1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,640 I'm going to introduce to you a former 2 00:00:02,399 --> 00:00:06,440 member of the Labor Party. He left the 3 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:09,120 Labor Party 4 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:11,120 over he founded the respect party in 5 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:12,519 Bradford and served as the chair of the 6 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:15,599 respect party since 7 00:00:12,519 --> 00:00:18,640 2012. He has served as John's election 8 00:00:15,599 --> 00:00:23,039 agency in 2012 during the historic 9 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:25,119 bi-election victory west taking a safe 10 00:00:23,039 --> 00:00:27,439 for over four decades. A lifelong 11 00:00:25,119 --> 00:00:29,760 activist for Palestine. 12 00:00:27,439 --> 00:00:29,760 Please 13 00:00:34,460 --> 00:00:37,600 [Applause] 14 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:50,160 welcome Mr. doesn't understand. So I 15 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,160 hope most of you do understand English. 16 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,559 So I will uh speak in English if you 17 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:58,160 will forgive me. First of all, I'd like 18 00:00:54,559 --> 00:01:00,559 to thank you all for uh uh inviting us 19 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,320 here to Halifax. I know many colleagues 20 00:01:00,559 --> 00:01:04,559 and friends from Halifax have been 21 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:07,200 asking for a couple of years now to ask 22 00:01:04,559 --> 00:01:09,280 Mr. George Galloway to come and uh um 23 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,960 speak to people in Halifax. Uh we've 24 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,880 been really really busy in Bradford over 25 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:14,400 the last few years. We made many many 26 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,479 changes there. So, it's taken us a 27 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,000 little time, but it's never too late. 28 00:01:16,479 --> 00:01:21,119 So, thank you very much for inviting us 29 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:24,799 here. Thank you fresh hair the um 30 00:01:21,119 --> 00:01:27,119 business for hosting us today um uh 31 00:01:24,799 --> 00:01:29,520 yourself and the rum for um making 32 00:01:27,119 --> 00:01:32,079 contact and organizing this event here 33 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:34,560 today. Uh so thank you very much. I 34 00:01:32,079 --> 00:01:36,960 think you all know him but from the age 35 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:40,000 of 13 a man who has worked for his 36 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:42,400 principles who stood for his principles 37 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,400 often when he was only the the only one 38 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,000 in parliament and it doesn't it takes a 39 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,920 lot of guts to stand up to be the only 40 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,159 one to have one point of view when the 41 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,920 majority have a separate point of view 42 00:01:50,159 --> 00:01:53,759 but he's the man who's never been afraid 43 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,600 of telling the truth is a man who's 44 00:01:53,759 --> 00:01:57,520 never been afraid of being the only one 45 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,360 and if you've seen him on question time 46 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,799 if you've seen him at the American 47 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,399 Senate I don't know some of you pretty 48 00:02:00,799 --> 00:02:04,079 young Maybe maybe you haven't seen him. 49 00:02:02,399 --> 00:02:06,159 He's a man who has worked all his life 50 00:02:04,079 --> 00:02:08,319 for Kashmir and the rights of the 51 00:02:06,159 --> 00:02:10,319 Kashmiri people. He has a man who has 52 00:02:08,319 --> 00:02:14,160 worked all his life for the Palestinian 53 00:02:10,319 --> 00:02:16,160 cause, often at personal detriment. He 54 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:18,959 was recently attacked by a Zionist in 55 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:22,640 London because he made comments uh about 56 00:02:18,959 --> 00:02:24,319 uh making Bradford an Israel free zone. 57 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:27,360 We don't believe in Israel because it's 58 00:02:24,319 --> 00:02:29,599 a Zionist state. We'll never accept uh 59 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:32,080 Israel as a state because the land 60 00:02:29,599 --> 00:02:33,760 belongs to the Palestinian people. It 61 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:37,519 gives me great pleasure general. Give 62 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,519 him a warm alif 63 00:02:42,020 --> 00:02:45,089 [Applause] 64 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:55,480 welcome elders, brothers and sisters, 65 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,480 comrades and friends. 66 00:02:57,599 --> 00:03:03,680 Thank you for that very fine 67 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:06,879 introduction. Ashad and I have traveled 68 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:08,440 not just all these years but many 69 00:03:06,879 --> 00:03:12,000 thousands of 70 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:16,080 miles on our convoys to break the siege 71 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:18,920 on Gaza over and over again. So, we know 72 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:22,480 each other's driving habits, eating 73 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:28,080 habits, sleeping habits, usually in the 74 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:31,680 back of a of a car. Uh, and he is really 75 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:35,440 one of my oldest and closest comrades. 76 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:37,440 And his introduction is what I'm going 77 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:41,519 to begin with. I do have some things to 78 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:44,640 say about Halifax specifically and some 79 00:03:41,519 --> 00:03:47,040 announcements you may think important to 80 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:50,879 make uh towards the end of my remarks. 81 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:54,640 But I want to pick up where he left off. 82 00:03:50,879 --> 00:03:57,840 First of all, at this table, although we 83 00:03:54,640 --> 00:04:01,680 all look very young, is 100 years of 84 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,920 Labor Party membership. Come on. 85 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,519 I make that 86 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:08,000 point 87 00:04:04,519 --> 00:04:09,560 because you will hear from people in the 88 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:13,599 Labor Party in 89 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:17,440 Halifax that we are something other but 90 00:04:13,599 --> 00:04:21,840 actually we are the real Labor Party. 91 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:24,080 100 years we stood for the values of 92 00:04:21,840 --> 00:04:26,800 Labor. 93 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:30,320 The people who are other are the people 94 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:32,280 who have hijacked the Labor Party and 95 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,360 flown it to 96 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:37,840 destruction. And that's a theme I'm 97 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:40,960 going to develop through the course of 98 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:46,360 my remarks, but it's the theme for which 99 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:51,280 we stand. The reason new labor, as Mr. 100 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:54,800 Blair renamed it hate us is because we 101 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:57,919 are the ghost of labor's past. We are 102 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:00,280 haunting them. Every time they look at 103 00:04:57,919 --> 00:05:04,800 us, listen to 104 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:07,840 us, they hear a faint echo of what they 105 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:10,560 used to be. We say the things they used 106 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:13,520 to say. We believe in the things they 107 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:16,960 used to believe in. We stand up for the 108 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:21,400 people they were formed to represent but 109 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:24,160 have now abandoned if not 110 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:27,039 betrayed. I'm laboring this point if 111 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:29,280 you'll forgive the pun because of 112 00:05:27,039 --> 00:05:34,759 certain announcements that I'm going to 113 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:34,759 make later in my address. 114 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,240 Asha talked about 115 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,800 the seinal 116 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:46,479 moment of the Iraq 117 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:47,240 war from which quite frankly there is no 118 00:05:46,479 --> 00:05:52,080 going 119 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:55,400 back. Our rulers have made the world a 120 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:58,680 terrifyingly more dangerous 121 00:05:55,400 --> 00:06:01,600 place. They killed a million people. 122 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:05,120 Imagine. Just imagine what a million 123 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:07,720 dead people would look like. piled one 124 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:11,680 on top of the other in the center of 125 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:13,479 Halifax, an Everest of dead people and 126 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:16,039 labor is 127 00:06:13,479 --> 00:06:19,880 co-responsible for doing 128 00:06:16,039 --> 00:06:23,319 it. As Shakespeare put it in 129 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:29,440 McBTH, all the perfumes of 130 00:06:23,319 --> 00:06:36,120 Arabia could not expune that damn spot. 131 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:39,400 that stay will be on Labor forever 132 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:41,319 more. Not least 133 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:45,720 because Mr. 134 00:06:41,319 --> 00:06:49,600 Blair two weeks ago donated 135 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:51,919 £105,000 in blood money to the Labor 136 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:54,720 election campaign. 137 00:06:51,919 --> 00:06:59,120 Ed Milliband went to visit him in one of 138 00:06:54,720 --> 00:07:03,720 his seven mansions, the one of Edgeware 139 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:07,520 in London to pledge his ongoing 140 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:10,280 loyalty to Blair. And Blair gave him a 141 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:14,319 check for 142 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:18,120 £105,000 1,000 for every Labor candidate 143 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:24,080 in a marginal seat in a target 144 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:27,759 seat. Who knows? Maybe this will receive 145 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:31,039 that £1,000 blood money. I don't know 146 00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:34,400 how hard up Ed Milliband is, but he 147 00:07:31,039 --> 00:07:37,280 cannot be so hard up that he has to take 148 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:41,400 this blood soaked money. So the point 149 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:45,520 I'm making is not only have Labor not 150 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:48,479 disavowed Blair and Straw and the other 151 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:51,680 war criminals, they're still in bed with 152 00:07:48,479 --> 00:07:54,400 them, still dining with them, still 153 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:57,360 taking their money. 154 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:59,639 But worse than that, having made the 155 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:02,960 world a terrifyingly more dangerous 156 00:07:59,639 --> 00:08:06,039 place, having set extremism rampant 157 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:09,479 across the world, including in our own 158 00:08:06,039 --> 00:08:13,280 country, having killed a million 159 00:08:09,479 --> 00:08:18,039 people, they want to blame the Muslims 160 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:18,039 for the consequences. 161 00:08:18,199 --> 00:08:25,560 Yesterday, Theresa May, the home 162 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:29,160 secretary, made a speech so 163 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:32,320 chilly that he has set shock 164 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:37,479 waves moving throughout the Muslim 165 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:41,519 community in Britain now 2.7 million 166 00:08:37,479 --> 00:08:43,360 strong, up 1 million in the last decade 167 00:08:41,519 --> 00:08:44,839 alone. 168 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,920 Theresa 169 00:08:44,839 --> 00:08:49,560 May's 170 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:53,279 chilling remarks 171 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:55,040 yesterday in which amongst other things 172 00:08:53,279 --> 00:08:58,200 she announced that the government will 173 00:08:55,040 --> 00:09:00,279 take power to close mosques. 174 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:03,680 Imagine if they 175 00:09:00,279 --> 00:09:06,920 believe that what's happening in a 176 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:09,640 mosque, what's being said, 177 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:11,760 the is not to their 178 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:14,120 liking even though it's spoken in 179 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:17,000 another language in a religious 180 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:21,760 place. They are giving themselves the 181 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:24,240 power to issue a mosque closure notice 182 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:27,440 which will mean that that mosque will be 183 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:28,600 closed thereafter. 184 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:32,800 In her 185 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:36,080 remarks, she aduced a whole range of 186 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:37,800 problems that she wanted to lay at the 187 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,640 feet of 188 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:45,279 Muslims. 189 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:49,680 Grooming by evil, predatory men of young 190 00:09:45,279 --> 00:09:51,000 girls and boys, children is somehow a 191 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:53,839 Muslim 192 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,440 problem. But you can't be a Muslim 193 00:09:53,839 --> 00:09:58,640 groomer. 194 00:09:55,440 --> 00:10:00,959 That's a contradiction in terms and in 195 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,959 any case that well-known Muslim Sir 196 00:10:00,959 --> 00:10:06,480 Jimmy 197 00:10:01,959 --> 00:10:08,480 Sabal that well-known Muslim Sir Smith 198 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:10,640 those well-known Muslims in the British 199 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,240 cabinet, British government, British 200 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:16,279 Parliament that the police are 201 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:18,920 investigating right now, were they 202 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:23,519 Christians or were they just 203 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:26,399 rumors? Were they just evil white men? 204 00:10:23,519 --> 00:10:28,519 Of course they were. Nobody would dream 205 00:10:26,399 --> 00:10:32,680 of running on the front page of the 206 00:10:28,519 --> 00:10:36,760 times as the times did just a week or so 207 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:39,680 ago crisis of Muslim grooming to be 208 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:43,680 addressed by the government. Imagine the 209 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:45,480 words Muslim and grooming together in 210 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:47,320 the same 211 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:50,120 headline. 212 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:52,959 Extremism. Sure there is 213 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,560 extremism. Radicalization. Sure there is 214 00:10:52,959 --> 00:10:56,680 radicalization. 215 00:10:54,560 --> 00:11:00,560 Not because of 216 00:10:56,680 --> 00:11:03,440 anything the mi or the mama the imam is 217 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:06,360 saying on a Friday but because the 218 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:09,959 Muslims can turn on the TV and watch the 219 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:12,360 news. Last summer in 220 00:11:09,959 --> 00:11:14,200 Gaza, 221 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,720 2,136 222 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:19,320 Palestinians behind barred wire with 223 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:21,680 nowhere to run, nowhere to hide were 224 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:24,480 massacred with the support of the 225 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:27,320 British government which supported 226 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:31,079 Israel throughout this 227 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:34,800 massacre. And 500 of those were 228 00:11:31,079 --> 00:11:38,480 children. Many of them very small 229 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:40,800 children at that. How radical do they 230 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,560 think you feel when you watch that on 231 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:45,120 the 232 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:49,839 news? You see, they think that nobody 233 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:53,200 here cares about what happens in Gaza or 234 00:11:49,839 --> 00:11:56,320 Jerusalem. Well, actually millions care 235 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:59,600 and all the Muslims care and they're 236 00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:03,480 very angry about the role that our 237 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:06,639 country has been playing in the 238 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:10,079 world. But that's being laid not at the 239 00:12:06,639 --> 00:12:13,880 door of those committing these acts and 240 00:12:10,079 --> 00:12:17,480 producing the anger, but the angry 241 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:20,519 people. And if they hear a 242 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:23,440 whisper of political 243 00:12:20,519 --> 00:12:26,680 protest or any demand that Britain 244 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:31,079 changes its policy towards the Muslim 245 00:12:26,680 --> 00:12:35,360 world, bang, you'll get a mosque closure 246 00:12:31,079 --> 00:12:37,519 notice. She mentioned the Trojan horse, 247 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,880 which I described on the day that it 248 00:12:37,519 --> 00:12:43,519 appeared as a Trojan 249 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:47,760 hoax. And this very week in par last 250 00:12:43,519 --> 00:12:51,920 week in parliament the select committee 251 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:56,399 declared it to be a hoax wholly without 252 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:58,320 foundation an invention a forgery a hoax 253 00:12:56,399 --> 00:13:02,399 but that didn't stop Theresa May 254 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:06,519 mentioning it in her speech yesterday. 255 00:13:02,399 --> 00:13:10,240 grooming, extremism, Trojan horse 256 00:13:06,519 --> 00:13:13,639 infiltration, one crime after another 257 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:17,839 being laid at the door of the 258 00:13:13,639 --> 00:13:22,360 Muslims. What did I Cooper, her labor 259 00:13:17,839 --> 00:13:25,720 opposite number say about Theresa May's 260 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:29,200 speech in Labor federal home 261 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:32,000 secretary? She said that Theresa May had 262 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:33,639 not gone far enough. 263 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:37,680 We have a Dutch 264 00:13:33,639 --> 00:13:40,480 auction, a reverse auction where they're 265 00:13:37,680 --> 00:13:42,200 competing with each other as to who can 266 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:46,720 be the most 267 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:49,440 vile. The meanest to the Muslims and to 268 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:51,839 the immigrants as they call them, most 269 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:54,519 of whom Allah immigrants and were born 270 00:13:51,839 --> 00:13:59,560 here just look different to Evette 271 00:13:54,519 --> 00:14:04,079 Cooper and Theresa Bay and 272 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:08,279 UK in its rise and rise has driven both 273 00:14:04,079 --> 00:14:11,440 of these mainstream parties. Arshad was 274 00:14:08,279 --> 00:14:14,399 polite when he said you couldn't slip a 275 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:17,360 cigarette paper between these two 276 00:14:14,399 --> 00:14:21,279 parties on the big issues of war, civil 277 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:23,639 liberties, religious freedom and so on. 278 00:14:21,279 --> 00:14:27,199 I call them two cheeks of the same 279 00:14:23,639 --> 00:14:29,000 backside and that's what I believe they 280 00:14:27,199 --> 00:14:32,720 have 281 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:37,279 become. Now I joined the Labor Party as 282 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:42,079 Ashad said at 13 years of age and I was 283 00:14:37,279 --> 00:14:45,120 a member of it for 36 years. I was the 284 00:14:42,079 --> 00:14:48,120 youngest ever everything. I was the 285 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:51,199 youngest ever constituency labor party 286 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:54,079 secretary at the age of 18. I was the 287 00:14:51,199 --> 00:14:57,600 youngest ever full-time organizer of the 288 00:14:54,079 --> 00:15:00,000 Labor Party. at the age of 21. I was the 289 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:03,959 youngest ever chairman of the whole 290 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:07,000 Labor Party in Scotland at the age of 291 00:15:03,959 --> 00:15:10,240 26. This is not the Labor Party that I 292 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:14,000 joined. This is not the Labor Party in 293 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:18,920 which I worked. We worked for the 100 294 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:23,199 years that cumulatively we were in 295 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:25,120 it. So we just we had that choice as 296 00:15:23,199 --> 00:15:30,040 Arsha described it. 297 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:33,800 we could shut up. And if I had done 298 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:36,279 so, I'd still be in a safe labor seat in 299 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:40,120 Glasgow. I might be in the shadow 300 00:15:36,279 --> 00:15:43,320 cabinet. Maybe I'd be running for 301 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:48,639 leader. If Ed Milliban falls off his 302 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:51,120 horse in just 50 or 45 days time, but I 303 00:15:48,639 --> 00:15:52,440 could not shut up. 304 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:57,040 We could 305 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:59,440 have changed our line as many did. Many 306 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:02,759 of the people in the leading ranks of 307 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:06,160 New Labor were once way to the left of 308 00:16:02,759 --> 00:16:08,800 me and they tiptoed across the stage 309 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:11,079 because the prevailing wind had changed 310 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:13,480 in order to advance 311 00:16:11,079 --> 00:16:17,079 themselves. If I had 312 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:22,079 not at the age of 313 00:16:17,079 --> 00:16:24,320 19 become an activist, super activist on 314 00:16:22,079 --> 00:16:28,320 behalf of the Palestinian people, if I 315 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:31,519 had backed Israel when I was 19 instead 316 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:34,560 of backing Palestine when I was 19, I 317 00:16:31,519 --> 00:16:38,240 have no doubt at all I would have been 318 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:40,720 on the front bench or in the cabinet 319 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:43,839 when Labor was in power. But I could not 320 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:47,519 do so. My conscience would not allow me 321 00:16:43,839 --> 00:16:51,399 to do so. And neither could it allow me 322 00:16:47,519 --> 00:16:54,680 to either remain silent on this 323 00:16:51,399 --> 00:16:58,240 metamorphosis from a butterfly into a 324 00:16:54,680 --> 00:17:01,320 slug that began when Mr. Blair took over 325 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:06,559 the Labor Party in 326 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:09,839 1994. Neither, because so much moves me, 327 00:17:06,559 --> 00:17:13,199 could I simply leave politics. It's been 328 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:15,839 my life as it was my parents' life as it 329 00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:20,439 was their parents' life. I cannot walk 330 00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:25,400 away from these great burning 331 00:17:20,439 --> 00:17:29,520 issues. So we were forced to try to 332 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:32,880 refound a real Labor party to try to 333 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:36,080 compete against the Labor Party that had 334 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:39,960 been taken away from us. Either we 335 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:42,360 defeat them or at least our very 336 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:46,080 existence makes them have to be more 337 00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:48,799 careful in their apostasy in their level 338 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:51,600 of betrayal. They have to know that 339 00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:55,120 there's somebody else that is real labor 340 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:59,120 who might take their votes and therefore 341 00:17:55,120 --> 00:18:02,160 we stop them in their trajectory as far 342 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:05,480 and as far to the right as they can 343 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:08,840 possibly go. And it 344 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:11,600 worked. I defeated them in 345 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:14,640 2005 in Tower Hamlets in Bethno Green 346 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:17,440 and B. A rock solid labor seat as good 347 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:20,640 for respect. We were only one year old 348 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:24,240 and we defeated them. We did it again 349 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:26,280 even more spectacularly in Bradford West 350 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:30,480 in 351 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:34,799 2012. Inshallah on the 7th of May will 352 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:37,080 give them an even bigger beating. 353 00:18:34,799 --> 00:18:40,440 But that's not 354 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:44,520 enough. I'm 60 years 355 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:49,000 old. We need to bring forward new 356 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:53,280 leaders. We need not one MP, but more 357 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:55,840 MPs. We need not just the 25 or so 358 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:58,520 counselors that we have elected over the 359 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:02,240 last 10 years. We need 250 360 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:05,760 2,500 counselors if we're going to 361 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:09,280 fulfill our mission. So if God spares me 362 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:13,520 in the next 5 years, I want to dedicate 363 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:17,320 that period to bringing forward this new 364 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:19,679 group of leaders who will continue this 365 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:22,559 mission. Maybe the Labor Party will 366 00:19:19,679 --> 00:19:25,919 suffer a cataclysmic defeat on May the 367 00:19:22,559 --> 00:19:29,520 7th. I hope not because that will be bad 368 00:19:25,919 --> 00:19:32,160 for the working people in Britain. But 369 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:36,559 if they do, the Labor Party will begin 370 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:39,480 to fall apart and any number of 371 00:19:36,559 --> 00:19:43,440 different scenarios may 372 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:46,720 become possible and we want to be in 373 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:51,120 there in the mix. If Ed Milliban is 374 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:53,000 depending on one vote in parliament and 375 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:57,520 that vote is 376 00:19:53,000 --> 00:20:00,480 me, I'll give him my support at a price. 377 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:03,840 And you've already got some idea of the 378 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:07,120 kind of price that I would require 379 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:10,880 before I could sustain his government in 380 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:14,400 power. Imagine if we had two, if we had 381 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:16,720 three, we had four or five. our chances 382 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:20,120 of holding a balance of power in what 383 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:24,320 will almost certainly be a 384 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:28,240 hung would be very greatly enhanced. So 385 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:32,880 let me turn to Halifax. 386 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:36,000 I wanted to come here because what I saw 387 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:38,120 happening here over the last period and 388 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:40,440 especially over the last few 389 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:43,840 days was so 390 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:46,520 corrupt was such an affront to what 391 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:50,799 Labor is supposed to stand 392 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:53,159 for that I felt that a new Bradford 393 00:20:50,799 --> 00:20:55,919 could exist here in 394 00:20:53,159 --> 00:20:58,600 Halifax. What happened? Maybe some of 395 00:20:55,919 --> 00:21:02,200 you were involved. I don't 396 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:07,480 know. In an act of ethnic 397 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:10,039 cleansing, ethnic cleansing, a Labor 398 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:13,480 party 399 00:21:10,039 --> 00:21:17,799 acts 135 of its own 400 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:19,880 members on the eve of the selection of a 401 00:21:17,799 --> 00:21:22,159 parliamentary 402 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:24,000 candidate. Almost all of them were 403 00:21:22,159 --> 00:21:27,440 Asians. 404 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:32,360 But an Asian member is the equal of any 405 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:34,280 other member in law and in 406 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:37,520 morals. Can you 407 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:40,720 imagine? Let let me be clear. The 408 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:43,679 Bradford West Labor Party is entirely 409 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:46,720 controlled by Pakistanis. 410 00:21:43,679 --> 00:21:48,440 Can you imagine if the branch of West 411 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:52,640 Labor Party had 412 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:55,280 asked 135 white members the night before 413 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:58,159 they chose a parliamentary candidate, 414 00:21:55,280 --> 00:22:01,760 never mind the Trojan horse that have 415 00:21:58,159 --> 00:22:05,520 the special branch in MI5 and MI6 moving 416 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:08,000 in to the city. There have been front 417 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:10,640 pages in the Sun, the Daily Mail that 418 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:13,360 have been the first item on the news. an 419 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:15,919 act of ethnic cleansing carried out by 420 00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:17,760 Pakistani Labor Party members in 421 00:22:15,919 --> 00:22:18,520 Bradford West. And that's exactly what 422 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:22,400 happened 423 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:25,679 here with scarcely a whisper in the 424 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:27,760 national media, which proves that the 425 00:22:25,679 --> 00:22:30,880 mainstream media and the Labor 426 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:33,679 leadership don't give a toss about Asian 427 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:36,799 people here in Halifax. They're 428 00:22:33,679 --> 00:22:39,840 disposable, dispensable. They want your 429 00:22:36,799 --> 00:22:42,640 votes. They want your knuckles on the 430 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:44,799 campaign trail. But don't dream of 431 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:47,600 imagining that you can be a member of 432 00:22:44,799 --> 00:22:51,880 parliament when they have someone else 433 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:56,320 in mind. But who did they have in 434 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:57,640 mind? Well, I don't know this person. 435 00:22:56,320 --> 00:23:03,760 Here's what I know 436 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:05,360 about Holly Walker hyphen Lynch. I'm 437 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,880 always suspicious when there's a hybrid 438 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:12,000 in this. Don't know about 439 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:13,720 you. I know that she's 28 years old. I 440 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:16,320 know that she looks 441 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:19,000 14. I know that in the picture I saw of 442 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:21,880 her, it was Jolly Hockey 443 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:24,080 sticks. And I know that her only 444 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:26,600 credential for being a member of 445 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:29,600 parliament is that she already works for 446 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:32,240 one. But that's precisely the problem 447 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:35,080 that the Labor Party has. When I was 448 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:38,080 elected almost 30 years 449 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:40,960 ago, I was a former I I left school when 450 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:42,799 I was 16. I never went to university. I 451 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:45,280 just paid the tax for Tony Blair to go 452 00:23:42,799 --> 00:23:46,880 to university and all the rest of them 453 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:50,000 before they kicked the ladder away from 454 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:53,480 my children and their children. 455 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:57,440 I worked in a factory making tires for 456 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:59,440 Michelin when I I was a sponsored member 457 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:01,919 of parliament sponsored by the transport 458 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:04,880 and general workers union which I joined 459 00:24:01,919 --> 00:24:09,360 on Christmas Eve 1973 and remain a 460 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:10,440 member today in its new form unite. 461 00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:14,080 All around 462 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:16,720 me were former miners, former 463 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:19,200 engineering workers, former bus drivers, 464 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:21,919 truck drivers, dock workers, working 465 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:23,440 people, real labor people. There was 466 00:24:21,919 --> 00:24:26,640 more than 100 of us. My first 467 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:29,760 parliamentary action was a Philly buster 468 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:34,520 to stop Margaret Thatcher's private uh 469 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:37,840 dock scheme at uh Lois Loft. I 470 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:41,360 think it was a Philly bustler that 471 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:43,360 lasted the entire night. I myself spoke 472 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:46,080 for hours. We were only allowed to speak 473 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:49,600 about environmental matter. So I became 474 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:52,919 an expert on the breeding habits of the 475 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:55,200 Brent goose and the ringtailed 476 00:24:52,919 --> 00:24:57,520 plumber. I've never seen a Brent goose 477 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:59,240 or a ringtail plumber, but by God I 478 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:02,360 spoke for hours on 479 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:05,039 it. how it needed certain type of 480 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:08,559 grass, how the salinity in the water was 481 00:25:05,039 --> 00:25:12,559 so vital, how you disturb the nest, the 482 00:25:08,559 --> 00:25:15,919 bird's breeding habits would be gravely 483 00:25:12,559 --> 00:25:18,720 imperelled and so on. But my point is as 484 00:25:15,919 --> 00:25:22,400 I spoke and my friends spoke throughout 485 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:24,559 the entire night, I was surrounded by 486 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:27,520 doctors and miners and engineering 487 00:25:24,559 --> 00:25:30,600 workers, people that had made things, 488 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:34,880 done things, made things work, fixed 489 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:37,200 things. Now the Labor MPs, almost 490 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:39,840 without exception, including the leader, 491 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:41,760 have never done a day's real work in 492 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:44,279 their lives. 493 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:46,480 They go to the best 494 00:25:44,279 --> 00:25:50,480 universities. They come out and they get 495 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:53,600 a job working in an MP's office. Then 496 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:57,200 they themselves become an MP. Then they 497 00:25:53,600 --> 00:26:00,720 become a leader or a shadow minister 498 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:03,120 without ever having had any real contact 499 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:05,919 with the outside world. 500 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:09,200 I may be wrong about this young woman, 501 00:26:05,919 --> 00:26:13,000 but she strikes me as exactly that 502 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:16,400 identicate kind of new labor 503 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:18,559 candidate with nothing in common with 504 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:21,000 the Asian population here and nothing in 505 00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:24,080 common with the white workers 506 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:27,360 here who don't have double ball names, 507 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:27,360 who don't work for 508 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:34,240 NEPs. And so it struck 509 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:36,279 me, we could do something here. We could 510 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:40,960 make a breakthrough 511 00:26:36,279 --> 00:26:43,760 here. And even if we didn't, we deliver, 512 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:46,520 if the ladies will forgive me, a good 513 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:50,000 kick up the ass of new 514 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:51,240 labor. And that's what they need. And we 515 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,960 can do it 516 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:57,240 here. Any votes we get here are votes we 517 00:26:54,960 --> 00:27:01,640 take from them. 518 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:04,080 Any success we have here, we win from 519 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:07,440 there. And I'll tell you what, if we 520 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:10,559 did, if we do, they'll think twice 521 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:13,039 before doing again what they did the 522 00:27:10,559 --> 00:27:17,120 last time. That's what happened in Beth 523 00:27:13,039 --> 00:27:19,440 Green. Una King, now Lady King, she 524 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:21,520 voted for the Iraq war, went on TV 525 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:23,919 speaking for the Iraq war, even though 526 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:26,720 90% of her constituents were against the 527 00:27:23,919 --> 00:27:29,840 Iraq war. Why? because she thought the 528 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:31,440 people in Tar Hamlets had no choice but 529 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:34,480 to reelect her. What are they going to 530 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,640 do? Vote Tori? No. You've seen Beth 531 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:38,400 Green and 532 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:40,720 B? So, she thought she could do exactly 533 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:44,679 what she liked and she'd get back in 534 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:47,279 anyway. And we showed her another 535 00:27:44,679 --> 00:27:49,679 thing. And we can do the same here in 536 00:27:47,279 --> 00:27:52,640 Halifax. We need to do the same thing 537 00:27:49,679 --> 00:27:56,159 here in Halifax because if we don't, why 538 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:58,480 should they change? If they can get away 539 00:27:56,159 --> 00:28:00,120 with treating you with contempt, why 540 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:02,520 should they stop treating you with 541 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:04,559 contempt? If you don't respect 542 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:08,159 yourselves, why should anybody else 543 00:28:04,559 --> 00:28:12,000 respect you? This is a key lesson, not 544 00:28:08,159 --> 00:28:15,520 just in politics, but in life. 545 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:18,880 So I'm here to tell you we are going to 546 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:21,899 stand in the parliamentary election in 547 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,899 [Music] 548 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:32,240 Halifax. And our candidate is a labor 549 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:36,559 counselor who couldn't take this new 550 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:40,640 labor malarkey any longer. She's my 551 00:28:36,559 --> 00:28:46,159 labor counselor in Mar where I live in 552 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:46,159 Bradford W. And she's counselor Asma 553 00:28:48,919 --> 00:28:54,760 J. Talk to you in a minute, but we're 554 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:57,120 also going to stand in the council wards 555 00:28:54,760 --> 00:29:01,200 here. I don't know how many will be able 556 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:04,080 to stand. Two, three, four. 557 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:05,080 And we want you to bring forward the 558 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,520 council 559 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:10,720 candidates. Ashett will be in charge of 560 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:13,840 that operation. He's the man to deal 561 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:16,880 with. Get your CVs in, express your 562 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:19,120 interest through him. He'll sit down 563 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:21,799 with you, interview you, see if you've 564 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:25,120 got any skeletons in your 565 00:29:21,799 --> 00:29:28,320 cupboard, see what kind of capacities 566 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:32,240 you have. So we are going to run on May 567 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:36,399 the 7th for parliament in Halifax and in 568 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:39,679 several wards for the local council and 569 00:29:36,399 --> 00:29:43,279 those local council candidates will be 570 00:29:39,679 --> 00:29:46,880 amongst you or your friends that get to 571 00:29:43,279 --> 00:29:51,120 hear about this project. I think it's 572 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:52,360 the right thing to do. I I'm certain 573 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:54,600 that 574 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:57,720 when 575 00:29:54,600 --> 00:30:00,640 Holly Walker Lynch 576 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:03,640 hyphen gets to know about it, she'll be 577 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:06,960 very worried about it. Indeed, I'm 578 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:09,840 certain that when the regional office, 579 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:12,159 what's his name again? Kiran. K. Yeah. 580 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:13,520 Yeah. When this Kiran I keep hearing, 581 00:30:12,159 --> 00:30:16,720 I've never seen him. It's like the the 582 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:18,720 the unicorn I keep hearing about, but 583 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:21,279 I've never set eyes on him. when he gets 584 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:23,240 to hear about it, trust me, he'll be 585 00:30:21,279 --> 00:30:27,120 very worried 586 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:31,679 indeed and we believe that we have real 587 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:36,279 chances of success. So if Ashard will 588 00:30:31,679 --> 00:30:38,880 permit me, I'll pass now the microphone 589 00:30:36,279 --> 00:30:41,919 non-existent microphone 590 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:44,840 uh to councelor Asma who's an 591 00:30:41,919 --> 00:30:48,000 outstanding figure, an outstanding labor 592 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:50,559 figure, an outstanding Yorkshire figure, 593 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:53,360 a lawyer, solicitor, human rights 594 00:30:50,559 --> 00:30:57,200 lawyer, a person of real substance who 595 00:30:53,360 --> 00:31:01,200 has worked all her life at the cold face 596 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:03,919 of life representing ing working people 597 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:07,200 in their many problems. Please give a 598 00:31:03,919 --> 00:31:09,600 warm welcome to what I hope will be the 599 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:12,399 next member of parliament for Halifax, 600 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,399 Councelor 601 00:31:16,279 --> 00:31:21,760 Asma. Thank you. 602 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:23,399 Um, you probably will have to shut me up 603 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:25,520 because I don't need a 604 00:31:23,399 --> 00:31:26,880 microphone. Anyway, just to give a 605 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,799 little bit of my background, I think I 606 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,799 know quite a lot of people in Harry 607 00:31:28,799 --> 00:31:33,679 because I have done a lot of work with 608 00:31:30,799 --> 00:31:36,120 communities in Halifax. My family is in 609 00:31:33,679 --> 00:31:39,039 Halifax. We've got businesses in 610 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:41,679 Halifax. But I'm from a working class 611 00:31:39,039 --> 00:31:43,880 background. Classic example. My father 612 00:31:41,679 --> 00:31:47,039 came in the 613 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:48,720 1960s, bought a corner shop and for 50 614 00:31:47,039 --> 00:31:52,880 years has run that corner shop in the 615 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:57,279 heart of man. So when I was asked by the 616 00:31:52,880 --> 00:32:01,600 Labor group party labor group in uh 2011 617 00:31:57,279 --> 00:32:04,480 literally begged to come on board um I 618 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:08,720 beat the uh sitting councelor Liv Dem 619 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:09,799 Mr. Kim Khan by 3,000 votes that is a 620 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:12,399 leading 621 00:32:09,799 --> 00:32:15,120 majority as soon as I entered politics 622 00:32:12,399 --> 00:32:17,840 though I realized that my own people 623 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:20,080 that's the Labor party the Labor group 624 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:22,720 were not all happy. There was a lot of 625 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:26,480 jealousy, there was a lot of competition 626 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:28,559 and there was a lot of 627 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:31,840 dealing and backstabbing within the 628 00:32:28,559 --> 00:32:33,600 party. So my very first main issue was 629 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:35,799 the issue of the money and back. I don't 630 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:40,640 know whether anybody has heard about 631 00:32:35,799 --> 00:32:43,760 that. I stood in rain in July with the 632 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:46,080 constituents who voted me. very next 633 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:48,399 day, no other labor council turned up. 634 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:50,880 Not even my European Labor Council 635 00:32:48,399 --> 00:32:53,600 meetings, his scrutiny meetings. And I 636 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:56,799 questioned the portfolio orders. I 637 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:59,440 questioned the deputy leader. I And as 638 00:32:56,799 --> 00:33:01,600 soon as I heard my questions, it was 639 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:03,519 we've got to get rid of her because I 640 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:06,000 was questioning their ability. I was 641 00:33:03,519 --> 00:33:09,760 questioning their competency and I was 642 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:12,799 questioning uh their thought uh view. 643 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:15,279 And so I realized that they took me off 644 00:33:12,799 --> 00:33:17,519 the scrutiny panel. They took me off the 645 00:33:15,279 --> 00:33:20,159 scrutiny committee for children services 646 00:33:17,519 --> 00:33:23,200 because I was asking questions of the 647 00:33:20,159 --> 00:33:24,960 portfolio holders councelor Raf and 648 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:26,039 those questions weren't being answered 649 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:28,240 to my 650 00:33:26,039 --> 00:33:30,480 liking. The other thing they did not 651 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:33,240 like was the following that I had. And 652 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:36,000 because I'm a local uh lawyer in 653 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:39,360 Manville, people pop in to my office on 654 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,360 a daily basis. 10.