Working for the common good is the way forward

The common good is an idea that comes from Catholic Social Teaching but it has universal application, never more so than in the present situation. The idea of coming together in community, working and living, for the benefit of all. It is the opposite of the economic system that has operated here for the past 40 years, where the advancement of the individual to the cost of the common good, has been the mantra. in his latest book, the Tyranny of Meritocracy, philosopher, Michael Sandel looks at how the economic system of the past four decades has bred division and alienation, with a minority group of the priveliged and educated having taken all to the detriment of the majority rest. Sandel focuses on meritocracy, the idea that everyone can succeed if they just try hard enough. This is palpably not true. Only those with an advantage from the outset, whether that be money, education or privelige behind them, largely succeed Sandel cites university education as the passport to success, without it the mass of people are doomed to live increasingly poor lives. The credentiised (degree holders) elite group have come to look down on everyone else. And it is the non-credentialised that have lost out in the great globalisation game. The divisions are clear in relation to those who govern, wirh only 12% of MPs lacking a degree - 25% went to Oxbridge. Outside of Parliament, 70% of the population don't have degrees. Sandel is not saying educated people should not be in government but that the homogenous nature of this group over recent years has meant they govern for their own interests, not the common good. The wider disatisfaction and alienation that this has bred, led to the Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump in America. Some 70% of those lacking degrees voted for Brexit, 70% of graduates voted remain. What is needed is a redistribution of wealth and opportunity across the board. Also, the re-introduction of solidarity, with people recognised for the contribution they make to society and for the common good. This re-awakening could be easier in the post covid world, where the value of the nurse, care worker, supermarket operative and street cleaner have been recognised as being of greater value than say the hedge fund manager or stockbroker. There is a great opportunity now to really re-establish the idea of the common good, that we are all in it together. Survival depends on reaching out and helping each other, not existing atomised, disconnected and working against the interests of the whole. * Tyranny of Meritocracy - what has become of the common good by Michael J Sandel is published by Allen Lane Price - £20

Time the same level of urgency was shown in addressing the emergencies climate change and biodiversity loss as Covid

It was great recently to help out with the planting on Christchurch Green of the fourth Grow Zone. Bulbs and seeds were planted in the area adjacent to the high street. There are plans for more Grow Zones, with areas left to run wild, improving the overall biodiversity. Another community based project involves the seeding of tree pits with wild flowers. The pits look fantastic, as well as helping wildlife - like bees. At the moment, the adoption of tree pits is a bit patchwork, with some excellent streets that will offer a sea of colour in the spring and summer. However, there are many pits that are not adopted. It would be great to see more taken up by residents. Also, local churches and schools could reach out and adopt pits around their premises. Anyone interested in adopting a tree pit see: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/our-streets/spruce-up-your-neighbourhood/ There are also plans to develop community composting in the area. In Wanstead, many people are rightly concerned about rising pollution levels. Over the period of the pandemicy, we have gone from empty streets to a situation where some roads are reaching gridlock. People have been encouraged to avoid public transport, while the planned walking and cycling infrastructure in Redbridge has failed to materialise - the result has been that vast numbers are getting in their cars. This situation needs to be addressed, we cannot go on poisoning generation after generation with this foul air. There is also the small matter of an obesity epidemic. The Low Emission Neighbourhood schemes need to happen. And there must be a real increase in biodiversity. In Wanstead, there are major polluting roads running between the Green Man and Redbridge roundabouts, as well as the Green Man and Charlie Brown roundabout. The lovely Roding Valley Park is encircled by the thunder of traffic on the M11 and A406. Indeed, despite much of the greenery that characterises Wanstead, another view is that we live on a polluted traffic island. This needs to be urgently addressed. There is the Ultra Low Emissions Zone that comes in next year, which will help. But what about some real greening of the area? The areas between the roundabouts described should become greenways, with more trees, shrubs and green walls. Traffic in the area has grown hugely over the past 20 years but counter balancing biodiversity measures have not. The time has come to act on biodiversity and climate change, we have talked about it for years and there has only been incremental change. But the climate and biodiversity crises need to be addressed with real action - pleas of no money really won't cut it. The Covid pandemic proves money can be found for a crisis, this is another one, so let's take it seriously and really do something about it. * To contribute to Redbridge's Green Urban Landscape Consultation see - https://engagement.redbridge.gov.uk/strategy/redbridge-green-urban-landscape-policy

Football's Black Pioneers

Plymouth Argyle’s Jack Leslie was selected to play for the England football team against Northern Ireland on 25 October 1925, then inexplicably dropped – the reason being, he was black. In the event, Leslie ended up scoring twice for Argyle, who cruised to a 7-2 victory over Bournemouth on the day of the England game. England drew 0-0. The story of Leslie is one of the many fascinating accounts contained in Football’s Black Pioneers by Bill Hern and David Gleave. There has certainly been some painstaking research gone into this book, that tracks down the first black player to turn out for all of the 92 league clubs. There are accounts of players, like Laurie Cunningham (first black player for West Brom and England Under 21), Viv Anderson (first black player for Nottingham Forest and England) and Brendon Batson (first black player at Arsenal, though later as part of the famous West Brom trio together with Cunningham and Cyrille Regis). A particularly interesting chapter for West Ham supporters is the one featuring Clyde Best, who was not the first black player to play for the club but a real pioneer. The year was 1968, when Clyde came over at the age of 17 from Bermuda to play for West Ham. Clyde was playing for the first team a year later. I remember seeing Clyde, who played for the club until the mid-1970s, scoring lots of goals and becoming a firm fans’ favourite. He did also have to endure some horrendous racism. The authors recall one occasion, when Clyde received a letter, with a threat that acid would be thrown at him, as he came out of the tunnel onto the pitch. The police took the threat seriously, creating a cordon between players and fans, as they emerged. West Ham were the first club to field three black players, when Best, Ade Coker and Clive Charles took the field against Spurs in 1972. clubs. The period stretches back right into the 19th century for some clubs. There are stories like that of Lindy Delaphena, who was the first black player at four clubs, making his debut for Portsmouth in 1948 before going on to Middlesbrough, Mansfield Town and Burton Albion. Among other highlights, are Roland Butcher who played for Stevenage, before making his name as the first black cricketer to represent England in a test match in 1981. Also, Charlie Williams MBE, who played for Doncaster Rovers, though possibly made a bigger name for himself later as a comedian. Hern and Gleave provide a real insight into the struggle of so many black players over the years to make their way in the game. An excellent read. Racism is still ofcourse rife, though not as bad, as in the days of the likes of Clyde Best, Laurie Cunningham and Paul Canoville. This is testimony to the bravery and resilience of so many players down the years. The change of attitude, though, is nicely noted by the authors, in the example of the tributes paid by clubs across the country at the time of Cyrille Regis's death in 2018 - a far cry from the days when as a player Cyrille was greeted with banana skins and worse. *Football's Black Pioneers by Bill Hern and David Gleave published by Conker Editions Ltd price £16

Covid pandemic exposes how unequal society has become

The ongoing row about the provision of free school meals for those in need during the holidays highlights the growing problem of poverty in our society. Why in such a rich country are children going hungry? A fifth of the population are forced to live under the poverty line in the UK. The Covid pandemic has made these divisions all the more visible. It has been the poorest areas of the country that have been most severely ravaged by the disease. When a couple of months ago Leicester was locked down due to a high level of infections, one of the major causes was found to be sweated labour in part of the area. The casualisation of work has seen things like zero hours contracts become prevalent in the UK, especially in the care sector. The employee is put in a weak position, forced to accept the work, when offered, or not get paid. So, the idea of taking days off (to maybe isolate) becomes unlikely. In work poverty has become commonplace in the UK's service sector economy. People not being paid enough to get by, bad employers being propped up with tax credits. This is the terrain over which the pandemic has run rampant. A terrain where over a number of years a few people have grown very rich to the cost of everyone else. A country that boasts 150 plus billionaires but has millions going to foodbanks. People have given generously to food banks but these are sticking plasters on a moribund system. There has to be fundamental change in our society with a shift of wealth from rich to poor. People need secure, properly paid work and well funded public services for all. This will be a big ask, post pandemic, given the deficit resulting from the amount spent in keeping society afloat. There will mo doubt be those determined to impose austerity, once again on the poorest and most vulnerable - this must be opposed. There is an opportunity to create a new, more equal and just world. It was done after the Second World War and can be done again, given the will of the people for fundamental change.