Chuka is speaking at the Convention on Modern Liberty today with The Observer’s Will Hutton, Chris Huhne MP, musician Brian Eno and Guardian legal correspondent, Afua Hirsch. The convention is being held to bring as many people together to see what common ground can be reached in defence of our freedoms.

Fundamental rights and freedoms are common to us all. The Universal Declaration recognises ‘the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’. In Britain such values have an even longer history. We are indeed the inheritors of an inspiring tradition of liberty.

At the same time technical advances from information technology to explosives and the threats of catastrophic climatic change have altered the framework of power and fear. This calls for a renewal of our democratic self-confidence. This is the purpose of the Convention on Modern Liberty.

To watch a live stream of the event, click here: Modern Liberty Convention.

The keynote speech is being given by the director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, who you can watch in the video below:

Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Streatham, and fellow South London Labour politicians condemn Tory moves to abolish the National Minimum Wage.

Senior Conservatives are making moves to scrap the minimum wage. A group of Tory MPs led by Christopher Chope, a former Minister and member of the shadow cabinet, have introduced a Bill in the House of Commons which would effectively abolish the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The Bill would make the NMW, currently set at £5.73 per hour, redundant by allowing employees to opt out of receiving the minimum wage in the same way that they may opt out of the maximum 48 hour working week.

Labour’s introduction of the minimum wage back in 1998 was a groundbreaking step in overcoming poverty and ending the tyranny of low pay. When the NMW came into being, wages of as little as £1.20 an hour were common and legal – that’s just £1.38 an hour in today’s prices.

Since 1998, the NMW has benefited over 1.5 million workers, raising the living standards of the worst-off – in London alone over 70,000 benefited from it last year. Studies show that rather than weakening the economy, the adoption of the minimum wage has created a more motivated and productive workforce, whilst providing an incentive for firms to invest more in their employees’ skills.

In a joint letter to local newspapers, Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham, Keith Hill, Labour MP for Streatham, Tessa Jowell, Minster for the Olympics, and Labour Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman MP (pictured with Umunna), condemned the Bill.  In their letter they wrote:

“Scrapping the minimum wage now would have catastrophic consequences for over 70,000 Londoners who benefit from it, bringing a return to poverty wages at a time when families are finding it more difficult to make ends meet.

“It is difficult to imagine the past 10 years without a minimum wage in place and the inroads made into child poverty would simply not have been impossible without it. That is why Labour will oppose any move to do away with it.”

Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Streatham, joins forces with Eddie Izzard and others to promote Labour’s offer of free theatre tickets for under 26 year olds.

Under a new Government initiative, “A Night Less Ordinary”, young people in South London will have the chance to see theatre productions for free, in a bid to increase the numbers of young people going to see plays.

Labour’s free theatre scheme will provide 618,000 free theatre tickets across England for the next two years. Young people in South London will be able to visit over 40 London venues, including the National Theatre on the South Bank, to see plays for free.

Chuka Umunna, who has championed the arts in Streatham and is campaigning to increase youth provision in the area, said:

“We have a strong acting tradition in Streatham. Streatham bingo hall used to be a theatre, several well known actors and actresses live here and our very own Keith Hill, MP for Streatham, even used to share a flat with actor and comedian Eddie Izzard in the area!

“I have seen for myself how positively young people respond to the theatre. I know this scheme will help ensure young people get the chance to experience some brilliant productions and I look forward to working with local schools and colleges to ensure as many our under 26 year olds as possible know about the scheme and apply for free tickets.

“I am inviting young people to find out about the scheme by watching Eddie’s video on my website and to visit the Night Less Ordinary website to learn more about this initiative.”

Actor and comedian Eddie Izzard, said:

“I think free theatre tickets for young people is a great idea, especially as things are getting tough financially right now. I am very pleased that the Labour Party has launched this scheme for under 26 year olds. We have a great British theatrical tradition and I hope people take advantage of this offer.”

Streatham resident and actress, Eileen Battye (pictured with Chuka), also welcomed the initiative:

“Live theatre is unique, and I believe the experience of watching actors give their performances right there in front of you can never be replaced by film, television or DVD.

“In theatre, no two shows are ever the same and the audience has a special role to play. We as actors need and rely on audience responses, especially in comedy productions. And things can go wrong in live theatre too!

“This scheme is a great opportunity to experience the terrific theatre that is being produced today in all its spontaneity.”

The scheme has attracted the support of several other actors and actresses including “Spooks” star, Rupert Penry Jones and Sheridan Smith, star of “Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps” and “Jonathan Creek”.

This week sees the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, helping raise awareness of the Fairtrade brand and the benefits it has brought to workers in developing countries. Sales of Fairtrade goods have gone from strength to strength, growing on average by 40% per year, while the worldwide market for Fairtrade goods is seventy times as large as it was ten years ago.

This trend of ethical shopping reflects a growing awareness of development issues and a desire to influence positive change. Fairtrade goods ensure a fair deal for producers through a guaranteed price and that social and environmental standards are met. The ‘Fairtrade premium’, which is the money paid on top of the minimum price for the product, is reinvested in local development projects, decided upon democratically by the workers themselves. In developing countries, Fairtrade has made huge strides in improving pay, living conditions and opportunities whilst putting local communities in the driving seat.

Trade plays a crucial role in sustainable development. As well as committing significant resources to ethical trading initiatives such as Fairtrade, the Government has led international efforts to secure fairer trading rules. The ‘Aid for Trade’ initiative helps developing countries build their trading capacities, and will receive over £400m a year from the Government by 2010.

At its heart, Fairtrade is about empowering workers in the developing world. Visit the Fairtrade foundation’s website and watch the short film above, from South Africa, to find out more about the gains it can bring.

Gabriel Huntley

Streatham Hill resident Stone Walters seems destined for great things after making this year’s Brit awards album. The Brit school graduate has avoided the major labels and recorded his album on his own independent label, Fivestone Records, which he runs witrh his sister and wife

Here is Stone being interviewed on the red carpet at the Brit Awards launch:

You can find out more about Stone, and hear some of his music by visiting his website.

A local man looks set for stardom, after his single made this year’s Brit Awards album.

Stone Walters is a soul singer from Streatham Hill, who attended the Brit School, whose famous graduates include Amy Winehouse and Adele. Not only that, but at 32, Stone has made this year’s Brit Album, released ahead of the 2009 Brit Awards, appearing alongside the Kings of Leon and Girls Aloud.

Click here to find our more about Stone’s success and see an interview with him on the Brits red carpet.

Carys Afoko

New measures to clamp down on fare dodgers and make stations in Streatham and Tulse Hill safer were announced by Labour Transport Minister, Andrew Adonis, yesterday.

The new £5.5 million project will improve security at Streatham, Streatham Hill, Streatham Common, Tulse Hill and 10 other stations in South London using new ticketing gates which will save train bosses from incurring substantial revenue losses. As part of this, ‘wide aisle’ gates will be introduced at every station to accommodate wheel chairs, pushchairs and luggage.

This follows the recent installation of Europe’s longest ticketing line at Waterloo station, where security has improved on trains and passengers can now transfer more easily to Underground services.

From as early as March the new ticket gates will be staffed when operational. From next year they will be staffed for 15 hours per day, including between 7pm and 11pm, improving security and making it safer for passengers to travel late at night.

Explaining the much welcomed investment, Adonis said “as the experience at Waterloo has proven, these measures will improve station security by increasing staffing at night seven days a week”. Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham, added that “delivery is what people want to see and this is tangible evidence of that.”

In total some 68 normal, wide aisle or manual gates are due to be installed by Transport for London (TfL) and Southern. Additional ticket machines will also be installed at Tulse Hill station to make it easier for passengers to purchase tickets.

Chief Executive of Passenger Focus, the rail users pressure group, Anthony Smith, said,
“Gating can bring benefits. Clearly passengers who do the right thing and pay for their ticket should not be forced to subsidise those who try to cheat the system.
“One of the key advantages of installing gates is that they must be supervised and therefore staff are present and visible at the station.
“Passengers tell us that they feel safer when there are staff around and it also means they can ask advice about their journey and easily seek out help.
“However, their introduction should be judged on a case by case basis to ensure paying passengers will benefit from their installation.”

In Parliament last week, senior Conservatives MPs introduced a Bill which would effectively scrap the National Minimum Wage.

The group of MPs led by the former minister and shadow cabinet member Christopher Chope MP have put forward a Ten Minute Rule bill which would make the National Minimum Wage (currently set at £5.73) effectively redundant by allowing employees to opt out of receiving the minimum wage in the same way that they may opt out of the maximum 48 hour working week.

Labour’s introduction of the minimum wage back in 1998 was a groundbreaking step in overcoming poverty and ending the tyranny of low pay. When the NMW came into being, wages of as little as £1.20 an hour were common and legal – that’s just £1.38 an hour in today’s prices!

The minimum wage has both protected workers and raised living standards for the worst off in society. Its introduction was bitterly opposed by the Tories, but contrary to their predictions, the minimum wage has been a resounding economic success. As well as providing an increased incentive for getting back to work, it has resulted in firms being keener to invest in their employees.

The minimum wage has also created a more motivated and productive workforce. Since its introduction, the rate of the minimum wage has increased steadily, helping an increasing number of workers. The 2007 increase alone benefited over 70,000 earners in London.

But Conservative MPs have shown they want to put this all in jeopardy. It is difficult to imagine the last decade without the minimum wage, and the inroads the government has made into child poverty would have been impossible if it had not been in place. In the current situation, with individuals and families under increased economic pressure, the fact Conservatives politicians are considering such policies is baffling and seriously worrying. The last thing we need is a return of poverty pay.

Gabriel Huntley

Chuka was recently asked to respond to reports that replica guns are being sold in Streatham and used by young people for self defence. 

Commenting on the report in this week’s Streatham Guardian (which can be read here: Streatham Guardian), Chuka said:

“Reports of this kind are deeply worrying when the possession of the replica firearm is not for play and recreation, but allegedly for self defence.

“In 2006 we made it an offence to produce and sell imitation guns that could be mistaken for real firearms and we have strengthened the sentence for carrying these replicas so it can be punishable by imprisonment, which of course acts as a deterrent.

“However, I think we – as a community – need to ask ourselves why our young people feel the need to arm themselves.

“I do not remember guns being so prevalent when I was growing up here.

“In my view, what we see is partly linked to the proliferation of gangs leading to teen violence in South London. We must divert our young people away from them by giving them more to do out of school and much more of our time as adults – this why I am delighted that the right to request flexible for working is being extended to the parents of teenagers this April (something I have long campaigned for) and why I am working hard to increase funding for youth activities in this area.”

 
Labour has launched a free theatre scheme that will provide 618,000 free theatre tickets across England for the next two years. Under the scheme young people in Streatham, Balham, Brixton, Clapham and Tulse Hill will be able to visit over 40 London venues, including the National Theatre on the South Bank, to see plays for free. Learn more about the scheme by watching actor and comedian Eddie Izzard’s video below and then visit the scheme’s website here: Labour’s Free Theatre Scheme.