Journal: Barbara Robinson-Perry

Journal 1 submission date 30 October 2015

Newly Elected Labour MP for Deptford and Lewisham reception at the Houses of Parliament.

It took sometime to find the right gate Cromwell gate was in fact St Stephen's entrance no sure how that works. After finding the entrance I was surprised how easy it was to get in, naturally security checks were in place not that it was relaxed but I though that one had to show ID and invitation.

On passing through security, I noted that there were many other activities going on. I began to speak to another invitee to the event who informed me that she had just become a member of the labour party. This individual said that she had never voted Labour in the past but the election of Jeremy Corbin changed parties.

Finally, on entering the Jubilee room for the start of the reception we could were served with a variety of alcohol, fruit juices and snacks. The highlights of the evening were the speeches firstly, Jeremy Corbin's Shadow Minister, ailing from Leicester. He informed us that the Labour party had been outvoted by the Conservatives to cut child tax credit and gave some statistics of what that would mean for many families already on the poverty line in Deptford and Lewisham.

Then we heard from the Labour elected Sadiq Khan for Major. His speech was not that different from the Shadow Minster, he was enthusiastic about what a Labour Major could do for London, the crowing of the evening was to hear Vicky Foxcroft' speech. I was fortunate to meet Lord Kennedy and Len Duval. The evening closed with a tour of the House of Parliament I stood where the Queen mother laid in state and Nelson Manela and other dignitaries stood to give their speech to parliament in the great hall there were however, places in the house that were out of limit to the public.

Major & Cabinet

My second observation was Major and Cabinet meeting at the Civic Suite, so few people making decisions for the whole community and the representation from the Black and Ethnic communities' so limited representation.

Serious Youth Crime in Lewisham

I was very disappointed that I was this was a closed meeting for Counsellors; it appears that these counsellors will be making decisions with little of no consultation with the community.

Barbara Robison-Perry