Audio from a public meeting held on Monday 4th May 2015, in the run up to the 2015 General Elections.

Some have called the Election Court's judgement on Lutfur Rahman and Tower Hamlets First a coup, while others are looking forward to business as usual in Tower Hamlets in the forthcoming Parliamentary and Mayoral Elections. Whatever the case, the judgement illuminates the corporate interests, colonialism and hunger for representation that characterises the politics of this part of the East End. 

While the contest over the Bethnal Green and Bow parliamentary constituency has until now lacked the excitement and colour of previous years, the destruction of the political leadership of local authority gives this seat new meaning and asks tough questions to local politicians about their vision for this cosmopolitan constituency on the doorstep of The City with an 'inconvenient' tendency towards political alternatives.

(Dr)Glyn Robbins has been involved with housing and regeneration as an activist and as an academic for his entire career and is the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bethnal Green and Bow. He has consistently expressed solidarity towards Mayor Lutfur Rahman, Tower Hamlets First and their voters throughout this remarkably challenging period.

Glyn's CV http://cv.democracyclub.org.uk/show_cv/6624

With this open lecture and QnA event we invite the public to engage with issues of marginalisation, housing, racism and gentrification in Tower Hamlets, the British Labour Party and the country as a whole.

Glyn Robbins versus Rushanara Ali : What is at stake here?

DIY EDUCATION PANEL @ DIY Cultures 2015 
(Rich Mix, London 24th May 2015)

THEMES: student occupations, austerity, arts education, education in prisons and hospitals, decolonialising education, autonomous education, education from the margins. 

SPEAKERS: 

Shelly Asquith from Occupy UAL - speaks on the recent student occupation of Central Saint Martins and demands for equality & access in further education. (audio starts part way through) 

Anna Lau from Decoloniality London speaking on decolonising education, free community-based education and multiversity

Matthew Meadows from Not Shut Up magazine speaking on education in prisons and psychiartic hospitals

Lidia Kurasińska Investigative journalist speaking on links between Universities and torture and human rights abuses in Central Asia 

Occupy LSE - Free University of London speaking on recent student occupation at LSE - neoliberalism in higher education 

Chaired by Hamja Ahsan - Artist, Curator, Campaigner from DIY Cultures Twitter: @hamjaahsan 

Fugstar