I thoroughly enjoyed Friday's night Labour Party dinner at the Devonshire House Hotel, in celebration of the Capital of Culture, and hosted by Maria Eagle MP for Liverpool Garston, with speakers Professor Phil Redmond and Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and compered by Councillor Joe Anderson, Leader of Liverpool Labour Group and Leader in waiting of Liverpool City Council.
I invited Caroline as my guest, you will recall that she is my Kenyan shadow Councillor on the OBV scheme and we both had a good time - I just wish the LP would allow for dancing, we never get to dance and we all love it!
We were also fabulously entertained by Sense of Sound who are a wonderful choir that went all the way to the semi-finals in the competition "Last Choir Standing".
I wont tell you what Phil Redmond said, he was amongst friends, but variously all speakers praised the 08 programme, detailed the huge financial and moral support contribution that the Labour Government really has made, despite the gainsayers, and praised events like La Machine.
Personally I was disappointed that nobody remembered to mention the superlambananas which in my view have done the most to draw all section of the community together. I recall one day when Mum and Roger were visiting and we went down to the Arena - it may have been for the Tall Ships race, and we stopped to look at three lambies on the side of the canal.
There were children, parents and grandparents jostling for photo opportunities and in a quiet moment two young hoodies came forward. With great glee they took photos of each other posing with each Lambie and it was at that moment I knew we had a real success on our hands.
The evening was not overtly party political, it was about celebrating Liverpool and we did that, but we also celebrated Labour and watched once again the 100 years video that was made in 2000 on the anniversary of the creation of the party.
I enjoyed my chat with Gerard and we plotted and planned some great new campaign ideas.
And of course we made loads of money auctioning some great prizes - and all hail to Jamie Carragher for his personal generosity.
Caroline loved it as did her friends that she met by chance from her church and from various community organisations concerning youth engagement and domestic violence.
Thanks Maria, we had a lovely time
4 comments:
I forgot to say that I took the opportunity to thank Phil Redmond for making the Culture Company recognise the power of the Liverpool Mural Project and to support a mural on the walls of the New Picket. I saw it in all its finished glory on Sunday night, I cannot recommend it enough
Im pleased to note the culture company recognising the fact that it is a LABOUR government that has funded a lot of the CofC events. Warren and his cohorts can try to gain as much credit as they like(yes they had a great Matthew St this year) but the fact remains is that the sucsessful year as CofC has been well funded by a LABOUR government
The 100 years video was made in 2006! :)
Was there any mention of Europe at any point.
Quite often the fact that it is European Capital of Culture year seems to be missed off the agenda.
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