Chuka Umunna MP

See below for an interview Chuka did with Compass Youth at the Progressive London Conference on January 24th. He spoke about youth engagement at a workshop entitled ‘Young London for a progressive future’ and was interviewed here in the conference hall.

Progressive London is a new coalition, launched by Ken Livingstone and a range of high profile Londoners from across the political, cultural, and artistic communities. It held its first conference last week, and Chuka chaired the closing session.

Find out more about the Progressive London campaign against public transport fare rises here, or visit the website for more information on the coalition.

Carys Afoko

Chuka will be joining in the celebrations surrounding the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday 20th January. In the morning, he will be appearing on the BBC News Channel between 11am and 12pm, along with other leading political figures. You can watch the BBC News Channel live here: BBC News Channel.

In the afternoon, Chuka will be paying a visit to Lambeth College’s Brixton Centre and speaking to staff and students there about the inauguration and British politics in general. The Brixton Centre is about to undergo a £50 million government funded investment programme to make it a state-of-the-art technology centre for construction, engineering and media skills training. To find out more about the Brixton Centre, visit the website: Lambeth College – Brixton Centre.

Chuka was one of the studio guests on Sony Speech Broadcaster of the Year, Eddie Nestor’s BBC London Radio show this Sunday.

He joined Eddie for the Rum Shop, where guests and listeners discuss the main stories making the headlines in London that week. Discussion ranged from the Baby P case to teenage pregnancy and tax cuts. Eddie is best known for his starring roles in The Real McCoy and Casualty, and presents his own blend of outspoken, opinionated and entertaining radio.

Listen again to the show at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/london/aod.shtml?london/eddienestor

Chuka has been quoted in the press over the last week, and a few people have been asking for the links to be put on the website…

• Our Thameslink Campaign has appeared in The Evening Standard and Streatham Local Guardian
• Chuka responds to Trevor Phillips’ claims of institutional racism in the Labour party in The Independent
• Chuka was a guest on Radio 4′s the Week in Westminster, you can listen again here.
• Chuka contributes to the Guardian’s Comment is Free, click here to read his recent articles.

Carys Afoko

Chuka appeared on Richard Bacon’s show on BBC Radio 5 Live last night. Chuka was discussing Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s big speech to the Labour Conference and, amongst other things, how Labour has delivered for the people of Streatham. To listen to the show, click here: Richard Bacon – BBC Radio 5 Live.

On Tuesday the government announced that homebuyers will not have to pay stamp duty on properties costing £175,000 or less for the next 12 months.  Tonight Chuka will be discussing Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s big speech this evening to the Scottish CBI and what else the government is doing to help ordinary working people in Streatham and beyond with writer and broacaster, Lance Price, and others at 10pm on BBC Radio 4.  To listen to the programme, click here: BBC Radio 4 – The World Tonight (4 Sep ’08)

I will be appearing on Simon Mayo’s show this afternoon on BBC Radio 5 Live with Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson, former MP and Minister, Chris Leslie and Conservative blogger, Iain Dale. We have all been invited on to discuss who’d want to become a Member of Parliament and why. In short, I believe that politics is the best vehicle through which we can effect positive change in society and I want to help bring about positive change for the people of the Streatham constituency (which covers Streatham, parts of Balham, Brixton, Clapham and Tulse Hill) and put something back into the community I’m from – that is why I am putting myself forward. For more, tune into Simon’s show between 3 and 4pm this afternoon. You can access his part of the BBC website here, where you will also be able to listen to the show after the event.