such as shools, housing and police protected for residents from the savage cuts that the Lib Dem-Tory government is planning."

Vote Lib Dems, get Tories!

Lambeth’s Lib Dems are facing a massive backlash after they betrayed local people. They put Tories in government then backed Tory plans to rip apart public services with "savage cuts". Some local people backed the Lib Dems because they promised to keep the Tories out. Now every one of those voters feels betrayed.

Labour councillor Marcia Cameron said: "The Lib Dems angered local people when they went back on their word and put the right-wing Tories in power. Now the Tories are free to slash and destroy public services just like they did the last time they grabbed power. Can anyone in Brixton ever trust the Lib Dems again?"

Join Labour’s campaign to save local services in Tulse Hill

Labour’s joining forces with local people to stop Lib Dem and Tory plans to savage local services in Tulse Hill.

Labour is campaigning to save funding earmarked to upgrade crumbling council homes and build the new secondary and primary school places local children need. The following could be under threat:

- Plans to upgrade crumbling council homes
- New secondary school
- More primary school places
- Help to get jobless people back to work

The new Tory-Lib Dem Government has threatened to SLASH the funding and end the dream of better homes and schools in the Tulse Hill and Brixton Hill area. Will you join our campaign to protect local services? If so, get in touch with us.

Your Labour Team in Tulse Hill

Councillor Ade Aminu
Ademola (Ade) Aminu lives in Brixton Hill. He is a full time lecturer teaching Business in a Further Education College in South West London. He is a school governor at Sudbourne Primary School and Lambeth Academy and Deputy Cabinet Member for Younger People. Ade is President of the Association of Nigerian Lecturers and is well known in London’s Nigerian community often speaking at events at the Nigerian High Commission.

Ade says: “Although part of my role is sitting on committees trying to improve council services, I am determined not to be stuck in the Town Hall, away from the people we were elected to represent. I want to be out and about in our local communities listening to your views. Please invite me to your meeting or get in contact - I want to hear from you.”

Phone: 07946 218 192
Email: aaminu@lambeth.gov.uk

Councillor Marcia Cameron
Marcia has deep roots in the local community. She has lived in Tulse Hill for most of her life, attended schools in the Borough including Fenstanton. Her immediate family lives on the St. Martins estate. Marcia works in the children’s care sector.

Marcia says: “I became a Councillor because the best way to fight for the community was from within the Council rather than standing on the outside complaining or paying lip service. Over the years I have seen how politics has affected our community, from the Thatcher years when I remember not having enough paper and books in school and the loss of school milk not to mention the un-easy feeling between the community and the police at the time.

I have also seen the Liberal Democrats, when they ran Lambeth Council, begin a large programme of selling-off council housing and not address issues like the housing fraud.”

Marcia is also a Governor of Kings College Hospital.

Phone: 0208 674 2739
Email: mcameron@lambeth.gov.uk

Ruth Ling
Ruth Ling is an experienced community activist, having been a councillor in Lambeth for 16 years. She has a track record in standing up for local people and campaigning to protect local jobs and services.

She is the Labour candidate for the Tulse Hill by-election, which will be held on Thursday July 1st.

Ruth says: "I'm delighted to have been chosen by local party activists as the election candidate. From now until election day I will be out every day talking to local residents in Tulse Hill. I want to see local services such as shools, housing and police protected for residents from the savage cuts that the Lib Dem-Tory government is planning."

Email: labourtulsehill@hotmail.com