Labour's Manifesto Doesn't say Enough on Libraries

I notice that yesterday's Labour manifesto included a pledge to "preserve libraries" and reintroduce national standards.  I welcome the second part of that promise, but I am always rather disappointed that library debates all seem to be somewhat conservative in talking about preserving the past rather than developing the future.  Libraries should be reacting to changes in their communities and in society.  The obvious example is digitalisation, although one could also pick other such as increasing demand for social space and interaction.

I always feel that these debates tend to be intellectually thin.

The Queensbury Redevelopment

The redevelopment of the Queensbury pub in Willesden has finally gone ahead after a long saga of different applications.  The final scheme is substantively different from the one I voted against in 2014.  In that sense long standing opponents can claim a kind of victory, but the idea that you can just block redevelopments forever is not realistic.

Opposing Public Libraries like its 1893

Interesting to see that the original opponents of public libraries back in 1893 used many of the same arguments that their successors use today. 

What is the UK Library Sector Like?

This is a handy summary of where public libraries in the UK are and how they match up to other parts of Europe.  Despite central government cuts, still fairly high.  Other countries are also available. 

The Wife of Willesden

The Kiln Theatre is staging an updated version of the Wife of Bath's Tale by Zadie Smith who likes using Brent as a location.  It will be interesting to compare it to Wife, which was staged earlier in the year.

The latter was a play set in 1959, 1989 and 2019 with three different scenarios taking Ibsen's A Doll's House as a starting point.  Indhu Rubasingham record includes directing a production of a Doll's House in the past.  The Chaucer tale is a reminder that depictions of assertive women are nothing new.

It is being produced as part of the wider Borough of Culture programme.  

Frank Dobson's Death

Sadly, Frank Dobson has died.  Frank was the long serving MP for Holborn and St Pancras, Health Secretary in Tony Blair's first Cabinet, a Leader of Camden Council and Labour's first London Mayoral candidate in 2000. 

I was his election agent in 2005 and his reputation across the constituency was extraordinary.  He had served there from 1979, and by the time I got there he was extraordinarily well known for all the work he had done as a constituency MP.  People would thank him for things he had done from them twenty years before, and that was no part of the community that he hadn't touched in some way.

Brexit Climbdown

What bemuses me about Nigel Farage's standing down of more than 300 of his candidates for the Brexit Party is that none of them get any say in the matter.  He just announces it and none of them are quoted as saying anything.  This is almost as odd as their original launch when their names were not announced.  To add to it all Arron Banks is apparently instructing Farage to remove even more of their "candidates".

It is almost as if they were not a real party, and Farage was a Leader in name only.

Oliver Sacks and Links to Brent

It may not be widely known that the noted neurologist grew up in Brent.  His home was the now non-residential 37 Mapesbury Road.  In his works he makes occasional references to Brent.  His father was a member of a sailing club on the Welsh Harp.  He enjoyed frequenting Willesden Library, which would have been the original 1894 building. He worshipped at the now defunct Cricklewood Synagogue in Walm Lane.

I hope some day he gets a blue plaque recognising his links to the area

Brent Local Plan Review

Brent is now (until 5 December) reviewing its Local Plan.  This is an important document that underpins all the Borough's Planning Application decisions.

Fanny Mendelson at Willesden Library

Willesden Library is hosting an unusual event about Fanny Mendelsohn on 21 November, whose more widely known brother was Felix Mendelsohn (and both of them grandchildren of Moses Mendelsohn).  Among other things it is an interesting example of how Herstory aproaches can provide a new angle to familiar stories.

Optimism on Climate Change

Away from the rhetoric of gestures such as having a climate assembly, there is actually good news coming on carbon emissions.  Advances in wind technology should lead to a huge rise in production, and if the battery problem can be solved, this could contribute to baseload production.  Even aviation appears to be making progress with possible small electric only aircraft.

Reconfiguring Willesden Library

I suggested a little while ago reconfiguring Willesden Library to create a cafe directly on Willesden High Road in the "Reading Room".

The next question would be what to do with the current cafe space.  One option might be to see if some one else wants to rent it.  A second might be to see if the library wants to use it?  For instance, it might make a good semi-detached space for the Council advice services currently towards the back of the library.  It could also be used for the childrens sessions, which (because of the noise) can sometimes irritate other users.  It could be used as exhibition space by the Brent Museum.  It might have some entirely new use as a maker space for example.  It could also be used as a hiring space for events in general, including live music.

I see no inherent barrier to any of these purposes.

Orientalism at the British Museum

It is worth trying the new Orientalist painting exhibition at the British Museum, although the items are restricted to those of the Museum itself and some items from Malaysia.  Orientalism as an idea really needs updating from the Edward Said perception.

The exhibition and its aims are described in a blog by its curator. 

Tory Cock Ups

The line on the Tory launch appeared to be that someone had just "cocked things up".  It is come to something when you think that the best line of defence for your Party is that you are the Party that cocks stuff up.

In fact, it is much worse.  Aside from the Keir Starmer film being not just a mistake as James Cleverly appeared to be trying to argue it was a deliberately false piece of footage.  It was not just "shortened" but edited in a way that was manifestly false. 

When your Party is led by a man who has repeatedly been associated with lying to everyone including his employers, the voters and even the Queen, the circulation of deceptive videos is really not good.  The resignation of the Welsh Secretary and the prior endorsement of Donald Trump risks this current Tory campaign in danger of making Theresa May's 2017 effort look like a triumph.

New Referendum on Brexit

I am surprised by those politicians who have been telling us for ages that a new referendum might lead civil unrest seem to have no such worries about a new General Election just over two years into a five year Parliament.  Why one but not the other?

Perhaps they have been influenced by the expected riots by people after the delay of 31 October were apparently limited to somewhat diminutive rioters going from door to door.

The Kiln and Community Engagement Again

Following my praising the Kiln Theatre's efforts at community involvement, I note that it is now being subjected to criticism on the grounds that the people in the production were not paid.

I think this is to misunderstand the long tradition of community engagement that is being invoked here.  This production is more in the tradition of Noye's Fludde and other "Peoples' Theatre".  Complaining about it is a bit like complaining about Amateur Dramatics, or amateur musicians giving recitals, or Brent Dance Month.  It ignores part of the country's long tradition of occasional arts participation.

The principle of paying people who doing a professional job is an important one, and one that undermined many of the pitches for "Big Society" volunteer libraries.  Although I had to examine these during the Libraries Transformation Project, it was never satisfactorily resolved as to when being a volunteer passed into effective employment and therefore demanded things like minimum wage employment, insurance and so on.

Kensal Rise Library Opening Hours

Kensal Rise Library is now operating.  Its opening hours are for three and a half days a week starting 10am, ending at 8pm on Wednesdays; 5pm on Thursdays and Fridays and 1pm on Saturday.  One of the big problems with running a volunteer service is that it will be difficult to keep this up on a long term basis, as the mix of volunteers will change. 

At the time of writing, there appear to be no events planned.

Climate Assembly

A group of elect Committee chairs have decided to invite people to a Climate Assembly.  I don't know how effective this will be although I have been told the Irish experience over their abortion referendum was positive using similar techniques. 

Kingsbury Library Temporary Closure

Kingsbury Library will be closed for refurbishment between 11 November and 15 December before reopening.  The refurbishment is somewhat overdue, and decided back in early October.  I recall that with previous refurbishments, some "campaigners" made great play of the need for interim measures, but I haven't heard anyone argue that here.  I wonder why that is.

When the Crows Visit at the Kiln Theatre

I saw when the When the Crows Visit at the Kiln Theatre this week.  Reviews are now out and they rightly point out that it is much tougher going than more feelgood shows such as White Teeth.  Given the subject matter of extreme violence against women, that is not a surprise.  Nonetheless it is an extremely powerful piece of drama and well worth a visit. 

Council Officers in Libraries

I saw this tweet from my home County of Essex, which currently has a major controversy going on about public libraries and whether they should be closed (i.e. handed over to "volunteers" in the standard euphemism).  It does something that "campaigners" like to do, but which I consider is quite misleading.

The writer refers to the Cabinet and the CC officers as if the library staff were not Council officers.  Of course they are Council officers as they are employed by the Council.  That is actually one of the points of the Essex campaign, that libraries should continue to be staffed by paid properly trained staff.  I suspect the reason that "campaigners" seek to engage in this kind of sleight of hand is that they like to pretend that all the decisions are being made by some shadowy group of malignant people who know nothing of the services that the Council provides.  Actually admitting that the staff recommending the details of the Essex budget are not in a continuum with the same staff that meet on entering the library cuts across that idea.

It is a dishonest tactic in my view.

Disabled Access to Libraries

Despite being a Scots MP, Ian Murray (MP for Edinburgh South) has asked a question about access to digital technology in libraries.  Too often people think in terms of libraries being accessed as simply one of physical transport, whereas of course it is important the materials are accessible as well.  However it is disappointing that the question did not elicit the statistics that were being sought. 

Reproviding the Willesden Library Cafe

There is now a petition to Brent Council to reprovide the Willesden Library Cafe by reducing the rents.  I am not sure that would actually be effective.  This is not least because the cafe had a period without rent at the beginning of the tenancy, and I don't think it is necessarily paying rent now.

Those of us who have followed the attempt to let the space over the years can attest the economics are tricky, but there is no doubt that this sort of colocation is effective in helping the Library and Willesden High Road.  My own suggestion is reconfiguring the building with the cafe at the front to make any cafe a more obvious feature of the site.

By the way, although the petitioners (whoever they might be) think that:

"After countless years of neglect, Willesden Green has recently started to show signs of growth and development; this is in large part due to the work of community minded individuals within the community coming together."

Those of us who recall building the library can remember when a number of people who claimed to speak for "the community" were hotly opposed to the plans which made the current cafe space possible.  Here are some of them protesting against the library back in 2013:

Still, it is nice to see that the petitioners consider the Library to be a "highly valued and much-loved facility." 

Climate Emergency and Brent Friends of the Earth

The Kilburn Times has chosen to highlight the climate emergency using a national Friends of the Earth document that doesn't really pay attention to Brent's characteristics as an area.

Naturally, it includes a quotation form Brent's Friends of the Earth who opposed Brent Council's improvements to recycling despite the positive improvements to carbon emissions.  The same group also opposed the Council's introduction of "polluter pays" parking permits.  Indeed many of them as individuals have also protested against the many actions that Brent Council has taken to reduce carbon emissions, including the Civic Centre.

The story quotes the current Chair, who says: "One of the things Brent tells us about is what a good sustainable Civic Centre they have...It's got a lot of stuff in it that makes it energy efficient but it's surrounded by a concrete desert of high rises in an unnatural environment. We don't doubt Brent's sincerity in wanting to do it but it really needs to start upping its game and moving much more quickly."

I take it that he is simply unaware that new housing in the Borough's five growth areas (which include Wembley) meet higher environmental standards (CSH4) than the Borough as a whole (CSH3).  The CSH stands for Code for Sustainable Homes, and is a standard measure.  On the street tree issue I find it hard to believe that he hasn't noticed the widespread planting of trees across Brent, which is actually not bad for an urban area. 

He is presumably also blissfully unaware that Brent Council has been monitoring its environmental performance for many years (as it did when I was Lead Member).  Some of these items fall by the wayside, largely because of central government cuts, but the big ones are in place.

Willesden Library Cafe Closes

Sadly the Willesden Library Cafe opened for the last time yesterday.  When I think back to how long it took to establish, this is deeply disheartening.  Brent Council probably now needs to consider whether it needs to reconfigure the building.  If the cafe were in the "Reading Room" it would have a more natural frontage to appeal to the passing trade on Willesden High Road.

Martin's Lament
Meanwhile, the closure has given Martin Francis an opportunity to showcase his negativity about Willesden Library.  It is such a good demonstration of his techniques that it is worth quoting in full.  He writes:

 "When Brent Council decided to demolish the 1980s Willesden Green Library and sell the car park to a private developer  they renamed its successor a 'Library and  Cultural Centre.' In the course of the redevelopment they closed the cinema and denied any space to the well-loved and well-used Willesden Bookshop. The bookshop could not afford the high rent and overheads that would have been demanded by Brent Council even if an adequate space had been made available. The cultural offer was limited by a closure time of 8pm and a demand that any event going on after that time should pay an additional sum for security.


Now the Delipod Hub cafe, on the ground floor of the building, which has been attracting a local following, especially for its Friday night music sessions, has thrown in the towel in after a valiant attempt to keep going."

Firstly, it is wrong to say that the cinema was closed "in the course of redevelopment".  In fact the cinema ceased to show films round about 2000, because it was not commercially successful and could not afford digitalisation.  The Willesden bookshop was charged very little in the old centre because the space that was built there had inadequate storage for a retail use.  Had the bookshop wanted to continue as a bricks and mortar enterprise, Willesden High Road has a number of shop fronts of varying sizes.  The fact that the same owner closed their Kilburn bookshop branch at the same time hints that they were responding more to the rise of the Internet, which has been devastating for the physical book trade.

The final point about opening times is valid and I have raised it myself, although Martin doesn't really make any allowance for the financial pressure on the Council from the Tory cuts.

He also doesn't mention that the old Cafe Gigi also closed down some time in the first decade of this century, so it is clear that the whole sector is a tough one to operate in.  It is not just a matter of Brent Council being somehow just malignant.  I notice he also doesn't mention the presence of the art gallery, the Brent Museum, the small scale occasional dramatic/artistic/musical/film and book reading events in the library, the smaller exhibitions or the other art works on Willesden High Road in his dismissal of the "Borough of Culture".  He also seems to have forgotten that his own opposition to rebuilding the Willesden Library would have meant it continuing without any cafe at all.
 

Legal and Administrative Difficulties of a 2019 Election

With so much talk of an early election, I wonder whether anyone in Parliament is thinking about the practical and legal difficulties of having an election on 12 December, when the new register comes into force on 1 December?

This will be hard for the political parties who would have to spend most of the campaign with the old register before suddenly switching to the new one.  There will be a similar problem for returning officers sending out polling cards in November, only to find that some of the people given them will have dropped off the register, some will have come on and everyone polling numbers will have changed on polling day.  People may even be sent a notice to vote only to be turned away when they get there.  There will be similar issues around the dispatch of postal votes and proxy votes.  This will certainly cause confusion and possibly legal problems.

Kiln Theatre and the Community

I was sorry to have missed the Seven Ages of Patience at the Kiln Theatre, which was sold out.  It certainly got a good review in The Stage, and the Director shared some of the challenges and benefits of producing it with the Kilburn Times.

It is also a vindication of the new direction that Indhu Rubasingham has brought to the Kiln Theatre in terms of linking it to the Brent community.  This is a story told by and about that community and is in a fine UK tradition of popular theatre.  It demonstrates that some of the criticism directed at her for not linking to the local area is seriously off the mark.

Children Centre Closures

Brent is being forced by central government cuts to close another six of its childrens centres, as local government cuts continue to bite despite the warm words of the Conservative Government.  This is part of a wider pattern that has been going on for years.  The six centres that are closed are: Barham Park, Harmony, Mount Stewart, Treetops, Wembley Primary and Wykeham.  Some of these sites are near schools which may be able to use them for educational purposes, and there is a private user at Treetops, that may may be able to use the whole building. 

Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN)

I was interested to see in the Kilburn Times that there is a new group of architects called Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN) formed to work out techniques to decarbonise the built environment.  They want to prioritise retrofitting.  Whilst it is important that this area be tackled since it many of the buildings in the UK are old and need to be improved, they should not ignore the possible use of new techniques in completely new buildings such as Brent Civic Centre.

Brent Central Labour Party Marching for a New Referendum

Saturday's People's Vote March, which a group from Brent Central CLP attended (photo courtesy of Martin Francis) demonstrated once again that a substantial body of people want a final say on any proposed Brexit deal.  The only argument I have heard from Boris Johnson on this is that he sees his interpretation of the 2016 referendum result as binding pretty much forever.  I notice that seems to apply a different judgement to the results of the 2017 General Election, where he wants Parliament's mandate renewed by a new General Election.

Is it possible that he adjusts his arguments according to what he finds convenient at any given moment?

Kilburn Rebuild Approved

South Kilburn residents have approved the regeneration of the area with 72% of the residents voting in the referendum.  However, I would suggest that this leaves a lot of key issues in doubt, such as tenure mix and so on. 

Go Further than Extinction

I see that some people are beginning to voice the view that the "Extinction Rebellion" activists have "gone too far".  Of course, if you follow their extinction of the human race rhetoric, it is hardly surprising that they go to extremes.  Those who indulge in such rhetoric are hardly free of responsibility for what follows.

What I still find striking is the lack of knowledge and focus.  I saw one protester quoted in The Times who said he was furious that the mainstream media did not report on environmentalism adequately.  Asked for evidence he said he didn't have any because he did "not read newspapers."  I would have thought that if you really believe what the protester say they do, a little bit of research might be appropriate.

Mind you, I don't believe that real progress on climate change will actually come from all these protests.  Real change will come from people in committee rooms passing new regulations and creating new technologies to solve the problems.

Haringey Momentum Learns Local Government the Hard Way

Haringey Momentum influence a decision to block a scheme in the Borough.  This decision is now overturned.   The Planning Inspector has the power to levy costs on Haringey Council if he thinks the previous decision unreasonable.  This is why you cannot have political caucases simply issuing dictats on planning applications.

March for a Confirmatory Ballot

The time for a Peoples Vote March this Saturday is fast approaching.  I also suspect that support for a confirmatory ballot is growing, not least because a further Brexit delay is inevitable given that much of the necessary legislation has simply not been passed.  I also find it rather ridiculous that MPs are expected to examine and pass whatever Johnson's deal is with such little time to study it.

Not What it Seems on the Tin

The £250 million for Creative industries and culture recently announced is one of those numbers designed to sound big whilst actually not being that great.

Firstly, is is a five year grant so it is actually £50 million per year.  Secondly, the £125 million for "libraries and museums" is not that much per authority even if it were evenly spread across England's c. 150 library authorities.  Thirdly it won't be, it will be awarded by ministers on who knows what criteria to whoever they pick.  One Museum, like the National Rail Museum for instance, could easily suck up a good deal of it in one go.  Fourthly, as non revenue spend, it will have to go into capital expenditure, and such relatively small sums can be used up very quickly.

Community Infrastructure Levy

Brent is now open to community bids for grants for Community Infrastructure Levy projects.  These tend to be one off projects to improve local areas.  As they use taxpayers money they have to be responsible in terms of using the money.

Is Labour's NEC Personally Liable for Damages Arising from the Antisemitism Claims?

Is Labour's NEC Personally Liable for Damages Arising from the Antisemitism Claims?  That is the question raised by the Independent.  I have no idea what the legal position is, although it may well be different from that of a charity.

It will also be crucial to see whether the Labour Party was following its own rules, reasonably relying on officer advice, and whether NEC members were trying to make judgements conscientiously of simply on a factional basis.  It would be interesting to discover whether NEC members would have been less cavalier over claims of antisemitism and sexism if they were themselves subject to personal penalties.

The Daily Mail and Vaccination

The Daily Mail has recently been praised by Matt Hancock and others for coming out against the anti-vax campaign.  That is good news, but those with longer memories than Mr Hancock can remember that it was not always so clear. 

Take this story from as an example.  Under the heading "New MMR link is found with autism" it is distinctly favourable to Mr Wakefield, calling him a "specialist" who was "forced out of his job".  As I understand it he was a surgeon so not sure he can really be called a "specialist" in a story about autism.  Over the years the Mail published a number of articles with a similar line, implying some kind of unreasonable cover up, like this one, or this one. 

In 2003 Melanie Philips was particularly insistent along these lines (11 March 2003). 

Cuts in Overground Ticket Offices

It is reported that train station ticket office operating hours are to be reduced at Brondesbury, Brondesbury Park, Kensal Rise and Kilburn High Road.  Whatever the other effects, this is likely to inflict damage on the Kilburn High Road economy since the cuts are in the evening and most of the day.  This should be a major concern for Brent Council and I hope some one is raising the matter with TfL.

On the plus side, I welcome a new lift at Brondesbury, although I recall that the Kilburn station lift up the road always used to be closed because there were said to be no staff to help passengers.  Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?

Labour Party Selections

Currently, the Labour Party NEC have closed down parliamentary selections in seats without a candidate despite the fact that a General Election (whilst imminent) has not been called.  This is the first time I have ever known this to happen.  Previously NECs have certainly truncated the process once an election is called.  Something of that kind happened when Dawn Butler MP was selected for Brent South in 2005, but even in that case members got a vote.

Where no candidate is in place candidates have sometimes been imposed, but every effort has been made to make sure that members have been involved to the maximum logistically possible, not least because members will be unlikely to feel motivated to campaign for a candidate simply imposed by the NEC.

The current NEC, which is made up of a faction of people who claim to be interested in extending democracy within the Labour Party are doing more than anyone has ever dared to close it down.  The likely result will be a number of legal actions, that will knock back the Party's General Election message from day one.

Heidi Allen MP in South Cambridgeshire

I must say I have some sympathy for candidates who have got themselves selected in particular seats only to be elbowed aside by johnny-come-latelys from another party, as in the case of South Cambridgeshire where Heidi Allen is now standing for the Liberal Democrats. 

Nuclear Change

Peter Hennessy has unearthed documents suggesting that the UK's nuclear deterrent use during Harold Macmillan's premiership relied on finding a nearby telephone box and ensuring he had sufficient loose change to get through to Number Ten to authorise nuclear retaliation in the event that the Soviets were dastardly enough to attack us when he was outside London.  This system persisted to 1970.

It is all rather reminiscent of that scene in Dr Strangelove when Group Captain Mandrake has to persuade Colonel Bat Guano to shoot the lock off a Pepsi machine to make a call to the White House to tell them the recall call for the Bombers.  Except that was supposed to be a farce.

I wonder if one of Kubrick's script writers knew something?

What is Going on in Park Royal?

The legal problems in Park Royal, with the suggestion that the removal of Cargiant is financially unviable, is on of the big problems that is currently not getting the attention they need.  As usual, I haven't seen any comments by Brent Council on this one way or another despite it being of vital importance to both Harlesden and Kensal Green wards.

Will the 31 October Deadline Be Extended?

Boris Johnson continues to make the contradictory claims that he will abide by the law but the Article 50 deadline will not be extended.  He appears to get this past his supporters by hinting there is some plan of Baldrick-like cunning to evade Padfield to reconcile the two objectives.  As the Waugh report said last week:

"No.10 still have things up their sleeve to try to get out on October 31, yet as I wrote earlier this week there are some around Johnson who now reluctantly admit that he may be forced into an extension to Article 50, as long as it paves the way for a quick general election soon after."

I suspect that all this is pure wishful thinking and that there is no plan at all just a vague hope that something will turn up.

UPDATE

Meanwhile Peter Kellner has some actual research on what voters actually think.

Northern Ireland Border

There is a story being spread on the Eurosceptic Right that the whole concern over the Northern Irish border is confected and artificial.  In fact, as anyone who remembers the Troubles will know, a closed border was a major barrier to the people living there, and a significant drag on the local economy.  The area below is inhabited by around 625,000 people.

The 25th Anniversary of the Fairtrade Mark

The 25th Anniversary of the Fairtrade Mark is being celebrated at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square today.  This will start from 11am.

Special Majorities

The prorogation controversy has led some to renew calls for a written constitution.  I find this odd as it would undoubtedly create more occasions where the Courts would be required to decide questions that have been traditionally kept to politics, which is generally contrary to what such people want.

Secondly, it would require a form of special majority decision making where the situation would not as now be decided by one decision making process but be more than one, whether the immediate decision was compatible with a written constitution.  It is arguable that this has been a key part of creating the Brexit mess since Brexit has been treated as a single decision through the referendum and then been subjected to a second decision making process through Parliament.

Much of the fury at the decisions made by Parliament are generated by the assumption that it should be subordinate to the decisions presumed o have been made in the Referendum.

The same problem would arise with all those who argue that the referendum should have a special majority of some kind, whether (say) a 60% majority or a quorum as in the 1979 Scottish devolution debate.  Those who wanted a 50% majority regarded as binding would regard any blockage based on a higher majority as illegitimate.

Internal Labour Rules

For those interested in the extremely dreary internal rules of the Labour Party, Luke Akehurst has pointed out that, following this year's Conference:

"New LGCs all have to be one third councillors, one third affiliates, one third CLPs. So in Hackney the 2 CLPs have to give up half their seats to the unions, in most places it gives far more seats to the Labour Group (Hackney unusual in already having 1/3 cllrs)"

As he observes this tends to work to the disadvantage of Momentum.  Given the abject failure of Brent Momentum slate over ward boundaries that is probably something to be thankful for.

What is called a LGC, or in Brent a LCF, is a Borough wide body that Brent Momentum appears to have decided to try to use as a platform to foist its agenda on Brent Council.  The Labour Party, borne of bitter experience, has a tradition of new allowing this to happen, but using it for campaigning instead.  Brent Momentum, perhaps unaware of Labour Party history in this respect as many of them are only recent members, seem to want to discover this the hard way.

Public Toilets and Business Rates

One of the effects of the Supreme Court's voiding of prorogation is that the Bills that would have been lost are still in the Parliamentary process.  One of these is an otherwise obscure measure to allow buildings with public toilets to claim exemption from rates.

If this comes into force, Brent Council should investigate whether it can claim exemption for its own buildings.  The Civic Centre, and all the Council libraries have publicly available toilets which meet disability access requirements.  Savings on business rates could be substantial. 

Knowles House Ground Broken

Ground has been officially broken at the Knowles House housing development.  This is a stage on from the beginning of clearing the land, and marks the start of the actual building. 

Future Prorogation Loopholes

I have had a chance to read the Supreme Court judgement on the infamous Johnson prorogation, and found some items of interest.

1. On whether the Queen has no choice but to accept advice (as all sides seemed to accept), the judges say:  "It is not suggested in these appeals that Her Majesty was other than obliged by constitutional convention to accept that advice. In the circumstances, we express no view on that matter."  That seems to leave a bit of wriggle room for the future.
2. A second point comes to why the Johnson prorogation is indeed justicifiable.  In concluding that it is, the Court argues: "It is, however, important to understand that this argument only arises if the issue in these proceedings is properly characterised as one concerning the lawfulness of the exercise of a prerogative power within its lawful limits, rather than as one concerning the lawful limits of the power and whether they have been exceeded."  The Court is saying that the legal limits can only be decided by lawyers, and as I read their judgement, that is a crucial point.
3. A third area where the "Supremes" make a point that may be relevant for the future if certain people wish to pursue confiscatory powers is the note that: "For example, they include the principle that the executive cannot exercise prerogative powers so as to deprive people of their property without the payment of compensation (Burmah Oil Co Ltd v Lord Advocate [1965] AC 75)".

I am also struck by the way the Court determines purely on the evidence in front of it.  For instance, Sir John Major's evidence is referred to as "unchallenged" and the Court proceeds on that basis.  Mr Johnson must be ruing his decision not have put a statement into the Court of Sessions regarding his motives.

Commentary on Prorogation

Reading through the commentary on the prorogation, I have never seen such a confused mishmash of opinion, even on matters Brexit.  Various infuriated commentators have been talking about constitutional coups and the overturning of democracy and so on.  Jacob Rees Mogg has been particularly bad in this regard, especially as the Supreme Court judgement implies that he came closer to carrying out a form of constitutional coup than anyone.

Anyone familiar with seventeenth century history will know that prorogation and long periods in which Parliament could not sit were a key part of the Stuarts' attempts to create a dictatorship.  Charles I got rid of Parliament for eleven years of personal rule;  Charles II used the same practice, as did Oliver Cromwell.  The last I suspect is company that Mr Rees Mogg would be particularly unhappy to be in.

A knowledge of that history demonstrates that these powers have always been subject to a certain ebb and flow according to political circumstance, and one would have expected a traditional Conservative to be aware of these things.

Padfield Enforces the Benn Act

Yesterday, there was speculation that the Benn Act that it could be frustrated by an Order in Council or some ill defined letter.  David Allen Green suggests that the answers to such queries is Padfield.  If Johnson does seek to frustrate Parliament with a No Deal Brexit, there may be a new round of judicial activity.

Convergence Between Far Right and Left

There is a growing convergence between the Far Right and the Far Left online which explains much online antisemitism, and the increasing spread of antisemitism within the Labour Party.  This often includes twitter accounts with people who use call themselves Socialists and Corbyn supporters, but who in fact have connections on the Extreme Right. An example might be Scott Nelson (known on twitter as @SocialistVoice who associates with various Holocaust deniers.  Another would be Sally Eason who refers to to herself on twitter as @LabLeftVoice.  Both these have thousands of followers. 

There are also people connected to the Brexit Party who have ultra Left backgrounds, and troubling records in terms of supporting terrorism and murder.  One of the best known of these is Claire Fox , a Brexit MEP who supported the Warrington bombing.

These people benefit from the extreme factionalism that the Corbyn movement has introduced which automatically dismisses any accusations against people who label themselves as supporters without examination. 

Louis Wain Film Coming

Claire Foy and Benedict Cumberbatch will star in a film based on the life of Louis Wain soon.  Louis Wain has a Brent connection, having lived in Brondesbury Park. As well as having featured in an exhibition at the Brent Museum back in 2011, he was also the inspiration for Willesden Green's two cat murals. 

Prorogoration

The most striking consequence about the Supreme Court decision on proroguing Parliament is that the select committees can now return and scrutinise the government over Brexit, Johnson's possible misuse of public money and whether Boris Johnson will resign.

UPDATE

The text of the judgement is available.

House of Life at Brent Museum

Willesden's Jewish Cemetery is seeing an exhibition dedicated to it at the Brent Museum in Willesden Library.  It will combine a general explanation of Jewish culture relating to death, and items of local history specific to the Cemetery.  It starts from 3 October 2019.

Brent Council Health Disappointment

After complaints at Brent Council's supine attitudes to cuts in the NHS, the Council finally debated it and came up with a motion ending thus:

[Brent Council will]... "work with Brent’s Members of Parliament, to voice our opposition to any future arrangements in which alterations to local NHS services threaten the safety of patients or residents alike, and re- affirm the need for health services to put people at the heart of any future plans."

That is about as a bland a message as I can imagine. Nothing on the Council using its own powers of Scrutiny or as a partner of the NHS.  Nothing about the use of public health powers or areas of the Council (e.g. libraries) or powers of the Council (e.g. licensing) to help shape public health outcomes.  Just voicing opposition.

The Need for Longer Interviews

Brian Walden died earlier in the Summer.  In the 1980s he dominated the most serious end of political reporting.  I was reminded of this after seeing some footage of him interviewing Margaret Thatcher from that time.

What was so in contrast to modern reporting was that he did not interrupt her; she seemed to be genuinely trying to explain the government's policy (i.e. giving reasons for her thinking), and most striking contrast of all, their questions and answers seemed to respond to each other.  Today by contrast interviewers and interviewees do not seem to react to each other but just plough on with pre-set questions and lines without doing more than shoe on in what they have already said.  The impression even by some reputable broadcasters is of a kind of faux gladitorialism, that Jeremy Paxman in particular tended to popularise.  I am sure that this is not because of the quality of the interviewers is any worse.  For instance I suspect that say Mishal Husain or Evan Davis could do just as well as Walden given an hour long format.

The problem is more that the broadcasters have given up on the format, and the politicians no longer need to appear on these programmes when so many other, softer channels are now available.  The first of these problems could be solved by a requirement of broadcasters to use this sort of long format for a set number of programmes per year for certain named office holders: Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition etc.  Of course they might refuse to show up, but that would obviously be a known fact that their opponents could use to embarrass them.

Why is it worth doing something like this?  Well surely no one could be happy about the quality of our political debate at the moment, the easy evasions, the aggression and the general failure to engage in an exchange of ideas.  We really do need to up the quality of debate somehow.  

Brent Civic Centre Climate Change Protest

I wonder whether it occurred to people gathering to protest about climate change yesterday outside Brent Civic Centre that they were standing in front of one of the greenest buildings in Europe?  Brent Civic Centre is the kind of building that we will have to have vastly increased numbers of if we are to meet the UK's emissions targets.

Warning over Snap Elections

There has been a recent reminder from election administrators that there are practical limits on snap elections being adequately administered.  This is actually true of many areas of policy.  Indeed the entire Brexit process is a tribute to decisionmakers making a decision and then expecting some one else to solve the various problems there are in implementing them. 

It would be a lot easier if the political class paid more attention to whether decisions are feasible in the first place.

The Ignorance of Boris Johnson

According to the Financial Times, Boris Johnson is only now realising what the Single Market means, which is remarkable even by the standards of ignorance of this government.  How can the rest of us trust this government  to enact anything if they are unaware of basic facts?

Litter in Wembley

I see that the Green Party has raised awareness of restrictions on leafleting once again.  They last time they raised this was back in 2012, when they objected to a revision of the rules from 1994.  I suggested at the time that the controversy was artificial.  The fact that it has taken more than six years to come up with another example suggests to me that it is not a common problem.

A New Brexit Referendum

It seems that increasing numbers of people are finally coming round to the idea of a new Brexit referendum as the only way out of the current Parliamentary impasse.  Even a General Election might not do it because (a) You might end up with a hung Parliament anyway (b) Peoples' votes will be for a variety of motives not just their views on Brexit.

This was, I think, clear from a time before the Cooperative Party adopted a new referendum as official policy back in 2018. 

Community Use at The Queensbury

The Save the Queensbury campaign recently described the site of the current Queensbury pub in Willesden as in "community use".

This is true in only a limited sense.  Until the late 1990s it was a private club (in fact a Conservative Party club) so not really open to the community as a whole.  The Tories then sold it for use as a pub. 

Carbon Emissions and Brent Council

I am surprised by Environment Lead's rather tepid answer on monitoring carbon emissions in this Brent Times story.  ClientEarth should know that the Council already has an Energy Plan that should be publicly available.  She ought to know that Brent Council has chalked up some impressive environmental achievements relating to climate emergency, not least:

• A strong cut in Brent Council's own emissions
• A BREEAM Outstanding Civic Centre building that drastically reduced Brent Council's own carbon emissions
• Other changes to the property portfolio such as the new Willesden Library Centre, that reduce emissions.
• The introduction of a new generation of LED street lighting across Brent
• A massive shift away from landfill waste (which generates huge amounts of methane, a much more potent greenhouse gas
• Two district heating schemes in Wembley and Kilburn. 
• The inclusion of specific environmental targets in new contract such as the public realm contract. 
• Planning policies that explicitly encourage lower carbon usage for example through the CSH framework.  
• A slew of transport policies designed to discourage car use and more use of public transport and other more environmentally friendly forms of transport.

Ringing the Changes

It is an extraordinary fact that this parliamentary session has had 73 changes of political allegiance by MPs and others.

That includes no fewer than three changes by Chuka Ummana alone.

Boris Johnson is also making a strong start on gathering ministerial resignations, beating all his immediate predecessors (see below).

Recent Brexit Stories

All the recent Brexit stories about how the Hilary Benn Act to block a no deal Brexit will be thwarted simply illustrate that Dominic Cummings is not really a "genius" at all.  He is just a childish and petulant bully who seems to think the law of the land does not apply to him.  If Johnson wants to retain any shreds of credibility, he should get rid of this man.

Brent Library Closures this Autumn

Brent will be temporarily closing two of its libraries.

The first is Harlesden Library, although only for one day (tomorrow).  This is due to electrical work needing to be done.  Alternative library arrangements are easy to get to at The Library in Willesden Green, or by taking the 18 bus and walking from Wembley Triangle to Wembley Library, or by taking the 18 bus up to the top of Ealing Road and walking to Ealing Road Library from there.

The second stoppage is at Ealing Road Library from 23 September to 14 October for more extensive building work.  The physically closest library is Wembley Library.

Any loans from one Brent Library can be returned at any other branch, although outstanding loans during this period are in each case being automatically extended to when the libraries reopen.

Prorogation Unlawful

The Court of Sessions, Scotland's Highest Court, has just ruled that the prorogation of Parliament is unlawful as Boris Johnson's intention was to stymie Parliament.  I doubt whether this was in the Dominic Cummings playbook.  The main effect is that the Select Committees can continue to function, and the case is likely to go to the UK Supreme Court.

According to the Speakers Office whether Parliament can be recalled is a decision for the Executive.

The second major effect is that the Court of Sessions has offered an opinion on Boris Johnson's sincerity in requesting the Prorogation, and they are not sympathetic.  Keir Starmer QC has been quoted as saying: "But to say that the motive or the reason that the prime minister has put forward was not the true reason, that is very powerful, and very unusual for a court. I don’t think they would have done it without overwhelming evidence."  Dominic Grieve QC has suggested that Boris Johnson may need to resign. 

In Preference to a General Election

Members of the Labour Party in Hull have apparently decided to go go for an all out selection battle for their MP.  It is not likely to happen.  Firstly the meetings casting the relevant "trigger ballot" votes sound as if they were inquorate making the process invalid.  Secondly, there seems to be an overwhelming likelihood of a General Election being called before Christmas, which would thwart any new selection process.

It does however tell you something about the inward looking mentality of many party members that they think an entirely inward looking approach for the next twelve weeks is better than preparing for fighting a General Election in November or December.

Economist on Syria

The Economist has another excellent edition this week covering the immense suffering in Syria where half a million have been killed, millions displaced and the country has been turned into ruins.  All this to defend the Assad regime.

Brent Momentum in "Kensal Rise Library"

Brent Momentum is advertising an event in "Kensal Rise Library" on 12 October, which is indicative of some rather strange connections.  The facebook publicity promises:

"Inspired by ‘The World Transformed’ festival held alongside the Labour Party conference since 2016, Brent Momentum is holding a day of discussion, debate, and organisation this autumn on practical ways to make Brent and the wider world more radically equal, just, democratic and sustainable.

Themes will include climate disaster, extreme inequality, racism, street violence, insecure and low-paid work, poor air equality and public health, inadequate overpriced housing."

Brent Momentum is of course an organisation founded as a Jeremy Corbyn support group that is principally known for it for its attacks on Brent Council, Labour Party members who don't support Jeremy Corbyn to the group's satisfaction and Boris Johnson in that order. 

Kensal Rise Library describes itself  as a library, and is largely dependent on money granted by Brent Council.  Having been originally formed as a campaign group against Brent Council's Librarieis Transformation Project, it then morphed into a privately run community group.  More recently still the main twitter feed was changed to suggest its purpose as "We will hang in there until it is publicly funded & run by the council."

It is run by the  Friends of Kensal Rise Library,  which is registered as a charity (no. 1141606).

It is unclear how all these connections work since they are not subject to any kind of public scrutiny.

Essex Libraries

The ongoing saga of the library closures in Essex again illustrates the difficulties of reducing Council budgets in an era when people just shout past each other.  The efforts to placate the opponents of the Council's plans has merely led to the Council spending a lot more money on the service area (cutting services for elsewhere as a consequence) and kicking the can down the road.

Now the Essex campaigners are worried about these shadowy groups not being properly accountable for the money they obtain and not needing to meet the same standards as public libraries, and they are right to be.

Driving in Gladstone Park

I see Cllr Lia Colacicco has been concerned at driver going on the footpaths in Gladstone Park.  This has been a problem in the southern King Edward VII park, where it was solved by the installation of kissing gates.  This followed a similar issue some time before in people driving cars between Willesden Sports Centre and Doyle Gardens, which was also solved with a new gate. 

Police Cuts

An unfortunate effect of the cuts to the police in the past few years is that the police safer neighbourhood base in Station Road is gone, having opened in 2010.  It also illustrates an important point.  It is not just the size of the budget; it is the predictability.  The police made this investment, that allowed officers less travel time to the ward, to increase efficiency.  Even if they wanted to use any promised increase in budget to put it back in place, it would take time to make that decision a practical effect.  This is why the government's sudden lurch to more spending is unhelpful. 

Violence and Roundwood Youth Centre

There is some irony in a meeting about what is being done about knife violence was held in a youth centre which is likely to be come less available for youth facilities as funding is reduced.  Roundwood Youth Centre was the last such to be built in the Borough.

Relief at Brexit Defeat

I must say that I am immensely relieved by the government's defeat last night, including by the size of the margin.  I find it very hard to imagine that Hilary Benn's bill will not now pass, and the extreme Tories will have only themselves to blame. 

The photo of Jacob Rees-Mogg above seems to have gone viral largely because it sums up the insouciant arrogance with which this small band of fanatics are bringing disaster on the country.  I really am astonished that people who purport to be traditional conservatives could treat long established institutions such as the Monarchy and Parliament with such contempt.

HS2 Delays and Overruns

In all the other news yesterday, there was an announcement of massive delays and cost overruns to HS2.  It has gone £22 billion over budget and may face a delay of more than seven years.  London to Birmingham is now expected in 2031 rather than 2026.