Ilford South Labour Party

The results of the General Election 2010 are disappointing for Labour nationally, but neither do they show any wish to go back to the bad old days of the Tory governments of the 1980’s & 90’s. Nor have voters been convinced by the Liberal Democrats. Here in Ilford South, voters have shown their confidence in their Labour MP by re-electing Mike Gapes with an increased majority, at the expense of both Tories & Liberals. Thanks to all the Labour Party members & supporters who have put in so much hard work to make the local campaign a success. And thank you to the people of Ilford South who turned out to vote in their tens of thousands yesterday and showed their support for their Labour MP. For full details of the result visit the BBC website.

The local council results have just been announced with the Labour Party gaining seats from both Tories & Liberals. The Conservatives have lost the London Borough of Redbridge to “No Overall Control”. The final result gives the Tories 30 seats, Labour 26 & Liberal Democrats 7. Of the 27 council seats in the area of Ilford South, 24 are now held by Labour. Full details can be found on “Redbridge i”.

PS: Breaking news from Barking & Dagenham. The BNP have been wiped off the council with Labour making a clean sweep. Labour 51 seats, fascists 0. The BNP previously held 12 seats on the council. Congratulations to the Labour Party in Barking & Dagenham and thanks to all those from other parties or none who have fought against the BNP.

The results of the Euro elections were undoubtedly bad for Labour nationally. It is shameful that this country will be sending two members of the BNP to the European Parliament.

But Labour support in Redbridge held up well and is a tribute to the work put in by those party members who have been out campaigning. It may also be a mark of the disarray of the hopeless Conservative administration at the Town Hall.

Redbridge result, compared to 2004

The borough wide Labour to Tory swing was just 0.05%. The UKIP and Lib Dem performances were both weaker than 2004. The local Lib Dems again paid the price for failing to support London or European elections with a quarter of the effort that they put into getting elected onto the Council.

Thankfully, the BNP vote here will have been a major disappointment to them.

While Labour’s results nationally were dismal, the Conservatives can hardly be pleased. They gained only 27.7% of the national vote, just 1% more than in 2004. And the Liberal Democrats share of the national vote went down. Even though the BNP increased its share of the national vote slightly, it received fewer actual votes in the regions where their MEPs have been elected than it did in 2004.

Ilford had visits from a number of high profile Labour figures this week supporting Balvinder Saund in her campaign to be elected as GLA Member for Havering and Redbridge.

Mayor Ken Livingstone and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, joined Mike Gapes M.P. in a visit to the Seven Kings Gudwara on Monday 14 April as part of the Vaisakhi celebrations.

Gordon Brown later spoke to members of the Ilford South Labour Party gathered at a coffee morning at the Royal Air Force Association Club in Cranbrook Road.

The following day Tessa Jowell M.P., Minister for the Olympics and London, joined Balvinder in a walkabout meeting voters in the Town Centre. Our photograph shows them at work

Balvinder Saund, Labour candidate for the Greater London Assembly in Havering & Redbridge, has issued her election address. It is supported by Ken Livingstone, Labour’s candidate for Mayor of London.

Balvinder says:

This election is about London’s future, improving transport, keeping Londoners safe, providing affordable housing, and extending opportunities.

You can read the full document here now.

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Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South, talks about local health services, housing, transport and the elections for the London Mayor and the Greater London Authority.

Balvinder Saund, one of 3 Labour councillors representing Seven Kings, talks about current local issues.

Lord Rix, Chancellor of the University of East London, presented awards to over three hundred graduates at London’s Barbican Hall on 8th November. He also presented honorary awards to two local heroes – John d’Abbro OBE, Head of Ilford special needs school, New Rush Hall, and Councillor Balvinder Kaur Saund - as well as to artist and entertainer Rolf Harris CBE.

Cllr Balvinder Kaur Saund is a tireless councillor and community activist, Chair of the Sikh Women’s Alliance, and has served as a Justice of the Peace and Chair of Remand and Youth Courts. She was elected a Labour councillor in Redbridge in May 2006, representing Seven Kings. Balvinder has worked in partnership with UEL for many years. Together with UEL Community Development Co-ordinator, Jasbir Kaur Panesar, she founded the successful Asian Women’s Education Fairs in Redbridge and across East London.

Accepting her Honorary MA, Balvinder said: “I was part of a generation of Asian women who were never expected to achieve. My parents had no real ambitions for me, so I set my own and succeeded. I’m so happy to see so many young Asian women graduating at today’s ceremony. Go for it, girls! Go into every profession – the world is your oyster!”

Balvinder will be Labour’s candidate in Havering and Redbridge for the 2008 Greater London Authority election.

John d’Abbro is Head of New Rush Hall, a pioneering school for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. John has dramatically raised standards so it is now regularly among the top 5% of schools nationwide ranked by Value Added.

Congratulations to all Redbridge residents receiving awards from UEL in a series of ceremonies.

On Thursday 1 May 2008, residents in Redbridge and Havering will get their chance to elect their Mayor and Greater London Assembly (GLA) members.

“I am delighted that the Labour Party have selected me for the Redbridge and Havering GLA seat“ says Redbridge Cllr Balvinder Saund. “If elected, I will work with the Mayor of London to ensure that we get our fair share of affordable housing (50%), a good transport infrastructure in readiness for the 2012 Olympics and that our youth are given opportunities to participate in the Olympics and the arts. This is because sports and arts are a sure way of bringing communities together and giving our youth opportunities to build their self-confidence.”

If elected, Balvinder will work tirelessly and help implement the exciting plans and targets set down for London by the Mayor in his London Plan. She feels the Olympics is the greatest opportunity to bring the melting-pot of world diverse communities together through sport and arts. She wants to be part of the success story of London.

Barbara White, Chair of Redbridge Labour Party Local Government Committee says, “I am delighted that Balvinder Saund has been selected as our candidate in the forthcoming GLA elections. She’s a hard-working Councillor who always has the residents’ interests at heart, and I know she will make an outstanding representative for the people of Havering and Redbridge”