Columns

VIEW FROM CITY CALL
10 May 12 - I AM writing this month’s column fresh from the campaign for the London Assembly elections, and firstly and most importantly would like to thank the people of Southwark for returning me to office as your London Assembly Member with a doubled majority...

DISABILITY & COMMUNITY CORNER - WHO TO VOTE FOR?
26 Apr 12 - THIS WEEK, I will be discussing the London Mayoral race one week today, unfortunately it’s a two horse race between Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson, which is a shame as Brian Paddick has some good policies but still no visible disability ones, like the other candidates...

DISABILITY & COMMUNITY CORNER - A GOOD MERGER
28 Mar 12 - This week, I have some very exciting news to tell readers of this column and that is that Southwark Centre for Independent Living (SCIL) has voted democratically by a large majority to merge with Southwark Disablement Association (SDA)...

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
23 Mar 12 - IT IS an understatement to say it is disappointing that the government have bulldozed the NHS Bill through the House of Commons and through the House of Lords. It will now go into law and change the NHS in the worst possible way...

DR KNOW - SLEEP MATTERS
23 Mar 12 - AS ANYONE who has suffered from insomnia can tell you, a lack of sleep is just awful..

FLOWER POWER
14 Mar 12 - GROWTH IN the garden has been delayed by the extreme cold weather which occurred during early February..

ANOTHER FINE MESS!
01 Mar 12 - THIS COLUMN has been critical of the current Mayor Boris Johnson since he assumed the office of Mayor, because he totally ignores Southwark in everything he does. ..

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
24 Feb 12 - THE GOVERNMENT wants to cut housing benefit for people whose home includes a spare bedroom. They argue this will tackle ‘under-occupation’ by forcing people to move...

WATCH OUT FOR THE NOROVIRUS
24 Feb 12 - IT'S THE same every winter – the ‘norovirus’ strikes again! Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is highly contagious and affects people of all ages causing a couple of days of sickness, diarrhoea and generally feeling awful. ..

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
17 Feb 12 - NOT ONLY did many start celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on February 6th, but February 7th was another anniversary of which everybody in Southwark should be proud. ..

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
03 Feb 12 - THE BBC’s ‘Room 101’ last week saw Gabby Logan successfully negotiate for ‘people who moan about the Olympics’ to be dumped into the virtual black hole...

DISABILITY & COMMUNITY CORNER - POWER IN NUMBERS
02 Feb 12 - THIS WEEK I was going to be talking about what a wonderful borough we live in at the risk of upsetting certain people, (some people expect this column to constantly criticise Southwark Council), but then I received a link to the excellent SOS (Save Our Services) website for Southwark...

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
25 Nov 11 - SADLY THIS week I must start my column with tributes – to three good friends who have died in the last month...

HOW MUCH DO YOU DRINK?
23 Nov 11 - LAST WEEK was Alcohol Awareness Week, so what better time to time to look at the way alcohol impacts on our lives...

VIEW FROM CITY HALL
17 Nov 11 - THIS WEEK, unemployment figures were published that make for very grim reading. They show that the number of people across the UK out of work is at 2.62million, with 1.02million young people jobless...

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
10 Nov 11 - EARLIER THIS week I joined Ken Livingstone, Labour’s candidate for London Mayor, as he travelled the length of the Victoria Line...

GREEN SOUTHWARK
10 Nov 11 - IN 1995 local charity Green Ventures won a grant to plant a mini-orchard on a tiny plot of green space in front of Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court and it was duly planted by local residents...

DISABILITY CORNER - TAXICARD CUTS ARE FAIR
04 Nov 11 - TWO HUNDRED parents are expected to descend on Dulwich Community Council meeting on Monday as they step up their fight to save lollipop people from the chop, writes Daryl Anderson.....

HARRIET HARMAN
04 Nov 11 - THE GOVERNMENT'S decision to close Camberwell Jobcentre is madness. ..

VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER
28 Oct 11 - WHAT A good and exciting sporting weekend. Millwall had their first decent away win for ages – and brought about the sacking of Sven-Goran Eriksson, there was the most amazing win by Manchester City over Manchester United and a thrilling Rugby World Cup final. ..