In memory of Harold Trace
Spelthorne Labour Party’s
Press Officer
1926 - 2020
Despair – or Attlee’s heir?
Meeting the young Blair
I
In the late Thatcher years.an Addlestone – based swindler ‘Barlow Clowes Guilt Edged Bonds’ had ruined the savings of
11,000 investors.
A national scandal, it had accounted to a staggering £180 million – petty cash compared with the American banks criminal collapse
In 2007, but a ‘challenge’ to put it mildly, to Spelthorne Labour Party. 35 Victims had sought our help for ‘jail and compensation.’
Essentially, it looked dodgy, but Thatcher seemed omnipotent.
Its products for sale were gilt- edged securities, enhanced.’ These of course, were Tory Government guaranteed, think leaflets with Her Majesty, Rock of Gibraltar, Winston Churchill with cigar.
You could buy, legit gilts in a post office or bank branch at the pedestrian rate of interest of 3%.
But if Barlow Clowes bought them for you, the crooks would treat you to the same security, but with 5.5%!! Almost twice the lawful
going rate.
Every one pound a punter put in should have been registered with a Gilt-Edged register number.
Harold trace, then professional fraud investigator, and press officer, had his arm twisted by Spelthorne Labour to take on the villains as our residents pleaded. His finding was spectacular.
going rate.
But if Barlow Clowes bought them for you, the crooks would treat you to the same security, but with 5.5%!! Almost twice the lawful
You could buy, legit gilts in a post office or bank branch at the pedestrian rate of interest of 3%.
Its products for sale were gilt- edged securities, enhanced.’ These of course, were Tory Government guaranteed, think leaflets with Her Majesty, Rock of Gibraltar, Winston Churchill with cigar.
Essentially, it looked dodgy, but Thatcher seemed omnipotent.
In 2007, but a ‘challenge’ to put it mildly, to Spelthorne Labour Party. 35 Victims had sought our help for ‘jail and compensation.’
A national scandal, it had accounted to a staggering £180 million – petty cash compared with the American banks criminal collapse
11,000 investors.
In the late Thatcher years.an Addlestone – based swindler ‘Barlow Clowes Guilt Edged Bonds’ had ruined the savings of
For on all the sales bumf, this official number was shown.
‘What are you alleging’ asked the party chairman’ ‘is either the top Tories at ‘Trade’ are either criminally negligent, or ‘on the take’ – I.E plain criminals themselves.’ ‘You’ve got it chair.’
The next step for the party was obvious – to read the facts to Labour’s shadow trade minister.
This young star, one Tony Blair, was spoken of as a future leader, and at once agreed to take over, and could we supply a delegate! (Guess who?)
I refused a fee from the Barlow Clowes Victims Groups – Attlee graduates refuse pay for public service.
Tony was charming, and the biscuits and chocolate with cream flowed. But then, the meeting nearly ended, as he read the awful 35 SOS letters. ‘These people are nutters surely?’ ‘Double the interest rate?’ He showed neither anger nor concern. ‘They’re mugs.’ ‘What next, repay them if they back losing gee-gees?’
I then pointed out the damning Tory approval number on the advertising material. At once he then looked me in the eye and stated, ‘you say the Tories – either they’re incompetent or bent? ‘The sack or jail?’ ‘I do indeed.’
The brilliant lawyer took over – read his speeches in Hansard.
Then, concludes Harold, I played my ace political card. Tony might be a gifted, wealthy Scottish toff (he was perhaps a centrist with a red rossette.) I told Tony that Dennis Skinner, coal miner ‘Beast of Bolsover’ incorruptible and left wing was about to campaign. He shook hands with me, his leadership assured of success. Dennis as an ally, a winning one assured his left flank.
The results? Ten years jail for Peter Clowes, 90% return for all Barlow Clowes victims, Spelthorne Labour Party jubilant and three left of centre Blair-led Labour governments.
Did the victims then vote labour in Spelthorne? Many, but not all.
Blair asked me to describe Spelthorne’s Labour philosophy in one word, on arrival I chose ‘Attlee – practical Socialism’ I’d repeat that today, except for my native Merseyside where Major Attlee. Liverpool regiments and dignity in work is venerated. Compare that with Johnson and Trump.
Clowes – Labour can repeat triumph1 Study and focus on Attlee
Harold trace reflects on how an obscure, Tory seat CLP-Spelthorne could force a ten year prison sentence on the £180 million miscreant, a refund of 90% to all (not just Spelthorne’s) victims, and eventually a landslide 1997 election.
Attlee had died in 67 but his benign, practical socialist beliefs never did. Barlow Clowes was late 80s ‘Thatcher permanent.’
Clowes was of course backed by adverts in Tory press plug, I reckon, but needed evidence to press charges.
‘Unity’ was vital, said the Attlee approach.
Our CLP campaign committee was unanimous. I was to get young Blair onside, plus the very different ‘ Bolsover Beast’ Dennis, plus the Liverpool led trade unions (Attlee revered) and the facts speak for themselves.
Blair was not from the Socialist left, but he was determined on power, and gained votes of the aspirant fairly well off B.C victims.
I had a ‘business meeting with Blair, now convinced and studious of 35 the B.C residents.
Then ‘Mrs Blair’ Liverpool activist mobilised women’s groups. She invited several of our CLP to Downing Street years later.
Always amiable Blair and I differed on three policies:
1 Eradicate not build on Thatcherism. Capitalism is not impregnable.
2 fortify not weaken, Trade Unions.
3 Restrain, not support American military and trade ventures.
For Tony’s acute problems I urge the same Lab action.
Harold you will be truly missed!
WELL DONE LABOUR!
Council estate built
by Labour run Norwich council, wins Riba
Stirling prize for
architecture.
Norwich's £17m scheme of 105 homes - a mix of 45 one-bedroom flats, 40 two-bedroom houses, three two-bedroom flats and five four-bedroom flats, is the first development of its sort ever to claim the prize.
The innovative £17m project was awarded the highest honour of the Royal Institute of British of Architects, becoming the first development of its sort ever to claim the prize. The homes, owned and managed by Norwich City Council, are rented out to people with a housing need.
Ever since the Tory government of the 1980s prevented councils from reinvesting funds from the sale of their council flats into building new housing, it had lacked the resources to do so. But, like a number of local authorities, Norwich found a way, using a mix of borrowing, funds from its housing revenue account.
They are not homes that fit into the murky class of “affordable”, or the multitude of “intermediate” tenures. This is proper social housing, rented from the council with secure tenancies at fixed rents. Not only that, it is some of the most energy-efficient housing ever built in the UK, meeting the exacting German passivhaus standards – which translates into a 70% reduction in fuel bills for tenants.
By contrast, compare Spelthorne’s Tory run councils feeble attempt to fulfil its “statutory obligations” to house the homeless, by planning to build a 27 bed hostel at the cost of around £6 million, and then handing it over to the Salvation Army to run!
Socialism is part of the 21st century's zeitgeist!
Only Labour can bring in a new Utopia?
Communism failed, neoliberalism, with the crash of the financial sector in 2008 failed. Capitalism in its present form will also fail, due to the fast rate of technical advancement.
In 1926 Henry Ford (Founder of Ford Motor Company) became the first to implement a five-day work week. He discovered that a shorter working week increased productivity, and workers with more leisure time were more likely to buy cars.
In the 1960 s Henry Ford’s grandson gave union leader Walter Reuther a tour of the companies automated factory, he jokingly asked, “Walter how are you going to get those robots to pay your union dues.?” He quickly replies “Henry how are you going to get them to buy your cars?”
How things have moved on since then, we now have driverless cars and chess legend Garry Kasparov was beaten by a computer in 1997, it was the size of a tennis court. Sixteen years later a new computer came on the market, play station 4, a fraction of the price and twice as powerful. The new generation of robots are proxies not only for our muscle power but for our mental capacity, too.
It’s already happening in our high streets, with shops closing because more people are buying on line. Banks are closing on our high streets, due to on line banking and those remaining have fewer staff. In supermarkets more people are checking their own goods out, thus less staff will be needed.
Capitalism, in its effort to reduce labour costs by the use of technology, in order to increase profits, is killing its own markets. Henry Ford discovered that for capitalism to survive it requires people with money in their pockets and enough leisure time to spend it.
It is estimated that 54% of all jobs in Europe will be replaced by machines in the next 20 years.
Although employees have been worrying for the past 200 years, new jobs materialised to take their place. But now in the new century robots have suddenly picked up pace.
Today the new jobs are at supermarkets, fast-food chains, and nursing homes, but for how long will they be safe? As a French economist put it; "that if we continue down our current path we will soon find ourselves back in the rentier society of the Gilded Age. A minority of people who owned capital (stocks, houses, machines) enjoyed a much higher standard of living." More people will be forced into today's version of the Victorian slums, HMOs ( homes of multiple occupancy), with many living in small ensuite rooms, with shared kitchens.
Unless there is a resurgence of strong inclusive growth, high taxation on capital, or World War III, if nothing is done, inequality could reach frightening proportions.
An idea that is gaining traction is for a universal basic income for everyone, a shorter working week, and the eradication of poverty. Finland and Canada have announced large experiments, In the Netherlands twenty municipalities are putting basic income into action. The organization Give Directly is launching a major basic income study in Kenya. It is also catching on in a big way in Silicon Valley, and even the American Democrats are slowly voicing socialist policies.
Only the Labour Party, has the right credentials to make it happen here, and the proposed four day week by Labour is a move in the right direction. It wont happen overnight, but a Utopia where all benefit from technological advancement, and not suffer from it, is urgently needed.
The above article does not necessarily express the view of the Labour Party.
Informed and Inspired by, Utopia For Realists by: Rutiger Bregman.
Education
Under the Tories, close to 1000 Sure Start centres have been closed nationwide.
Nationally, Labour will ensure guaranteed adequate funding for schools, teachers and rescources, to create a world class service. Labour supports ‘Life Long Learning’
“Labour will lobby the council to reopen the Sure Start Centres closed since 2010,ensuring that children are given the best start in life thereby reducing inequalities when they start school” Between 2010 and 2018, overall school funding per pupil has been cut by 8%.
Locally, Spelthorne Labour Party will push for access to
more 6th form provision within the borough.
In memory of Harold Trace
Spelthorne Labour Party’s
Press Officer
1926 - 2020
Despair – or Attlee’s heir?
Meeting the young Blair
I
In the late Thatcher years.an Addlestone – based swindler ‘Barlow Clowes Guilt Edged Bonds’ had ruined the savings of
11,000 investors.
A national scandal, it had accounted to a staggering £180 million – petty cash compared with the American banks criminal collapse
In 2007, but a ‘challenge’ to put it mildly, to Spelthorne Labour Party. 35 Victims had sought our help for ‘jail and compensation.’
Essentially, it looked dodgy, but Thatcher seemed omnipotent.
Its products for sale were gilt- edged securities, enhanced.’ These of course, were Tory Government guaranteed, think leaflets with Her Majesty, Rock of Gibraltar, Winston Churchill with cigar.
You could buy, legit gilts in a post office or bank branch at the pedestrian rate of interest of 3%.
But if Barlow Clowes bought them for you, the crooks would treat you to the same security, but with 5.5%!! Almost twice the lawful
going rate.
Every one pound a punter put in should have been registered with a Gilt-Edged register number.
Harold trace, then professional fraud investigator, and press officer, had his arm twisted by Spelthorne Labour to take on the villains as our residents pleaded. His finding was spectacular.
going rate.
But if Barlow Clowes bought them for you, the crooks would treat you to the same security, but with 5.5%!! Almost twice the lawful
You could buy, legit gilts in a post office or bank branch at the pedestrian rate of interest of 3%.
Its products for sale were gilt- edged securities, enhanced.’ These of course, were Tory Government guaranteed, think leaflets with Her Majesty, Rock of Gibraltar, Winston Churchill with cigar.
Essentially, it looked dodgy, but Thatcher seemed omnipotent.
In 2007, but a ‘challenge’ to put it mildly, to Spelthorne Labour Party. 35 Victims had sought our help for ‘jail and compensation.’
A national scandal, it had accounted to a staggering £180 million – petty cash compared with the American banks criminal collapse
11,000 investors.
In the late Thatcher years.an Addlestone – based swindler ‘Barlow Clowes Guilt Edged Bonds’ had ruined the savings of
For on all the sales bumf, this official number was shown.
‘What are you alleging’ asked the party chairman’ ‘is either the top Tories at ‘Trade’ are either criminally negligent, or ‘on the take’ – I.E plain criminals themselves.’ ‘You’ve got it chair.’
The next step for the party was obvious – to read the facts to Labour’s shadow trade minister.
This young star, one Tony Blair, was spoken of as a future leader, and at once agreed to take over, and could we supply a delegate! (Guess who?)
I refused a fee from the Barlow Clowes Victims Groups – Attlee graduates refuse pay for public service.
Tony was charming, and the biscuits and chocolate with cream flowed. But then, the meeting nearly ended, as he read the awful 35 SOS letters. ‘These people are nutters surely?’ ‘Double the interest rate?’ He showed neither anger nor concern. ‘They’re mugs.’ ‘What next, repay them if they back losing gee-gees?’
I then pointed out the damning Tory approval number on the advertising material. At once he then looked me in the eye and stated, ‘you say the Tories – either they’re incompetent or bent? ‘The sack or jail?’ ‘I do indeed.’
The brilliant lawyer took over – read his speeches in Hansard.
Then, concludes Harold, I played my ace political card. Tony might be a gifted, wealthy Scottish toff (he was perhaps a centrist with a red rossette.) I told Tony that Dennis Skinner, coal miner ‘Beast of Bolsover’ incorruptible and left wing was about to campaign. He shook hands with me, his leadership assured of success. Dennis as an ally, a winning one assured his left flank.
The results? Ten years jail for Peter Clowes, 90% return for all Barlow Clowes victims, Spelthorne Labour Party jubilant and three left of centre Blair-led Labour governments.
Did the victims then vote labour in Spelthorne? Many, but not all.
Blair asked me to describe Spelthorne’s Labour philosophy in one word, on arrival I chose ‘Attlee – practical Socialism’ I’d repeat that today, except for my native Merseyside where Major Attlee. Liverpool regiments and dignity in work is venerated. Compare that with Johnson and Trump.
Clowes – Labour can repeat triumph1 Study and focus on Attlee
Harold trace reflects on how an obscure, Tory seat CLP-Spelthorne could force a ten year prison sentence on the £180 million miscreant, a refund of 90% to all (not just Spelthorne’s) victims, and eventually a landslide 1997 election.
Attlee had died in 67 but his benign, practical socialist beliefs never did. Barlow Clowes was late 80s ‘Thatcher permanent.’
Clowes was of course backed by adverts in Tory press plug, I reckon, but needed evidence to press charges.
‘Unity’ was vital, said the Attlee approach.
Our CLP campaign committee was unanimous. I was to get young Blair onside, plus the very different ‘ Bolsover Beast’ Dennis, plus the Liverpool led trade unions (Attlee revered) and the facts speak for themselves.
Blair was not from the Socialist left, but he was determined on power, and gained votes of the aspirant fairly well off B.C victims.
I had a ‘business meeting with Blair, now convinced and studious of 35 the B.C residents.
Then ‘Mrs Blair’ Liverpool activist mobilised women’s groups. She invited several of our CLP to Downing Street years later.
Always amiable Blair and I differed on three policies:
1 Eradicate not build on Thatcherism. Capitalism is not impregnable.
2 fortify not weaken, Trade Unions.
3 Restrain, not support American military and trade ventures.
For Tony’s acute problems I urge the same Lab action.
Harold you will be truly missed!
WELL DONE LABOUR!
Council estate built
by Labour run Norwich council, wins Riba
Stirling prize for
architecture.
Norwich's £17m scheme of 105 homes - a mix of 45 one-bedroom flats, 40 two-bedroom houses, three two-bedroom flats and five four-bedroom flats, is the first development of its sort ever to claim the prize.
The innovative £17m project was awarded the highest honour of the Royal Institute of British of Architects, becoming the first development of its sort ever to claim the prize. The homes, owned and managed by Norwich City Council, are rented out to people with a housing need.
Ever since the Tory government of the 1980s prevented councils from reinvesting funds from the sale of their council flats into building new housing, it had lacked the resources to do so. But, like a number of local authorities, Norwich found a way, using a mix of borrowing, funds from its housing revenue account.
They are not homes that fit into the murky class of “affordable”, or the multitude of “intermediate” tenures. This is proper social housing, rented from the council with secure tenancies at fixed rents. Not only that, it is some of the most energy-efficient housing ever built in the UK, meeting the exacting German passivhaus standards – which translates into a 70% reduction in fuel bills for tenants.
By contrast, compare Spelthorne’s Tory run councils feeble attempt to fulfil its “statutory obligations” to house the homeless, by planning to build a 27 bed hostel at the cost of around £6 million, and then handing it over to the Salvation Army to run!
Socialism is part of the 21st century's zeitgeist!
Only Labour can bring in a new Utopia?
Communism failed, neoliberalism, with the crash of the financial sector in 2008 failed. Capitalism in its present form will also fail, due to the fast rate of technical advancement.
In 1926 Henry Ford (Founder of Ford Motor Company) became the first to implement a five-day work week. He discovered that a shorter working week increased productivity, and workers with more leisure time were more likely to buy cars.
In the 1960 s Henry Ford’s grandson gave union leader Walter Reuther a tour of the companies automated factory, he jokingly asked, “Walter how are you going to get those robots to pay your union dues.?” He quickly replies “Henry how are you going to get them to buy your cars?”
How things have moved on since then, we now have driverless cars and chess legend Garry Kasparov was beaten by a computer in 1997, it was the size of a tennis court. Sixteen years later a new computer came on the market, play station 4, a fraction of the price and twice as powerful. The new generation of robots are proxies not only for our muscle power but for our mental capacity, too.
It’s already happening in our high streets, with shops closing because more people are buying on line. Banks are closing on our high streets, due to on line banking and those remaining have fewer staff. In supermarkets more people are checking their own goods out, thus less staff will be needed.
Capitalism, in its effort to reduce labour costs by the use of technology, in order to increase profits, is killing its own markets. Henry Ford discovered that for capitalism to survive it requires people with money in their pockets and enough leisure time to spend it.
It is estimated that 54% of all jobs in Europe will be replaced by machines in the next 20 years.
Although employees have been worrying for the past 200 years, new jobs materialised to take their place. But now in the new century robots have suddenly picked up pace.
Today the new jobs are at supermarkets, fast-food chains, and nursing homes, but for how long will they be safe? As a French economist put it; "that if we continue down our current path we will soon find ourselves back in the rentier society of the Gilded Age. A minority of people who owned capital (stocks, houses, machines) enjoyed a much higher standard of living." More people will be forced into today's version of the Victorian slums, HMOs ( homes of multiple occupancy), with many living in small ensuite rooms, with shared kitchens.
Unless there is a resurgence of strong inclusive growth, high taxation on capital, or World War III, if nothing is done, inequality could reach frightening proportions.
An idea that is gaining traction is for a universal basic income for everyone, a shorter working week, and the eradication of poverty. Finland and Canada have announced large experiments, In the Netherlands twenty municipalities are putting basic income into action. The organization Give Directly is launching a major basic income study in Kenya. It is also catching on in a big way in Silicon Valley, and even the American Democrats are slowly voicing socialist policies.
Only the Labour Party, has the right credentials to make it happen here, and the proposed four day week by Labour is a move in the right direction. It wont happen overnight, but a Utopia where all benefit from technological advancement, and not suffer from it, is urgently needed.
The above article does not necessarily express the view of the Labour Party.
Informed and Inspired by, Utopia For Realists by: Rutiger Bregman.
Education
Under the Tories, close to 1000 Sure Start centres have been closed nationwide.
Nationally, Labour will ensure guaranteed adequate funding for schools, teachers and rescources, to create a world class service. Labour supports ‘Life Long Learning’
“Labour will lobby the council to reopen the Sure Start Centres closed since 2010,ensuring that children are given the best start in life thereby reducing inequalities when they start school” Between 2010 and 2018, overall school funding per pupil has been cut by 8%.
Locally, Spelthorne Labour Party will push for access to
more 6th form provision within the borough.
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