Blog Archives
Only four days to go……
The countdown begins, only four days to go until the local and European elections on Thursday 22nd May. Please ensure you vote on Thursday as it’s your way of getting your voice heard for who will represent you in your local councils and European parliament. Last week I was very busy on the campaign trail with the London Labour European team in Haringey, Waltham Forest, Islington, Southwark, Lambeth, London School of Economics, Westminster, Tower Hamlets and Battersea as well as meeting with Andy Burnham MP to talk about the damaging changes to the NHS this Tory led government is imposing on us. I also represented the Labour party at the European Parliamentary debating event at London Sivan Kovil Trust – a leading Hindu community organization in Lewisham.
This the final week of the European campaign trail, I will be campaigning in Lewisham, Lambeth, Dulwich and West Norwood, various parts of West London and Barking, Newham and Tower Hamlets. If you wish to join in on any of the sessions then do drop me a line on sanchia4europe@yahoo.co.uk, I would be delighted to see you.
I was thrilled last week when I won a Grassroot Diplomat Initiative award under the Policy Driver category for my long-standing work on equalities and diversity issues, which still has a long way to go for improvement. Minority women are still underrepresented in the field of politics, maths, engineering and science . The awards were hosted by TV Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos. In partnership with The May Fair Hotel, the Grassroot Diplomat Initiative Awards recognises the achievements of UK-based diplomats and politicians who are representing civilian interests at the highest level in areas of policy, social and business.
Register to vote by the 6th May
Less than 50 days to go……
April 2014
1 Glynnis Kinnock MEP Fundraiser
5 Campaigning in Dulwich and West Norwood
March 2014
3 MEP Candidate hustings hosted by the National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) at Europe House, London from 2pm-5pm.
4 Kings College Labour students society debate on Europe and interview on Colourful radio
5 Ilford North and Milton Keynes South fundraiser
7 Brent Central fundraiser
15 Three seats campaign day, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham and Rainham
21 Hornchurch and Upminster fundraiser
22 European campaign day in Newham
25 Launch of the Labour Black Network, Portcullis House
26 Guest speaker at the Leyton and Wanstead fundraiser
27 Guest speaker at the West Ham Labour party meeting
28 Ealing Labour European fundraiser
29 Campaigning in Twickenham
February 2014
4 London Labour pub quiz
6 Campaigning in Tower Hamlets with John Biggs AM and mayoral candidate
11 John Biggs fundraiser, Tayyabs restaurant in Whitechapel
16-19 Visit to the European parliament in Brussels and speaking at ‘My MEP is just like me, Gender Equality and Diversity in European Political Life’ on the 18th, Hosted by MEP Claude Moraes, European Parliament A3G2
25 Brunel University politics society European debate
After two rounds of the Clegg vs Farage European debate, I am inviting all women to come and hear a positive debate about how the European Union has benefitted women. This will take place at the GMB Offices, Euston, and you can find out more about the event here.
I was on BBC Radio London last week Sunday 30th March, taking part in their Europe debate on the weekly Dotun Adebayo show. You can listen to it here
I recently wrote an article about how the welfare reforms are having an impact on mental health and well-being and you can read the article on the 2020health website.
I will be campaigning with Eddie Izzard on the 15, 16 and 18 April with a European fundraiser with him on the evening of the 16th.
We need more debates on Europe
I have spoken at two debates about Europe this month, one hosted by the Havering Fabian Society and one by the London School of Economics, Labour and Cooperative society. I think these debates are healthy and many more of them should be organised. I am a pro-european, but think we should have discussions about how we can reform Europe to make it work better for ordinary hard working Londoners. I addressed the Redbridge Young Labour AGM about the importance of young people and Europe and the Romford Labour party and the Enfield Labour womens forum about the importance of the European elections.
I have been invited to a MEP candidate hustings being held by The National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) in March. The hustings will be attended by a diverse range of young women (16-25 years old) from across the United Kingdom. The young women will be part of a project funded by the Directorate General for Communications of the European Parliament that will be facilitated by NAWO. Through working to create a manifesto of demands that reflect their needs and aspirations, in addition to direct contact with MEP candidates and increased engagement with the work of European Parliament the young women will be encouraged to use their vote in the upcoming elections of May 2014.
I will be heading back to the European Parliament next month, to continue my capacity building sessions with the European Women’s Lobby, European mentoring project where I shall be receiving training on communication skills. I will also have a catch up with me mentor, Mojca Kleva MEP since she had her baby and find out more about how she is juggling motherhood and politics. I will finalise arrangements for her to come and help me campaign here in London and for me to return the favour in her country, Slovenia. I will be a guest speaker at an event the European Women’s lobby is organising at the European parliament on the 18th February, hosted by Claude Moraes MEP called ‘My MEP is just like me, Gender Equality and Diversity in European Political Life’.
It’s been a busy year
I have had a busy year and am now looking forward to spending time with my family over the festive season. In April I was confirmed as one of the six new european candidates for the Labour party and the elections are only six months away now. I have enjoyed meeting Labour party members and talking to the public all across London about the campaign. Next year the campaign steps up a gear as I will be working really hard to ensure that the Labour party double the number of MEP’s in the European parliament and increase the number of Labour councillors across London. I will also be speaking at a number of events about the up-coming elections, you can find out where I’ll be on my out and about page.
I had a really useful time visiting the Council of Europe and European parliament in Strasbourg this month. I attended the plenary session and saw where women’s rights were voted down by Conservative and right wing MEP’s. I also attended the civil liberties committee, where Claude Moraes MEP is leading an inquiry into the sharing of our personal data in the USA. I attended two events with the Europeans lobby whilst I was there, one about how we can take stronger action against rape and one to watch a film screening about the experiences of migrant women across Europe. I had a catch up with my mentor, Mojca Kleva MEP and am looking forward to helping her with her re-election campaign in Slovenia in April and she will also return the favour and help me campaign here in London also. I also plan to visit the European parliament again in Brussels a number of times next year, to continue to learn more about the role of MEP’s in parliament.
I was delighted to find out that I have been shortlisted for a grassroot diplomat award for my work in equality and diversity. You can find out more about the awards here.
Seasons greetings to you and yours.
Me and my mentor Mojca Kleva MEP, discussing the importance of the European Women’s lobby mentoring project in the European parliament in Strasbourg. You can find out more about the project here.
Strasbourg calling
I am looking forward to attending the final plenary session of 2013 of the European parliament in Strasbourg from the 9-11th. This will give me an opportunity to see how plenary sessions operate and how MEP’s vote on important issues. I will also have a catch up with my mentor in the European parliament, Mojca Kleva MEP about the life of an MEP and how she balances work and family commitments. I am being sponsored by the European Women’s lobby to attend as part of their European mentoring project which you can find out more about here.
During my time in Strasbourg I will be attending two events. The European Women’s Lobby will be hosting an event: “Promote Human Rights, Act against Rape!” that will take place on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day 10 December. This will be an opportunity to reassert that women’s rights are human rights and bring to the attention of members of the European Parliament that rape is a persistent violation of women’s rights, while demanding justice and support for victims of rape. I will also be attending the screening of a film called, This is My Home Now, which follows the stories of three migrant women living in Europe.
I have been busy over the past couple of weeks, attending a joint health overview and scrutiny session with Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Waltham Forest and Redbridge about the proposed changes to cancer services across East London. The proposal from NHS England, is to reduce the number of sites where certain specialist interventions are carried out. I stated that I did not have anything against the proposal in principle, but was concerned about increased journey time for my residents. I attended fundraising dinners in Romford, Brent, Barking and Newham to raise much needed funds for the European and local elections in May 2014.
I attended a consultation meeting hoisted by BAME on the new race equality strategy strategy the Labour party recently launched. Keith Vaz MP and Sharon Hodgson MP attended as well as Jennette Arnold AM and Simon Wooley from Operation Black vote. On 23 October 2013, the Labour Party launched a consultation on its race equality strategy. Realising One Nation: Developing a new race equality strategy for Labour is a consultation designed to kick start the process of developing the strategy, ideas and policies that will help a future Labour government to take down the barriers that exist for black and ethnic minority people in our economy, society and politics. Submissions are welcomed from individuals and organisations.
I am a committee member of the Labour Movement for Europe as well as the GMB Womens committee and both had meetings which I attended and fed into, where an exciting program of work is being developed by both for 2014. I attended a campaign briefing session for all European candidates across the UK, which was held in Euston, where we heard from Douglas Alexander MP, Glennis Wilmot MEP and Iain McNichol about the exciting plans for the European campaign strategy. I am looking forward to attending the London Labour summit later this month, where we hear more about the campaign strategy for London local elections and the general elections.
I have been continuously campaigning on the doorstep for Labour for the upcoming European and local elections which are only six months away now. I attended sessions in Forest Gate with London Young Labour, Croydon and a session in Redbridge with Mikes Gapes MP. There was a positive response on the doorstep for Labour in all areas.
Why being part of the of the European Union is good for our health
The challenges that we face in London in relation to health are also problems that face Europe as a whole. In order to tackle these challenges head on, we need to work together with the member states so that we can find solutions to the common problems we face and reduce health inequalities all across Europe, as well as create a more cohesive approach to developing policy to address these. Read my article on the 2020 health website about why being part of the European Union is better for health outcomes here.