Fear factor

Why is it that there seems to be a continual feed of things to frighten people with. The latest subject is Artificial Intelligence - this will be the end of life as we know it. The technology poses a threat to the very existence of the human race. It is no doubt right to be cautious about AI. There does need to be proper regulation but is the fear factor being overdone. Another recent phenomena used to maximum fear effect was COVID. Then, fear was used blatantly as a tool to control people. Remember the daily death and infection figures - a regular part of daily news bulletins. People were scared into complying The terror threat posed by one group or another is regularly run out to frighten people. Often, as a precursor to more draconian legislation, taking away people's human rights. Immigration and crime are other subjects regularly deployed to frighten the populace. At another level there seems to be a morbid fascination with life threatening illness. The number of news stories, documentaries and dramas on things like cancer, dementia etc is incredible. Not that it is wrong to educate and inform on these matters. People can learn about healthier lifestyles and maybe ways to avoid such conditions. Some inspirational stories portray heroic efforts to overcome adversity. The problem is more when this all fits into an overall picture that ensures fear and insecurity in people. Fear is certainly used to control. At the depths of the great depression of the 1930s, US President Franklin D Roosevelt famously declared that the only thing to fear was fear itself. A statement as true today, as it was then. There are certainly plenty of things around to be scared of but everyone needs to be aware as to how such concerns can be used to manipulate and control people.

Passing of Hugh Callaghan reminds that the travesty of miscarriages of justice remains with us

The recent death of Hugh Callaghan at the age of 93 brought back all the memories of the Irish miscarriages of justice of the 1970s. Hugh was one of six Irishmen who got wrongly convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974. Collectively they became known as the Birmingham Six It took 16 years of campaigning, that drew in Mps, bishops, cardinals, congressmen and lots of ordinary folk - including the men's families, to eventually establish their innocence. That day, in 1991, when the six walked free through the front door of the Court of Appeal was vindication for the men and all who worked so long and hard to secure their freedom. Hugh later wrote a book titled Cruel Fate, which told the story of the years of suffering. The graphic account of how the police, knowing Hugh was frightened of dogs, would let alsatians free in the cells, only calling them back at the last moment. The treatment of the six amounted in many ways to torture, seeking to force confessions out of them. The men were finally cleared but those responsible for their wrongful conviction were not held to account. In the Birmingham Six case, three middle ranking police officers were prosecuted but the cases collapsed. Indeed, the police seemed to spend a lot of time trying to prove that they were right all along. There were whispering campaigns, questioning the men's innocence. Even to this day the police have been pursuing veteran journalist and former MP Chris Mullin over his interview with one of the bombers. Mullin claimed journalistic confidentiality, regarding a source, which was recently upheld by the courts. Mullin played an outstanding role in securing the exoneration of the Birmingham Six and other innocent victims. He wrote the book Error of Judgement, as well as helping with the ground breaking ITV World in Action documentaries on the case. Mullin received much abuse over the years that he championed the cause. The campaigner then went on to pursue a successful career in Parliament, representing Sunderland South as an MP and rising to ministerial rank under Tony Blair. The former Sunderland South MP is also well known for his volumes of published diaries, depicting life in the corridors of Westminster. Witty and revealing, Mullin's diaries are regarded as amongst the best of recent times. Not that leaving Westminster in 2010, seems to have stopped the diarist in Mullin. He has just produced a highly entertaining volume covering the time after he left Parliament. Titled, Didn't you used to be Chris Mullin, the diaries take their title from a comment made to the author by another MP on a visit to Westminster. The diaries cover such events as Brexit, COVID and the rise and fall of Jeremy Corbyn. Indeed, Mullin castigates the way his fellow miscarriage of justice campaigner, Corbyn, has been treated by the Labour Party. So Mullin continues to write and campaign on issues that matter. For those victims of miscarriages of justice, life once back outside was not always easy. There was a populist view that the victims of miscarriages of justice all got handsomely compensated to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. Little could be further from the truth. Most struggled with physical and mental health problems. Few ever worked again. I remember one member of the Birmingham Six saying how he could battle the Home Office and criminal justice system but dealing with the frictions in his own family was another matter altogether. Members of the Six did great campaigning work to set other innocent prisoners free. Billy Power named Prem Sivalingham and Sam Kulasingham, known as the East Ham Two, amongst the innocent. They were cleared of murder in 1994. Billy also campaigned for Irishman Frank Johnson, who was eventually cleared in 2002, after serving 26 years for a murder he didn't commit. Paddy Hill helped establish the excellent Miscarriage of Justice Organisation (mojo), which campaigns across the criminal justice system. Hugh Callaghan was the oldest of the Six. After, giving his account of what happened in Cruel Fate, Hugh faded from the public spotlight getting on as best he could with family life It is more than 30 years now since the Birmingham Six, Guildford Four, Judith Ward and others were freed but their legacy lives on. There are better systems now for those wrongly convicted. The establishment in the mid 1990s of the Criminal Cases Review Commission created a resourced process to look again at cases. This was a direct result of the Irish miscarriage of justice cases. There are though still many innocent people routinely convicted and incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Those caught up in such injustice always end up paying a heavy price. No amount of compensation can make up for the loss of liberty. What is important though is that the innocent victims are not forgotten. Lawyers like Gareth Peirce, MPs like Chris Mullin, campaigners and dedicated journalists all have a role to play in setting the innocent free and holding wrong doers to account. Hugh Callaghan RIP. * Did you not used to be Chris Mullin is published by Biteback Publishing, £20

Important to mark and celebrate Windrush Day

There has been much celebration over the past week of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMS Windrush. The ship was a troop carrier, that brought a group of people from the Carribbean to the UK in June 1948. The arrival of the Windrush marked the start of a migration from the Caribbean islands to the UK. This generation helped rebuild post war Britain, working in construction, the NHS, transport and many other areas. The welcome, though, was not always friendly. In fact, it was often aggressively racist . The Windrush Generation, together with the Irish migrants that went before, had to endure the ignominy of the no Blacks, no Irish and no dogs notices in the windows of available accomodation. Life was made difficult in many cases. There is an interesting reflection from the times at the London museum' s slavery exhibition. A Black resident of north London reflected that a third of the population are friendly, a third aggressive and hostile and the final third didn't care as long as Arsenal won on Saturday. The Windrush Generation continued to contribute against an often hostile background, contributing to the wealth and well being of the country, bringing up families, building community. Some protections came in with legislation like the Race Relations Act of 1971 - no more racist boarding house notices for one thing. Though, in time racism didn't so much go away as become more covert and hidden. Discrimination in the workplace, in education and particularly from the police force, toward the black community continued. It is still very evident today. The ultimate insult to the Windrush Generation came when the Home Office recently started sending people back to their countries of origin. Many hardly knew the country they were being sent back to, having lived in the UK for practically their whole lives. What a disgraceful way to treat a generation of people who came here to contribute and help rebuild this country. Unfortunately, the attitude that led to this injustice, with the Windrush Generation, pervades the British Government's approach to migrants, which is basically racist. Migrants are not looked on as net contributors to the economy, the culture and the community. Instead, the government spurred on by a right wing media, talk negatiely about numbers, drains on public services etc. The truth is that were it not for the migrants of the Windrush Generation and others most public services like the NHS, care and the public transport network would have collapsed years ago. The Windrush Generation must be celebrated for what they have brought and done for this country. Fortunately, most people recognise that contribution. The indices of the North London man may have changed ( certainly fewer will be concerned about how Arsenal do on Saturday!). But changes in attitude only come about with a constant effort to promote equality, diversity and tolerance. The Windrush Day celebration is a fine way to do this.

Bubbles still rising at West Ham United

What a glorious week for West Ham United, winning the European Conference League Cup in the last minute of the final. The celebratory trip from the Boleyn to Stratford Townhall the evening after was thronged with more than 70,000 supporters. An electric atmosphere, as people sang and danced together. The bubbles blew, as the players paraded the cup. I went down to the parade with a mate from Wanstead High School days. We were at East Ham Townhall back in 1980 to see the FA Cup come home then. Let's hope there is not such a long wait for the next trophy. What a change from a few weeks ago. Then, there were calls for manager David Moyes to be sacked for the poor Premiership form. Now, the question has changed to whether Moyes is the greatest West Ham manager ever. His record is superb, saving the club from relegation twice, finishing sixth and seventh in the Premier League, getting to the semi-final of the Europa League last year and now winning the Europa Conference League Cup. For my money,though, Moyes is still slightly behind Hammers legendary managers Ron Greenwood and John Lyall but only those two. Greenwood was a brilliant coach, changing the way football was played in England, as well as bringing through the likes of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Trevor Brooking. Greenwood also won the last European silverware - the Cup Winners Cup in 1965, following on from the FA Cup a year earlier. ( Many Hammers fans also credit the club's famous trio with winning the World Cup in 1966.) Then, Greenwood's protege Lyall took over, winning the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980, reaching the Cup Winners Cup Final in 1976, winning the Second Division in 1981 and finishing third in the First Division in 1986. I would say Lyall shades it as the greatest manager in terms of results. The one criticism of Greenwood was that with the talent at his disposal, West Ham should have won more, though, in another era, entertainment always came first for the man who later managed England. Moyes, though, could yet eclipse the greats - a couple more cup wins, Champions League qualification. The hard work starts again now, with the club seemingly resigned to losing talismanic leader Declan Rice. All of the money from the Rice sale plus at least as much again will be required if Moyes is to consolidate and push on with his exciting project at West Ham. Reinforcements from the triumphant FA Youth Cup winning team should help with this quest. If, Moyes, gets the backing and makes the right choices, the fans could be back next May to celebrate another cup win and a top six Premiership finish. Come On You Irons.

Here we go again

Groundhog Day The Old Vic This pacey yet profound tale of a weather man caught in a time warp, provides great entertainment with its latest incarnation at the Old Vic. The story is based on a script by Danny Rubin for the 1993 film, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, as the cynical weatherman. The drama has music and lyrics from Tim Minchin and direction from Matthew Warchus. The brilliant Andy Karl returns to the role of weatherman, Phil Connors, which he played in the first run at the Old Vic in 2016. Karl is magnificently supported by Tanisha Spring as TV producer Rita. The arrogant weatherman arrives in the small town of Punxsutawny for Groundhog Day - 2 February, when the little animal's behaviour predicts the coming weather Connors dismissive behaviour of a variety of characters, from a homeless man to an old school friend, leaves him increasingly alienated. Rita notably recalls how "they told me he was an asshole and he is." Connor also has a cavalier attitude to the opposite sex , treating all with contempt. The result of this behaviour is that Connors get stuck in the town, condemned to repeat the same actions each day. The comedic value here is immediate as Karl's character comes to repeat the other characters lines with them. The energy in this show is breathtaking, with the sets so slickly fitting together. Andy Karl must be a very fit man to be able to carry off the part, sprinting across the stage as one scene moves to another. At one point, he is on one side of the set, then suddenly back in the anchor bed scene. The audience are left open mouthed, wondering how did he do that? Underpinning the story is the idea of redemption. Connor reaches the end of his wits, unable to move out of the time warp. Despite a number of efforts to end it all, he finally comes to see the path to redemption which is to become a decent human being. When he does and makes recompense for past behaviour his life begins to turn around. A very simple moral in a zany story, namely if you are decent to other people, they will most likely return the sentiment. The music and fast, witty dialogue make this an enjoyable watch. Spring's "If I had my time again" song is a particularly memorable number. The skill of all involved in this production is in producing a rip roaring comedic musical, yet also carrying a serious underlying moral message The focus on TV anchorman ofcourse also makes the timing of the production particularly apt, given controversies around breakfast TV celebs etc at the moment. Highly recommend - very entertaining watch for all generations. * Groundhog Day runs till 19 August Published - Morning Star

Greater pedestrianisation can bring a healthier way of life

The recent closure of Blakehall Road due to a ruptured water main caused some consternation in the local community. The through traffic had to find other routes, such as via Leytonstone High Road. Buses were re-routed. There was much queueing and frustration before things settled down. The closure lasted for around 10 days. Though, it was not all bad news. Many commented on how lovely it was to be able to walk and cycle along the quiet Blakehall Road. The air was cleaner for a while. A freedom was restored. There was a glimpse of what life can be like when everything is not run in favour of the motor vehicle. Obviously, there was much inconvenience to many, while Thames Water sorted out the problem. Other ways of getting from A to B had to be found. For some with disabilities the motor vehicle is a crucial mode of transport. Also, people need to get around in a timely manner to conduct their daily lives. Everyone was relieved when normal service did resume. But for that week there was a taster of something else - a less car dominated world. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been pushing active travel across the capital.His target is for 80% of journeys to be by foot, cycle or public transport by 2041. He is also expanding the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) right across London from August. The critics of ULEZ expansion have been given much amplification over recent months (BBC London seems to feature the subject on a daily basis). Negativity has tended to dominate. But the Mayor is right to push for a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable way of living. These policies will help bring about that modal change.Maybe some more planned pedestrianisation would help? Then, all will be able to live better ways of life.

West Ham look for European glory

West Ham United's season reaches its climax next Wednesday (7/6) with the final of the Europa Conference League against Fiorentina. The Hammers will hope to go one better in Prague, than they did last year when losing the semi-final of the Europa League. It is 47 years since West Ham reached a major European final, then, they lost 4-2 to Anderlecht in the European Cup Winners Cup. So if Declan Rice lifts the trophy next week, he'll be the first West Ham captain since Bobby Moore to do so. Moore led the side that won the Cup Winners Cup in 1965, so no small achievement.. Rice has played a huge role in leading West Ham to the final, as well as securing Premier League safety, after some difficult times. Fans hope Rice will stay, though there is much rumour that he is on his way to a bigger club. West Ham's owners also deserve credit for sticking by manager David Moyes, when so many were calling for him to be sacked. After some dodgy patches, things finally came good in April, with the team getting together a run that led to Premier League safety and the final. Moyes rather prescriptive, direct style of football is not the most attractive in the world to watch but he does get results. No one can argue with a record that has seen the Scotsman save the club from relegation, then finish sixth and seventh in the Premier League, as well as that Europa League semi-final last year. The manager will need to shuffle the pack a bit in the summer bringing in some new players and letting others go. He also has some excellent young players coming through from the team that won the FA Youth Cup. Fans should be seeing plenty more of Divin Mubama and Ollie Scarlets among others over coming seasons. So, things look bright for West Ham's future. The challenge now is to bring home that European Conference Trophy. Come on You Irons.