Forum Topic

Labour Party record on environmental issues

It is interesting to see in a recent posting how opposition to this council’s road closures is seen as anti-environmental – emotive phrases like “gas guzzlers” being used, as though this is indeed a “green” policy. What about LBH’s other policies – are they so green? What will be the environmental cost of tearing down Tesco in Osterley and rebuilding it less than a mile away – or Morrisons – or Watermans – or any or the other council-supported acts of architectural sabotage. Is the demolition of fairly modern, and perfectly fit for purpose, buildings good for the people of Hounslow? What about the scrapping of free garden waste collection – how many extra journeys to the council tip, and tonnes of carbon dioxide, has this generated – another “green” policy? Or what about LBH’s woeful record on recycling – this website ranks this borough as 21st out of 33 London boroughs, or 297 out of 345 in England, for the amount of household waste being recycled – an appalling failure.https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/london-recycling-rates-best-worst-boroughs-revealed#nogoThis Labour administration has clearly failed completely in its responsibility to environmental issues – it’s time to get rid of these dinosaurs from the last century and elect people fit for the challenge of 21st century life, with honest policies that will actually benefit all of us – rather than the LTN lies and relentless over-development that we have become used to.

Graham Thorpe ● 727d7 Comments

Pickles was a useless minister. I interviewed him and he was evasive and vague. And by your definition Ealing Council has been packed with now liberals for years.Sports facilities are only of use if they are a) affordable or free and b) if there is someone willing and qualified to oversee kids training sessions or matches. I know of one local kids football team that charges players £300+ a season, without the guarantee of even playing. Not much incentive there.The report on obesity came from the World Health Organization this week. Read this, as I know you are fond of links.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61307316.amp

Simon Hayes ● 719d

That's not true.  Neo-Liberals try and sell everything off because they want to pay as little as possible for Council services and whenever they are in power they try and roll back the state.  Too much outsourcing without proper oversight eg maintenance.  If you sell off all the Youth Centres, Sports Fields, Sports Centres, Metropolitan Open Land, Parks etc then there are fewer places for the youngsters to engage in sports.  Sport should be for All.  It is important for all.There has not been much posted on the websites about the Grenfell Inquiry but it makes interesting reading.  The Coroner's Report for Lakanal House was not read by whoever should have read it in Downing Street.  Letters have disappeared.  It was admitted that the orders had been to concentrate on building more homes rather than the safety of those homes and despite concern seem to have just pushed on with little understanding of the situation re fire safety.  I suggest you read the reports in Inside Housing.  Eric Pickles who had been Communities & Local Govt Minister gave evidence but wanted everything to be hurried up because he was busy.  He didn't even know how many prople had died at Grenfell.Winston Churchill said "Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste".  It looks like the PM might be slightly adjusting it to "Never Let A Good War Go to Waste".

Philippa Bond ● 720d

Perhaps you could lobby for fast food delivery apps to be banned and online gaming to be outlawed too? Both have been named as key reasons why obesity is on the rise.Modern kids really aren’t interested in doing much other than looking at screens a lot of the time. And eating a deliveroo borne Macdonalds while they do it. That may shock you Phillipa, but it’s the way the world is now.

Simon Hayes ● 720d

We've got the 20mph roads and the new Highway Code giving back space to pedestrians on the pavements and introducing better cycle lanes (the ones in the past were never wide enough and cars were parked in them all the time.  We now have a hierachy of road users so that the most vulnerable have more space.  What we really really need is for the 20mph LIMITS to be adhered to by the minority who refuse to.  We've had plenty of time to practise going slower so now bring on the fines.  This makes it safer for pedestrians to walk those short journeys that we don't need a car for.  We might even meet our neighbours, become less sedentary and fitter and less likely to suffer so badly from the diseases connected to poor and inactive lifestyles.Whatever you say about how bad pollution was when Brentford was more industrial the air pollution now in the UK exceeds WHO recommendations and this Govt has been taken to the High Court and lost three times.  Govt has also lobbied the EU asking them to reduce the numbers so that the UK's air pollution does not look so bad.  We might even enjoy it and rediscover our parks and see what other people are growing in their gardens and be encouraged and enthused enough to have a go at growing something.  You'll be surprised how good it can make make you feel (and it doesn't have to be illegal)!

Philippa Bond ● 720d

Partial? – I suppose I have become so faced with the hypocrisy and dishonesty of our council who would claim that dividing our communities with concrete blocks is somehow good for the environment whilst not delivering any genuine green initiatives.

Graham Thorpe ● 725d

emotive language? - you seem to be a bit partial yourself.

Graham Arnold ● 726d

It's not the Councillors generating all the lies and half truths but activist groups funded and and allied to the Mayor of London .TfL has employed a raft of politically active and 'approved' advisors and executives and rather like local councils rather overreaching their core purpose.In fact TfL has almost turned it's back on the Underground and Buses regarding the network as a burden rather than an asset.It's record with roads is appalling with projects and basic maintenance going unaddressed for decades not just the usual months, which was far from good.The problem is the willingness that local councillors and policy advisors are to embrace the minority wills of these manipulators and how mixing truths and half truths is the method of choice.The evidence of half cocked and poorly achieved and very costly initiatives is dotted all over the place.Problem is, just like developers, councils and councillors are all too easily becoming foils to authority executives, advisors and not their electorate.

Raymond Havelock ● 726d