Meet BARRIE

F
... Liberal Democrats working for you in Blythe Hill, Brockley, Honor Oak and Stanstead Road ...
It’s between
a

Lib Dems and

ocus
Crofton Park Labour here!
By Rob Blackie, Focus reporter Labour Lib
Number of
councillors
26 Dems by party on
Local writer Barrie Hall tells us his life story, and why he’s running for 17 Lewisham
Council
election as a Liberal Democrat councillor for Crofton Park [email protected] February 2009

Barrie was born in Easington, in “I was brought up in a life-long and expenses while society falls Green
6
Tory
3
Socialist
2
northeast England, where the film Labour supporting family,” Barrie apart around them. They need to be
Billy Elliott was set, and grew says,”I’m booted out, right now.”
up in one of the most deprived tired of “Ordinary people need to come
Lewisham
wards in the country.Thanks to
good local schools and a lot of
seeing
Labour
forward and take action - the Labour
hard work, he became the first allowing
answer is staring at you in the
mirror. Start with yourself, talk
councillor runs
person in his family to go into
higher education, graduating from
the gap
between
to your neighbours - get involved! up £1,300 taxi
The biggest secret is that if people
the University of Durham with a the rich bill

A FRESH
get active in their communities
degree in Psychology. and poor then they can change the world, the
After university Barrie got a job grow. only way real change ever happens
in London working for People - from the bottom up.”
Channel 4, and then Barrie is currently a
became a writer and Lewisham school governor

START
comedian, first moving and feels strongly that the
to Lewisham in 2001. curriculum should not dumb
Barrie worked for 10 down in order to get better
years as a stand up pass rates. When not working One of the current Labour
comedian performing he likes to spend as much councillors in Crofton Park has
everywhere from the time as possible with his three spent £1,300 on taxis in just
Brockley Jack to the small boys, aged from six one year, enough to get a black
taxi to Edinburgh. This taxi bill
Comedy Store and
beyond. He’s also
months to five years. “Having
children makes me realise the
Let’s change Lewisham for good in 2010! was then charged to council
taxpayers.

Happy New Year!

written and acted in importance of having a good
many comedy shows local school, new playgrounds Labour councillors then failed
Barrie with Michele, also standing for Crofton Park to publish these expenses on the
and appeared in and safe streets.”
council website, despite the council
adverts for Kingsmill and Boots. tell me on the doorstep that He is also working to help set 2010 promises to be a year of change – a year when you agreeing to publish all councillors’
Barrie is currently appearing in they’re fed up with politicians. I up Neighbourhood Watch schemes expenses. After a petition by a local
have a chance to elect a new MP and a new Mayor for our
Channel 4’s Balls of Steel, as well tell them that I am too. I’ve had locally and has already found Lib Dem campaigner Max Calò, the
as teaching maths and science in enough of career politicians who almost ten new streets keen to get community expenses have now been published
think that they’ve got a job for on the council website, and can be
south London. going. “After nearly 40 years of Labour rule in Lewisham so many found at http://bit.ly/56n6R1
life, happily drawing their salary
people have told me that they feel let down by Labour,” Labour councillors have claimed
Is there something you want to tell us? says Tam Langley, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate. “In £3,400 for taxis in the last year
Name and address: – compared to no claims at all by
I'll vote Lib Dem in the Lewisham it’s only the Liberal Democrats who can beat Lewisham’s 17 Liberal Democrat
next election
I can help deliver
Labour. The Conservatives have given up and are out of councillors.
Crofton Park Focus to the race. The Liberal Democrats have a record of standing Liberal Democrats do not claim for
Telephone and e-mail: local homes taxis – because councillors already
I can display a poster at
up for local people, protecting the environment and fighting get an allowance from the council.
Comments (please use extra paper if necessary): election time crime. Electing a Liberal Democrat MP and Mayor to work This news comes as Lewisham has
with our Lib Dem councillors will really change Lewisham confirmed that in 2010/11 it will
keep the extra 2.5% put on council
Return this slip to: Crofton Park Lib Dems, FREEPOST RSAJ-GRSR-JUAG, 8 Woodham Road, London SE6 2SD for good!” tax in 2009/10, on top of increases
If you return this slip the Liberal Democrats and their elected representatives may use the information you have provided to contact you from time to time about issues
we think you may find of interest. Some of the contacts may be automated. You can opt out of some or all contacts at any time by contacting us. in previous years.
Printed on recycled paper by Ted Shrimpton, Bexley DA5 3AW. Published and promoted by Rob Blackie on behalf of Tam Langley and LBN Liberal Democrats, all at 8 Woodham Road, London SE6 2SD
 Contact your
Crofton Park
Focus Team: Trains to Honor Oak cut
Local Liberal Democrats have been
fighting cuts to the Southern trains
Maines4Mayor
by Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of
Lewisham, Chris Maines
Everybody
service to Honor Oak, Forest Hill should have a
and Brockley. warm, weather-
proof home
Southern axed the train service to with the basic
Charing Cross in December 2009 appliances and
with the blessing of the Labour facilities that
Government. Now it plans more most of us take
cuts to the train service to London for granted. In
Bridge in May, with a cut of one third other words, a
in the number of trains to Honor Oak decent home.
Park. Labour promised
Local Liberal Democrat campaigners that all council
and Greater London Assembly tenants would
member Caroline Pidgeon have live in a ‘decent
been been fighting Southern’s cuts home’ by 2010,
to local trains. You can sign their but today only 3
petition at: campaigns.libdems.org. out of 10 homes
Michele McClarren uk/HonorOaktrains in Lewisham meet the Government’s
‘decent homes’ standard.
Barrie Hall Tam Langley says “Many local
residents have told me that the train Forest Hill Liberal Democrat councillor Philip Peake Lewisham’s Labour Mayor has totally let
Crofton Park ward council
service to London Bridge is badly and local residents protesting against cuts to train
candidates down council tenants. The situation is so
services.
michele@lewishamlibdems overcrowded, even without cutting bad here that the Government has taken
.org.uk the number of trains on it.” away the £145million earmarked for home
barrie@lewishamlibdems improvements in the borough and is using
.org.uk them to build new homes elsewhere in the
country.
Potholes Local plants should It really is time for a change in Lewisham.
The recent snow on
run-down roads has
bee more friendly A new energetic team is needed to take
over housing, by taking over the council. A
caused hundreds of Tam Langley team that will keep their promises. At the
local potholes to get has launched a elections in May this year, the only team
dramatically worse campaign to force that can beat Labour and change Lewisham
Lewisham council for good are the Liberal Democrats.
Local Lib Dem
campaigner Michele to plant bee
McClarren been reporting friendly plants in
Tam Langley Lewisham’s parks.
new and worse potholes
Prospective MP for
Lewisham, Deptford to Lewisham council. Lewisham could
07759 767238 Michele says “Roads save thousands
locally were already full of pounds a year
of potholes, before the by planting long lived bee friendly plants rather
snow made them worse. than the short lived plants often put in flower
Potholes are a real beds.
danger, whether the risk
You can sign Tam’s petition here: http://bit.ly/5I7W26
to cyclists or pedestrians
of hurting themselves or Tam, who has campaigned with Britain’s top experts
drivers damaging their to save bees, says that everyone can play their part,
cars. “We can all plant bee friendly plants in our gardens.
“If you spot any potholes I’ve planted my garden in purple and yellow plants
that need repairing then like rosemary, yellow jasmine and lavender.”
Cllr Chris Maines you can report them to Tam will be sending a guide to bee friendly
Liberal Democrat the council by emailing planting by email to everyone who signs the
Mayoral candidate [email protected]. petition or emails her at tam@lewishamlibdems.
07973 149846 uk”. org.uk