We hear concerns that when suited the government praise public sector workers but do not really value them to give them a wage rise, resulting in some turning at food banks.
Workers have had enough of this and so have the British public. Public sector pay cap must end.
Harrow can’t be detached from the national mood highlighted at 100,000 strong London march and rally on 1 July (click the play button to watch the video).

Tories are in retreat, and this is likely to include ending the public sector pay cap as Theresa May is under pressure by her senior cabinet ministers, including the previous Tory party leadership hopefuls Gove and Johnson.
This raises another serious concern: the Tory manifesto cost included cap, how the cost of ending the cap would be absorbed, given that DUP is badly shaking the ‘money tree’ – for example, enjoying £1b hand out and reportedly Tories paid £20,000 to fly DUP leader Arlene Foster back to Belfast in an RAF plane after Downing Street talks – despite commercial flights being available for as little as £41.

At the Commons on 27 June, Tory MP for Harrow East Bob Blackman asked the secretary for education, “Will she condemn the propaganda that is still going out from schools and the unions, claiming that there will be vast reductions in expenditure on a per pupil basis”?
The national funding formula (NFF)  proposed by the 2015 Government would be used to calculate and distribute core revenue funding for mainstream schools in England – at present, funding levels are determined through a combination of national and local funding decisions.
The NFF will mean further cuts for some schools on top of what National Audit Office warned that schools in England were facing an 8% real-terms cut in funding per pupil by 2019-20 as a result that mainstream schools, overall, would need to find £3 billion of efficiency savings by 2019-20.
The DfE said that the main group of schools likely to see reductions were those in Inner London and some other urban areas that have particularly benefitted from historic funding decisions and where underlying levels of deprivation have fallen over recent years (Harrow’s deprivation has not been seriously taken by the funding authorities).
In view of the Tories ever changing manifesto commitments, the teaching profession has no real confidence in the latest Tory promise to amend their funding formula plans. Moreover, finding more money for education now seems very unlikely because of the government’s £1 billion deal with Democratic Unionist Party to prop up Theresa May’s minority Government.
What Mr Blackman, who narrowly escaped defeat at the last general election, says “propaganda” by the schools is really a big public concern that by 2022 93% of schools will have per-pupil funding cut – £338 average loss per primary pupil and £436 average loss per secondary pupil.
Under the plans as they are, Harrow schools will face cuts (-£) due to NFF which could equate to, on average, the loss of at least two teachers in primary and six teachers in secondary schools.

London assembly member Navin Shah has thanked Harrow East residents for supporting him at the last general election – he was Labour candidate for the seat.
Mr Shah achieved +5.3 swing, slashing Bob Blackman’s (Con) majority from 4,757 in 2015 to 1,757 (Blackman 25,129  Shah 23,372 – turnout 71.07%).
“I’m proud of positive and clean campaign we ran in Harrow East. It was a campaign fuelled by and fought with nothing other than love, friendship, family and the kindness and determination of some of our local activists, volunteers and party members who had the strength and imagination to believe that the supposed ‘impossible’ was actually completely possible” said Mr Shah.
Mr Shah had only few weeks to campaign in the general election, called by Theresa May in panic, where the bulk of Labour resources were invested in the other constituency, Harrow West.
Mr Shah has pointed out that in the last few years Tories locally have seen it fit to run negative campaign risking division than forging unity.
As an example, Mr Shah mentioned a resident’s letter to him that said:  “I’m really upset when letters by the Tory Party, recently one signed by Dolar Popat are being circulated. This sort of politics is divisive and playing on sectarian issues. The Labour Party needs to say something. Politics is secular. I’m an East African Asian of Jain background. I do not want to be lumped with any religion.”
Commenting on the divisive campaign, Mr Shah added, “The general election also saw the same old issues like Kashmiri Pundits and caste legislation dragged out for the Tory propaganda to find cheap favours amongst Indian / Hindu voters”.
Also read Blackman not supported!

Update: We glean community concerns about systematically watering down the Grenfell Tower fire disaster, the Finsbury Park mosque terror attack and sharp rise in far right extremist elements. Social media, now a much stronger voice, is full of far right venom which has wider and significant impact.  What Harrow and others need is honest information and reassurance – no down-playing!

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It can only be good that Harrow played its part in supporting the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
It was very graceful of the Queen and Prince William to visit a relief centre for Grenfell Tower fire victims last Friday (16.6.2017). They met volunteers, residents, community representatives and comforted victims. All this has been widely appreciated.
Equally appreciated is the tremendous community help and support for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster – the police confirmed that at least 79 people have died (many say that the number has been played down).
Jeremy Corbyn promptly visited the scene of the fire, warmly shared the community grief, extensively interacted with people and reassured his care and support.
In contrast with all this, government response has been very patchy, lacking warmth and reassurance, resulting in public pain and anger being directed at them.
It took several hours nagging on twitter and directly questioning her silence on the day of the Grenfell Tower disaster, including by the Harrow Monitoring Group, that Theresa May acknowledged the tragedy in few shallow words.
Similarly under strong criticism for her somewhat ‘cold-fish’ attitude to the tragedy, Theresa May eventually visited the scene last Thursday (15.6.2017), one day after the tragedy, talked to firemen but failed to meet the community workers or survivors of the tragedy.
Again there were hundreds of tweets condemning Theresa May’s half-hearted and superficial response.
Queen’s visit on Friday and her warmth towards people concerned, provided a lesson to Theresa May and she hurriedly visited some injured in the fire, later on the Friday.
However, still no public appearances by her strategically appointed housing minister Alok Sharma or the community secretary Sajid Javid to share public sorrow or concerns regarding the health and safety aspects of the tower.
Grenfell Tower in the heart of a richest borough provides council housing mostly to poor, deprived and vulnerable, and has previously known health and safety concerns. Provisions for the fire survivors give a sense of refugee camps in this rich borough!
The bitter question in many minds is why the young, old and vulnerable inhabitants of this tower block are treated so disrespectfully and insensitively by the local council and the central government.
For example, no government directive to show formal respect to the innocent victims of the Grenfell Tower fire by observing one minute silence – do all lives matter?

Prime Minister Theresa May is “a dead woman walking” who will inevitably face a leadership challenge, former Tory Chancellor George Osborne has said.
A similar situation seems to exist  in Harrow where many Tories are expecting Cllr Hall to step down as the leader of the opposition Tory group on the council. This opportunity arises as Cllr Hall is likely to be a London assembly member by default.
People rightly say that the opposition Tory group under its immature leadership can’t be taken seriously, particularly as it fails its important opposition role like to present a shadow budget to enrich the financial decision making.
Cllr Hall attacks plans to build much needed 186 homes, of which 41 per cent will be affordable, in Palmerston Road, Wealdstone – Cllr Hall has a shop in the area.
Cllr Hall now relies on cheap personal attacks .
Council time wasted! Many who attend the Harrow council cabinet meetings report personal attacks and disruptions by Councillor Hall and her deputy in trying to score petty political points, more so since the leader of the council Councillor Sachin Shah has chaired the meetings.
No surprise that the Tory group members wish to use their voice to make an impact and aim for change of direction to unite and demonstrate strength to voters (Tory group lost the councils in 2010 and 2014 as well as two by-elections in between, under Cllr Hall’s leadership) …  read more by clicking here
Although Cllr Hall’s presence was not welcomed at the recent general election Tory campaigns in Harrow, the Tory image under Cllr Hall leadership had serious implications for Tory candidates – Bob Blackman’s majority was brutally slashed from 4,757 in 2015 to 1,757 in Harrow East despite all his divisive politics, and Hannah David badly lost Harrow West giving Gareth Thomas (Lab) unprecedented +13.9 swing.

Bob Blackman retains Harrow East seat but with much reduced majority.
His retention is apparently because of how he sells himself – the Jewish Chronicle reported that he  describes himself as a “Chrinjew – a Christian with Jewish roots, and an honorary Hindu”.
Another reason for the result is that while he has canvassed in Harrow East for years (promoting his divisive politics), Navin Shah (Lab) had only few weeks to cover the constituency with minimum manpower and resources.
Navin Shah fought a clean campaign and did very well under the circumstances, achieving +5.3 swing and reducing Bob Blackman’s majority from 4,757 in 2015 to 2,757 1,757 (Blackman 25,129  Shah 23,372 – turnout 71.07%).
Gareth Thomas (Lab) effectively used massive resources and retained his Harrow West seat with much increased majority – from 2,208 in 2015 to 13,314 with +13.9 swing  (Thomas 30,640  David 17,326  –  turnout 72.33%).
Hannah David (Con) lost Harrow West once again, despite tremendous support from her party.
She had nothing really to offer to local residents except promoting Theresa May, who now appears to be political liability. Moreover, she could not distance herself from the divisive materials  
Both Tory candidates were wise enough not to profile the opposition Tory group leader Cllr Hall, who renders only political defeats 

Options

People’s leader Jeremy Corbyn: track record of inclusive policies and practices – for many and not few – honest and stable to rebuild and transform Britain – workable manifestos ready to be delivered – practical  and balanced approach to national security and international situations.
Theresa May: believed to remain in EU but now capitalising on Brexit – lacks sophistication of ideas at public debates (mostly declined), therefore uncertainty about her rigour at the EU negotiating table – damaging home security (information about terrorists not acted upon, working with the financial supporters of terrorists) –  “dementia tax” that endangers inheriting parents home (far more implications for Asian community) –  the elite funders of the Tories will be protected through tax havens and offshore trust structures – underfunding of NHS, police, and schools – younger generation will be over £50,000 in debt by the time they leave university.
Gareth Thomas and Navin Shah: from Harrow – previous Harrow councillors – focussing on local matters like improved funding for local services, more police for Harrow, a better connected Harrow and campaign against £500 per pupil cut across Harrow under Tory’s new funding formula.
Bob Blackman and Hannah David: from outside Harrow – divisive (have calculated their votes and show interest only in certain communities), avoiding local issues, leaning on the Conservative friends of this or that and trying hard to sell Tory brand name Theresa May.
Mr Blackman was questioned about employing his wife at his MP office with no regards to equal opportunities and that public taxes are paying for the wife and husband decides whether she is worth £35,000 or £45,000!
The Mirror reported that Bob Blackman MP was ordered to repay more than £1,000 in wrongly-claimed mileage.
Hannah David owns stake in husband’s firm that helps wealthy people pay less tax using tax havens, Mirror reported! Concern is how Hannah David can represent ordinary people in Harrow West who pay their taxes and yet see their NHS, police and public services cut.

Hannah David ‘owns stake in husband’s firm that helps wealthy people pay less tax using tax havens’, Mirror reports! Concern is how can Hannah David represent ordinary people in Harrow West who pay their taxes and yet see their NHS, police and public services cut.

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Leaflets
While people are wondering why sudden terror attacks before election, brutally killing innocent people, and who politically benefits from these barbaric acts, leaflets from the MP candidates are pouring through the Harrow letterboxes.
Harrow East Tory candidate Bob Blackman is avoiding local issues, leaning on temple blessings, the Conservative friends of this or that, Lord Popat’s letter to certain households and trying hard to sell Tory brand name Theresa May.
On the other hand, Labour candidate Navin Shah has focused on local matters like getting dedicated neighbourhood police teams and improved funding for local services.
Similarly Harrow West Labour candidate Gareth Thomas pledges for local issues like more police for Harrow, a better connected Harrow and to lead parliamentary campaign against £500 per pupil cut across Harrow under Tory’s new funding formula.
A rather interesting leaflet is from Harrow West UKIP candidate Rathy Alagaratham who has tried to make UKIP look normal with no mention of her party’s policies like introducing blue passports, ban on new immigrants using the NHS for five years, no automatic right to stay for EU migrants, prescribing what women should/ should not wear, to tighten regulation of ‘Jewish and Islamic butchery’, or the UKIP trump card ‘immigration’ and ‘Brexit’.  Perhaps she knew what is there in the Tory leaflet!
Harrow West Tory candidate Hannah David’s leaflet is all about Brexit, what Theresa May has done and intends to do – selling hard Theresa May. It looks Hannah David has nothing to offer to the voters.
Furthermore, as far as we know Hannah David has not distanced herself from the hateful materials.

The politics has rapidly turned: Theresa May’s rhetorical slogan ‘strong and stable leadership’ for Brexit has crumbled under public/ press scrutiny and eventually fizzled out, gaining the public given title ‘weak & wobbly’.
Also, regarding Theresa May’s absence from TV debates, question posed is: if she can’t debate, can she negotiate?
Seeing the disastrous TV performances by their leader, some weak Tory candidates, including in Harrow, are now avoiding public forums.
Tory candidates for Harrow East and Harrow West, Bob Blackman and Hannah David, respectively, are trying to avoid Harrow voters serious concerns about:
•social care “Dementia Taxes” which will deprive hard-working Harrow families of their inheritance
•Harrow NHS receives less money per head with the implications like the Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) running deficit budget and adversely effecting patient care
•main Harrow police station threatened with closure
•Bob Blackman supporting fox hunting – barbaric way of killing animals
•Bob Blackman was ordered to repay £1000 for “inaccurate mileage expenses” by the parliamentary standards authority
•divisive politics [1], [2]
Hannah David’s position becomes more shaky as she has turned down invitation to hustings.

If true, this raises concerns about the firmness of the candidate and her priorities for and  interest in Harrow residents.
A Harrow West resident’s comment sums up the general feelings about Tory absence: “I’m shocked that the Conservative keeps avoiding chances to meet Harrow voters – what is she hiding?”

Those in Harrow who need medical care not only suffer because of concerning access to services, waiting lists at the hospitals and shortcomings in other healthcare coverage due to the government under funding NHS, but also because of a clinician decision whether a patient meets the evidence-based thresholds for treatment defined in the Planned Procedure with a limited Threshold (PPwT) policy and which requires funding approval from the authority running a deficit budget.
There are thirty three  procedures covered under PPwT policy, including cataract surgery, grommets in children, hip replacement, correcting a deformity of the nasal septum and open MRI, for which individual funding request has to be made to the NHS Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) where  the  treatment falls under the ‘not normally funded’ category.
According to the information we received under FoI provision, Harrows CCG received 159 requests since January 2015 for individual funding, out of which many were declined (page 3).
Requests included for IVF (in vitro fertilisation), breast augmentation and laser treatment for acne.
The Harrow CCG responsible for planning and buying (commissioning) many of the health services needed by the approximately 260,000 people registered with GPs in Harrow, considers the requests for medical treatment on an individual patient basis
The Harrow CCG is planning for a £21m in year deficit in 2017/2018.
The budget deficit situation also impacts the quality of GP services as Harrow CCG has now taken  full responsibility for the management of the primary care medical services where GPs have to operate within the tight finances allowed to them.