Then They Can't Really Be Called 'Families', Can They?

It is hard to put an exact number on it, but more than 60 families rely on us.

And what did your organisation do, then?

Eighty percent of the families and young people attending Homegrown in Tottenham are Black. Most of them come from working-class, migrant and refugee backgrounds, and face challenges around access to affordable housing and being pushed out of areas they live in due to rising costs. Our community space was a home for all of us. Before the closure, we would cook and share meals together, while young people would learn English, maths, science, and African and Caribbean history, and use films to discuss topics not always brought up in school. People would often stay all afternoon, cooking and talking.

Well, maybe that's the problem. Maybe instead, they should have been working to support their families..? 

In Haringey today, many Black-led community groups are losing space and struggling to access funding. At the same time, some parts of Tottenham have changed so quickly that they feel unfamiliar and inaccessible to young people who were born here, who end up feeling like strangers.

Yeah, funny that, I often feel like a stranger. In certain parts of London. 

But I'm called a racist for noticing. Never mind what I'm called for actively complaining about it. How is it you get a free pass? 

At the moment we have no funding, because we don’t have time to fundraise. I try to buy families their groceries when they need it out of my own pocket, but my own family’s budget is tight as well. Every two weeks, I have to report to the job centre to claim my universal credit.

Well, clearly they should put a stop to it. If you're giving it away to others, you're claiming it under false pretences, aren't you?  

What happened to Elianne Andam in Croydon is a reminder of just how vulnerable our young people are: the victims whose lives are so brutally taken, but the perpetrators too – how did they get here? And their families. No one should have their child taken from them. And no one raises a child to be a killer.

It appears in the 'community' you're writing about, no-one raises a child full-stop! 

We are not talking about an incurable disease. It is a social problem that could be improved if the government stopped removing essential funding for youth centres, youth organisations, schools and existing community spaces.

Why shouldn't it? It's clearly not essential at all.  

But It Doesn't Really "Apply To All Styles And Genres Of Music", Does It?

Last October, days before what would have been his biggest home town show yet, the chart-topping drill rapper Digga D posted a statement online. “I’m gutted to announce that my Brixton Academy show next week has been rescheduled for reasons beyond my control,” he wrote. “Without going into too much detail, you can probably guess why this might have happened.”

The detail that Digga omitted was that the Metropolitan police had spent the preceding weeks putting pressure on the venue – sponsored by O2 and operated by the Academy Music Group (AMG) – to pull the plug on the show.

And why? Well, Reader, I think we all know, don't we? 

The Met’s interest in Digga D, AKA Rhys Herbert, is well documented: in 2020, the Bafta-winning documentary Defending Digga D depicted his efforts to pursue a music career under the terms of a uniquely restrictive criminal behaviour order (CBO), which he is still under.

And still breaking...some people just can't learn, can they? 

The Met – which was found last month by an independent investigation, once again, to be institutionally racist – has an established history of interfering with Black music events in London.

We know, don't we, Reader, as on my blog it's been covered before.  

A central London nightclub owner who also asked to remain anonymous corroborated this experience. “It’s 696 by another name. It’s not a predesigned form, it’s a risk assessment that I have to provide to them. But both parties know exactly what I have to include, which is to state what style of music is playing. And both parties know that if that style of music is one that is preferred by people of colour, then the police will immediately say something like ‘whilst we would never tell you what events to put on, we regard this as high-risk and if anything should happen we will review your licence.’ Which is essentially them saying ‘we will close you down’.”

Good! A bit of pre-emptive action is to be welcomed. 

The Met said this approach “applies to all styles and genres of music”.

Heh! Yes, I'm sure it does. But it's not applied to all styles and genres, and we all know why... 

Digga is forbidden from rapping about certain topics and has to submit lyrics to the Met before releasing new tracks and videos. He was recalled to prison in 2019 for a breach of his CBO – inside, a stabbing left him partially sighted – and again in 2020 after pleading guilty to his role in a central London brawl where machetes were wielded.

That's why! 

Stop Talking, And Start Fining...

Officials have launched renewed talks with Deliveroo, JustEat and UberEats after a week-long operation saw 60 moped riders held for illegal working. Most of them have now been detained pending removal from the country.

Ah, the 'immigrants who are vital to our economy' again, I see... 

Follow-up searches uncovered two imitation guns, a machete and a telescopic baton, a Home Office spokesman said. Telescopic, or ‘friction-lock’, batons can be flicked out to use as a cosh, and are banned under offensive weapons laws.

The operation also found evidence that legitimate moped riders were sharing delivery jobs with acquaintances - usually by the WhatsApp messaging service - and allowing them to carry out the work, the spokesman added.

And what are the authorities doing to ensure these companies take steps to crack down on their employees? 

‘We are in conversations with the delivery app companies to try to improve their engagement with the rules on carrying our right to work checks,’ the spokesman said.

*sighs* 

By Lying, Dawn, Clearly....

Merton resident Dawn Spragg wrote in to ask why the council was not “actively engaging” with residents about ULEZ.

At the meeting, she asked a follow-up question, saying: “How are you as our elected members engaging with the people that elected you to advise them about the ULEZ that will be inflicted on our borough on August 29.”

The answer she got was not quite what she expected, it'd be fair ro say: 

Cabinet member for transport, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, claimed the scheme has cross-party support from Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour.

Oh, really? Reader, no. Not at all. 

This led to outrage from the leader of the Conservative group Councillor Nick McLean who said the Merton Tories oppose the expansion.

And when blatent lies won't shut up this pesky voter, what next? Take your ball and go home, of course! 

Ms Spragg’s question was one of four from the public on the ULEZ expansion. However, the other three questions were not discussed in the meeting.

When the Merton mayor, councillor Joan Henry tried to move on to the next item on the agenda she was heckled by those sitting in the public gallery, who included Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

It caused Ms Spragg to move to the microphone, where residents can speak at the meeting, to ask why the other questions were not being addressed.

Cllr Henry ordered Ms Spragg to move back to her seat but when her pleas were unsuccessful the meeting was adjourned.

Much as I hate to be on the same side as Corbyn's brother, this is not democracy.  

There's Something Toxic In London, All Right...

But it's not the air, it's something that rhymes with 'air'...

A scheme charging some motorists £12.50 a day to drive in London to cut air pollution has been accused of using data that is ‘complete nonsense’. In an open letter to those opposing his plans, Mr Khan said toxic air led to the premature deaths of 4,000 Londoners each year. He said: ‘Research by Imperial College London shows Bromley has the highest premature deaths linked to air pollution with an estimated 204 lives lost in 2019.’

Ah, really? 

But Bromley Council leader Colin Smith said the study commissioned by City Hall ‘chose to ignore Bromley’s much older population profile’.He said many elderly residents spent ‘their younger years in inner London experiencing the smogs and smoke-filled pubs of yesteryear’. He added: ‘It is complete nonsense.’

Like anything spouted by this jumped up little popinjay.  

Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely every year as a result of poor quality air, with those in Outer London some of the most vulnerable due to their age and therefore hardest hit. ‘Sadiq refuses to sit back and do nothing when lives are being lost and urges these local authorities to support his plans to bring cleaner air to every Londoner - wherever they live in the capital.’

Then if you really believe this, why are you telling motorists 'It's OK, pay £12.50 and you can suffocate kiddies with your exhaust all day long!'..? 

Play Silly Games, Win Silly Prizes…

Tyler had three weeks earlier “caused upset to some very dangerous young men” by uploading a drill music track to YouTube, the court heard. Ms Carberry said the lyrics mocked, “in pretty vile terms”, Tanueh’s associates, in particular one member of the group who was stabbed, though not fatally.

And, following an unsuccessful armed attack just over two weeks before the fatal stabbing, Tyler “taunted the group” after he managed to escape unhurt, she told jurors.

Some people walk to their appointment in Samarra. Some people run. 

Some people, it seems, don't even need to leave the house any more, they can keep it via YouTube! 

Amateurs...

Eco-zealots are said to be planning to 'swarm and block' roundabouts in a fresh wave of action targeting road users, expected to take place during rush hour tomorrow.

You think you're causing chaos for motorists? 

You're tiddlers. Watch what a Great White does to motorists...

You Know What To Do Next Time...

Ashitha Nagesh has taken to Twitter to talk about how the accident caused a broken humerus (upper arm), which left her needing surgery.

Initially, a passer-by called 999, but left the reference number with the cyclist who hit Ashitha.

After the passer-by left the scene in Walthamstow, Ashitha was told to get in an Uber by the cyclist and went away to hospital without getting the cyclist's full details as she "wasn't thinking straight" and "wanted to get to A&E" as soon as possible.

Nobody called an ambulance because, well, they don't turn up any more... 

Ashitha is now appealing to the public for help after the Met Police has allegedly told her that they won't investigate the incident as "no one called the police at the scene".

However, they have apparently told Ashitha they will investigate if they get enough information about the cyclist from her.

At this stage, I'm only surprised A&E didn't ask her to splint her own broken arm. Does any emergency service do their job any more? 

The BBC News correspondent wrote on Twitter: "So this is a plea, on the off-chance anyone on here saw what happened or knows the guy who hit me last Thursday (Markhouse Road, E17, about 10.20), or saw him in the Co-op there, to please DM me!

"I asked the cyclists for their details and unfortunately all they told me was that their names were Joe and Sam. Don’t know if these are their real names but both are blonde, and the guy who hit me had a short beard. He also smelled [very] strongly of alcohol."

See, if you're a news correspondent, you should be well aware that to get the police on the case, what you should have done was claim the cyclist sexually abused you. Or racially abused you. Or if you wanted black marias and helicopters, misgendered you! 

It Would Be Interesting To Overlay This Map With The One About Putin's Nuclear Threat On The Capital...

...and see which one would do the most damage!

I fear it might not be the one showing the fallout from a nuclear strike...

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) could be extended towards the Surrey border as efforts are made to reduce pollution and congestion in the city. Drivers of the most polluting vehicles could face a charge if they travel on part of the A3 or into Kingston, Richmond, Sutton and Croydon under the proposed expansion.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has asked Transport for London to consult on plans to expand the ULEZ for 2023. At the moment any vehicle that does not meet the European emission requirements must pay £12.50 per day to travel through any part of the designated ULEZ area.

£12.50 every time you take your car off the drive to go to Tesco. When does this madness ever stop?