Hackney brothel closure - and leadership update

A story posted in the Jewish Chronicle yesterday reported the closure of a brothel in Stamford Hill using a new law for the first time in Hackney.

Apparently complaints about the place had been made for "more than five years".

Both Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland from the Metropolitan Police and Hackney Labour Councillor, Sophie Linden, called the place a brothel.

Hyland said: "Residents were subject to anti-social behaviour and crime due to the presence of this brothel."

Linden said: "I hope that this successful use of new laws will give residents, who were complaining about noise and abuse from brothel visitors, a greater sense of security and peace of mind."

Good news for residents but taking five years to shut down a noisy brothel next to a children's centre doesn't sound reassuring.

Will this new law be put to use in other Hackney establishments? And could it be related to fears over a burgeoning sex industry in Olympic boroughs to cater for construction workers: Is prostitution in Hackney soaring?

OTHER 'NEWS':

An alleged conversation between Diane Abbott and another Labour MP - Wayne David - in the run up to the Party's leadership nominations. Conservative blogger Iain Dale, claims to be confident that the conversation took place in a lift in Portcullis House. Dale said: "And she wondered why she had difficulty in getting 33 nominations..."

De Beauvoir UFOs/unsuccessful Hackney candidate/Asians don't vote for black candidates?

UFOs in Hackney? Apparently the skies over De Beauvoir are full of them. Albert, if you ever read this, what was it you saw?

UNRELATED:

A piece from Operation Black Vote mentions Hackney Cllr Patrick Vernon's short-lived attempt to become Labour candidate for Leyton and Wanstead. According to OBV, Cllr Vernon was a favourite but didn't make it onto the shortlist. Another Hackney councillor, Sophie Linden, did make it onto the shortlist but lost in the end to John Cryer.

According to the OBV report, the fate of another black candidate later in the selection process suggested that there may be a divide between black and Asian members of Labour Party's BAME (http://www.bamelabour.org.uk/) - which is supposed to fight for more black MPs. OBV claims that Asian Labour Party members supported a white candidate over a black candidate once their Asian colleague was ruled out of the contest.

Operation Black Vote reports that supporters of the Asian candidate, Ahmed Shahzad - who happens to be head of BAME - "proved decisive in sealing the win for (John) Cryer, provoking dismay among supporters of (Terry) Paul who had won substantial backing among a cross section of rank and file party members, but significantly failed to win the second preference vote of Shahzad’s supporters, who were mostly of Asian origin."

The OBV report quotes one anonymous Labour Party member: "It’s an absolute disgrace. Totally shameful. He [Shahzad] has got his position in the party as a result of representing Black members, and what does he do? He stops a good quality Black person becoming an MP. I think his position as head of BAME Labour is now untenable."

Another Hackney political export: Sophie Linden

A story in the Waltham Forest Guardian says that Sophie Linden, Hackney Labour councillor and Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Sustainability, has been shortlisted for Leyton and Wanstead to replace Harry Cohen.

The paper said: "Others on the list are Sophie Linden, a Hackney councillor and former special advisor to David Blunkett Others on the list are Sophie Linden, a Hackney councillor and former special advisor to David Blunkett....

"The three councillors from Waltham Forest who were rumoured to be in the running did not make the list...

The source who provided the information said: "The seat is now ripe for an independent to come in if the Leyton and Wanstead electorate are as disgusted as the party members."

Look at Hackney's Politcal ambassadors.