RESPECT held a meeting in St Paul’s in Bow on Thursday (27 Oct) to discuss the sell-off of the freehold on local estates, the closure of a supermarket on Roman Road, and Anti-social behaviour (the latter didn’t get a look in).

There is a great deal of local anger. Tennents and lease-holders were ballot about the stock transfer but some were not given information in their own language, others didn't get a chance to vote (a polling day cancelled). and Lease-holder votes were discounted altogether. There are further accusations of the 'Yes' campaign ripping down posters, and the Council withholding investment in order to force a 'Yes' to privatisation.

The Stock Transfer won by only seven votes (out of about 800) so unless something can be done about it, there will be a private company running the estates and setting the service charges.

Not much debate took place as the chair lost the floor on a number of occasions but it was agreed by many that the city council (New Labour) and private companies from outside London were profiteering and machinating against local residents’ rights and liberties.

The leader of the city council, Michael Keith, was present but could do little but make personal insults and mutters of ‘not true’ in response to any of George Galloway’s accusations.

Two interesting comments were put forward. First, that assuming the closure of Morrisons the land could be better used by co-operatives and small business, second, that the council are deliberately under-funding public services in the area in order to profit from cheaper land before the Olympics in 2012.

Apart from that it was a lot of shouting from everyone and canvassing from a few.