Tuesday 29 September 2009

#lab09 - third episode

I'm in Conference Hall, listening to the housing debate. John Healey the housing minister is on stage now, and alongside him is Jake Tillett, an apprentice he met whilst visiting a new housing scheme in Bristol last week. We were so impressed by Jake, and his fellow apprentices Steven Hoskins and Chris Rae, that we invited them along to conference today so that Jake can tell the audience and viewers at home about his experience, gaining his apprenticeship, working on a private sector housing development which was stalled and almost shelved as a result of the credit crunch, and which was then rescued by a link-up with a housing association. I visited the scheme last week, in Mallards Close, Speedwell, and it's fantastic - really good quality housing, built to private sector spec. Jake is looking nervous as he sits in the front row waiting to go on, but I'm sure he'll do brilliantly. His great-great something, Ben Tillett - yes, that Ben Tillett, one of the founders of TIGMOO*, who used to work at Easton pit - would be proud of him.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you actually do any work? I mean other than twitting? We pay you to work, not to mess around like this.

Dave H said...

Kerry, I never, ever, thought it would happen. Yet now it has. A Labour government has actually achieved something to be proud of. I hope the Champagne is in the fridge. Well done, you deserve it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8289295.stm

Kerry said...

I probably work a hell of a lot more hours than you do Edgar.

Dave H, this is obviously payback for Cameron saying in the Guardian recently the artist he'd most liked to have his portrait painted by was Tracey Emin (an artist who doesn't actually paint portraits or anything else, does she?)