Joanne McCartney AM

Don’t forget to vote this Thursday in the 2012 London Assembly & Mayoral Elections. You have the chance to cast three votes, one is for the Mayor of London and two are for the London Assembly.

If you need any further information about the elections, such as the location of your polling station, please visit the independent London Elects website: www.londonelects.org.uk

Local Assembly Member Joanne McCartney is championing the rights of domestic violence victims and other vulnerable groups to retain access to Legal Aid.

Joanne has written to the Ministry of Justice imploring him to reconsider the Government’s proposed drastic changes to access to Legal aid which will greatly impact on poorer communities.  By contrast, the Mayor has not made any representations to Government, despite Joanne’s pleas.

One of the proposed cuts will see Legal Aid withheld from victims of domestic violence unless there is already an injunction or a criminal conviction.  However, these vulnerable victims need Legal Aid beforehand to obtain the safety that injunctions and convictions offer.

Joanne said “I have written to the Ministry of Justice urging them to look again at the dangerous impact these cuts could have on victims. When I asked the Mayor what action he has taken, he said he supports cutting Legal Aid costs and told me he has not made any representations on behalf of London’s vulnerable groups.”

Joanne continued “I am deeply worried about the Government’s proposals. These cuts will clearly have a greater impact on poorer communities, on people who desperately need access to Legal Aid for their safety, and my constituency of Enfield & Haringey contains some of the poorest wards in the country. The Mayor could have easily made representations to his colleagues in Whitehall and I am severely disappointed that he has chosen not to.”

Just click on the following link: Joanne McCartney AM Spring Newsletter 2012

Contents include: Budget 2012, update on local bus campaigns, helping riot claimants, checks for taxi drivers, Spurs, and City Hall’s Police & Crime Committee

Joanne McCartney AM calls for tax on bankers’ bonuses to tackle spiralling youth unemployment in Enfield.

Local London Assembly Member Joanne McCartney has called for a tax on bankers’ bonuses to fund work placements for unemployed 16-24 year olds to prevent another ‘lost generation’. The call follows a 152 per cent rise in the number of young people out of work for over six months in Enfield.

According to January’s unemployment figures, released on Wednesday, there are now 235,177 people looking for work in London and 10,551 in Enfield.  This is an increase of 9.5% and 12.8% respectively in the last year alone.

Joanne said: “These unemployment figures in our borough are tragic, especially for London.  The government and Mayor Boris Johnson need to use all their powers to get Londoners back to work. I am calling for a tax on bankers’ bonuses to fund work placements for young people.”

Joanne continued “It is time that bankers took responsibility for their actions and paid their fair share to help London’s young people.  Young people did not cause this recession and it’s not right that ordinary people are being forced to pay for the bankers’ mistakes.”

The figures published today reveal that in Enfield:

• There are now 10,551 unemployed people looking for work
• 2,670 of them are under 24
• 870 have been out of work for more than six months

In Haringey:

• There are now 10,436 unemployed people looking for work
• 2,170 of them are under 24
• 685 have been out of work for more than six months
• There are only 555 job vacancies in Haringey

Across London:

• There are 235,177 people out of work
• 55,410 are under 24
• 16,655 have been out of work for more then six months
• There are 32,580 job vacancies in the capital – seven jobseekers for every vacancy