This is the age - of the train

The opening of the East London line made me think of an advert from my childhood.

For Haggerston residents this really is the age of the train.

3 Sided Football Match in Haggerston Park

SUNDAY 2 MAY Haggerston Park, London E2

As the election becomes set for a three way ‘photo finish’ teams representing the three main political parties will compete to win a 3-sided football match played on a hexagonal pitch at 3pm on Sunday 2 May in Haggerston Park, London E2.

Representing the Labour Party are Philosophy Football FC; Conservative Futures and the University of the Arts form the Conservative team; while the liberal leaning graphic designers play for the Liberal Democrats.

With 3 teams, 2 referees and the side conceding the least goals winning the match, this promises to be a very different angle on the beautiful game.

The match is organised by the Whitechapel Gallery’s new writer-in-residence, Sally O’Reilly. She wants the game to echo the alliances, competition and connivances of the political machine.

Geoff Andrews, Manager of Philosophy Football FC, said: ‘The General Election has turned into a three-sided affair and so a three-sided football match seemed apt. We can expect some sharp tactics from Mandelson and co though nothing to compare with what will be on display at Haggerston Park.’


• Origins of 3 Sided Football. Devised by artist Asger Jorn (1914–1973), his idea for 3 sided football was for it to deconstruct the confrontational, bi-polar nature of party politics. So instead of winning by scoring goals, a team wins by conceding the fewest goals.
• 5 Rules of 3 Sided Football as proposed by Philosophy Football FC:
o SCORING : A team does not count the goals it scores, only the goals it concedes. The winner is the team that concedes the fewest goals.
o THROW-INS / CORNERS : On the hexagonal pitch, each team has two sides of the six-sided pitch: the side with the goal (the 'backside') and the side opposite to your goal (the 'frontside'). If the ball goes out on one of your two sides, you get the throw-in / goal-kick. If it went out off a player, the throw-in or corner goes to the team whose own goal is nearest to where the ball went out.
o REFEREES : There will be two referees.
o LENGTH OF TIME : Ideally, teams will play until people get bored, start to wander off, fall asleep etc: however, three thirty minute 'halves' with teams rotating goals should work well.
o NO OFFSIDES : There will be rolling subs, rush goalies etc.

Haggerston Joins the Tube

After a long campaign by Hackney’s Mayor, Jules Pipe, Hackney is finally joining the Tube.

The huge £1.4bn infrastructure investment by Labour means Haggerston residents can use their Oyster card on new, fast and direct trains to the City, New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon from the new  Hoxton & Haggerston stations.

Later, the  service will be extended to Highbury & Islington, Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction, opening up wider job opportunities for Hackney people.

Labour celebrated the completion of the East London Line investment with an event at the new Dalston Junction station with Jules Pipe and Meg Hillier.

Picture: Jules Pipe and Meg Hillier in cafe after event

Hackney Labour Manifesto Launched

With the general and local elections only a few weeks away, Hackney Labour has launched our manifesto for the local elections and for Hackney Mayor.

The manifesto is a detailed and costed set of proposals which set out a clear vision for the borough for the next four years and which looks back on our record since the last election.

Highlights of some of our commitments are:

• make it easier for people to report anti social behaviour and noise nuisance
• launch a campaign for responsible dog ownership
• commit to further support for victims of domestic violence
• increase drug and alcohol treatment places by 10%
• we will plant at least another 1,000 street trees
• we will look to expand our recycling service further
• all residential streets will be covered by a 20mph speed limit by 2014
• we will look to support those residents who want to grow more of their own food
• continue to provide free swimming for children and the elderly
• continue to work with the Hackney Empire to ensure it reopens
• we will complete the rebuilding or refurbishment of all our secondary schools
• six primary schools will be rebuilt or refurbished to the highest standards
• we will open five new youth centres
• we will complete Decent Homes on our estates by 2013
• we will use all our powers to bring empty properties back into use
• by 2013 - we will have created 100 council apprenticeships
• we'll increase the number of council services available online

You can download a copy of it here.

Shoreditch Power Cuts

(Coat of arms used by Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch 1900-1965)

Shoreditch residents and businesses have been plagued by power cuts recently - often with little or no warning.

Local people have set up an online action group here.

I've written to the CEO of EDF, Vincent de Rivaz, asking for a plan to sort out the technical issues causing so many power cuts and to improve communication with residents and businesses.

God knows what the good people of the old Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch would have made of all this.

Your Labour Action Team for Haggerston

Contact the team on haggerston@hackney-labour.org.uk or 07921 870908



More about the team:

Cllr Jonathan McShane
Jonathan McShane has been a Labour Councillor for five years, representing Haggerston Ward since 2006.

Aged 36, he lives in the ward on Laburnum Street and has lived in Hackney for thirteen years. A member of the Unite trade union, Jonathan works for the NHS in Southwark.



Jonathan has run three marathons in recent years raising thousands of pounds for Laburnum Boat Club.

 As Chair of the Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission he convinced the local NHS and the Council to sign up to a dignity charter for older people which aims to ensure all older people are treated with dignity and respect.

As a Member of the Board of Hackney Homes he helped them secure two stars from the Audit Commission, releasing £225 million to improve people’s homes.



He is a Member of the Management Committee of the VLC Centre for refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and was a school governor at Randall Cremer School.

If re-elected Jonathan’s priorities are the council’s role in improving people’s health, tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and raising the aspirations of young people in the area.



Ann Munn
Ann Munn has been chosen by local Labour members to stand to be a Councillor for Haggerston Ward.



Aged 48, she has lived in Hackney for twenty years. She works in Information Technology at the University of Westminster. Ann enjoys living in Hackney and has swum regularly in the 50m pool at London Fields Lido since it re-opened, shops in the local markets at Ridley Road and Broadway Market, and enjoys visiting all the cultural facilities such as Hackney Library, Hackney Museum and the Hackney Empire.



Previously the Women’s Officer of the local Labour Party, Ann is a member of Unison, the public sector trade union, and a supporter of Amnesty International and SERA (Labour’s Environment Campaign).  She is a member of the London Cycling Campaign.



If elected, Ann wants to:


1. Work hard for the residents of Haggerston; she has worked in customer service for 20 years and would use this experience to fight for the needs of residents.

2. Be accessible by providing a contact phone number and e-mail; and reply promptly to residents’ concerns.

3. Encourage all children and young people in Haggerston to use their talents and to make the best of their lives.



Cllr Barry Buitekant
Barry Buitekant has been a Labour Councillor for Haggerston Ward since 2006.

Barry has lived in Hackney almost his entire life and was educated locally at Edith Cavell Secondary Modern School on Queensbridge and Enfield Roads. He enjoys using local parks and libraries. Barry is a member of the Haggerston, Millfields and Springfield Park User Groups. He is a member of the USDAW trade union and of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

Barry has worked with all the local Tenants and Residents Associations for the last four years and with Canalside and London & Quadrant Housing Associations.

 Barry is proud of having helped to push through the regeneration of the Haggerston West and Kingsland estates.



Barry’s priorities are improving services on Hackney Homes estates, improving local parks and improving bus services.