Brent and Harrow GLA Constituency result

Share of Poll

UKIP	9074	5.19
Cons	59147	33.86
Lib Dem	11534	6.60
Green Party	9874	5.65
Respect	5170	2.96
Labour	79902	45.74
	174701	100.00

Why Brent and Harrow electors should vote Green in the GLA election on Thursday

This is what Jafar Hassan told the Harrow Times when asked why people should vote for him as the Green candidate for the Brent and Harrow constituency. LINK


Green Party candidate Jafar Hassan said:

"London is in an awful housing crisis and the Green Party are the only ones with a viable plan to support and protect renters, and ensure housing is genuinely affordable. 

"This city is becoming more expensive to live in, making it harder for communities to stick together, but also making it completely unfair for those travelling from the zones in Harrow and Brent. We are campaigning to introduce a flat fares system making it cheaper to travel if you're a part time worker or living in the outer parts of London. 

"Investment in cycling and speeding up the introduction of zero emissions taxis and buses. During the school rush on busy roads around Brent and Harrow it is a disgrace that children are being exposed to so much toxic air on a daily basis. I will be fighting for safer cycling routes and ensuring all of the bus routes in our boroughs are electric powered. 

"I've lived in north west London my whole life, I studied both my journalism degree and masters in politics in London. This city along with my upbringing has shaped who I am. My mum who came to this country from Iraq before even turning 20 raised my sister and I on her own. I learnt from her the importance of persevering through difficult times and never losing hope. I will fight to give London back to Londoners and give them the Green policies they want. 

"We absolutely need more Greens on the London Assembly. Your votes for the Green Party in London elections have ensured investment for Cycle Superhighway and Cycle Hire, helped create the London Living Wage Unit, meaning that 60,000 Londoners are now paid a Living Wage, and pushed new housing developments to have more affordable housing. If you only want to give us one vote make sure it is on the orange ballot paper, where if you vote Green, you get Green."

Green Brent and Harrow GLA candidate pledges support for 'Save the Bridge' campaign

The Green Party's candidate for the Brent and Harrow GLA constituency, Jafar Hassan, today put his party's weight behind the 'Save the Bridge' campaign.

  Jafar said:

As Green Party GLA candidate for Brent and Harrow I am strongly opposed to the closure of The Bridge in Harrow.  It is a vital service, one that is  a lifeline to many in the Harrow community.  Mental health problems are common and rising, often as a result of current widening inequality and economic uncertainty and we should therefore be protecting these professional services rather than cutting back. Greens support the 38degrees petition, calling on Harrow Council to reconsider the decision to withdraw this service.  We hope that the council acknowledges the strong public opposition and act accordingly.

The petition can be found HERE

This is what it says:

To: David Perry, Leader of Harrow Council 

Please don't close 'The Bridge', next to the Harrow Leisure Centre, in Christchurch Avenue, Harrow.

Why is this important?

The Bridge is a purpose built place for the Mentally ill people. It's an activity centre and a drop in centre with a cafe. The building is all on ground floor. There are gardens at the back and side for people to relax.

The activities include Arts and Craft, Music Learning, Guitar Learning group - 'Dont Fret', Tabla (Indian drums) learning, Library, Choir meeting -- 'More than Just a Choir', WhyFI - for Paranoia, Pilates, Yoga, 30 Clients with Personal Independence Budgets attend for therapy. People with depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia etc. etc. attend with great benefits to their daily life. The Northwick Park Hospital's Mental Heath Unit refers clients for further support from the services available at The Bridge.

I had asked my family, two years ago, to take me to the Switzerland clinic to 'have me put down'. Then I heard of 'The Bridge' and attended the Choir -- ''More Than Just A Choir'' every Tuesday evening. This has turned my life around.

The people receiving a great deal of therapeutic benefits will have to revert back to the overloaded GP services and the NHS -- waiting list. The attempt to close The Bridge will end up costing the community far greater!

What will McDonnell say about Brent Council cuts on Sunday?

From the current Kilburn Times

On Sunday at 1pm  John McDonnell MP, the anti-austerity Shadow Chancellor, will hold a street meeting at the Jubilee Clock in Harlesden with Labour councillors and activists before they go off to canvas for the Labour candidate in the Kensal Green by-election. (Kensal Green ward covers a large part of Harlesden)

On Monday at 7pm Brent's Labour Cabinet will be setting in motion consultation on the latest round of cuts and increased charges and fees as they implement the Conservative's austerity agenda.

Rather than challenging the cuts agenda they will be operating a bidding war where supporters of different services compete with each other for survival - rather than unity against the Tories attack on local government this will be divisive. According to Michael Pavey's comment it could be those with the loudest voice who will win out : 'If the public is up in arms about any one of these issues we will talk it through and if necessary we will change it.' On the surface this sounds reasonable but leaves those who are most vulnerable and lack a voice at a disadvantage.

There appears to be little appetite for a change of policy in the Labour Group. There are only one or two who have lined up with the recently formed Brent Momentum  LINK while others have joined the anti-Corbyn Labour International. Brent Momentum is urging its members to attend Sunday's event and canvas for the Labour candidate but the effect will be to elect a 55th Labour councillor (out of a total council of 63) who will vote for cuts. If he wins they will hail this as a victory for Corbyn's Labour - all rather contradictory.

This is why the election of Jafar Hassan as a single Green councillor pledged to oppose cuts and hold the dominant Labour group to account would be a much better outcome in Kensal Green.

Green candidate Jafar Hassan offers a posiitve choice in Kensal Green By-election

Brent Green Party has selected 28 year old Jafar Hassan, a strategic consultant, as its candidate for the December 17th Kensal Green by-election. Jafar has lived in Brent for 25 years.

Jafar said:

The Green Party came second to Labour in Kensal Green at the last council election so it's vital that everyone in the area goes out to the polls on 17 December to make their vote count. Brent Council needs change and I believe I'm the right person to do that. Whether in Parliament, the GLA or on London councils such as Islington, the Green Party has proved that though few in number we can make a huge difference.

Brent Council is dominated by weak Labour councillors, a divided Conservative opposition, and a single ineffectual Liberal Democrat. The Green Party can win in Kensal Green so I hope that the people here will vote for me  on 17 December.  I will hold the Council to account and put forward positive ideas to fix Brent’s lack of affordable housing, shortage of school places, poor handling of regeneration projects and the cluelessness when it comes to tackling fuel poverty and making homes energy efficient.

The Green Party beat both Liberal Democrats and Tories to come second behind Labour in the  May 2014 local elections.