Wirral Council should not be in this situation today. [Budget meeting 1.3.21]

This cruel Conservative government promised local authorities will be fully funded to do "whatever it takes" to deal with Covid. But Wirral Council has little choice but take a £10.9 million [£9m confirmed later] loan from the government just so that it can provide vital support for our residents, in our year of need.

Cllr Jo Bird takes action on homelessness.

“In addition, Wirral Council Housing Committee notes that the most common cause of homelessness is being evicted at the end of a private rented tenancy contract.

I’m speaking in a personal capacity. I am a Jewish woman. My Jewish great grandparents fled fascism in Europe and my grandad’s cousins perished in the Holocaust.

I have experienced warmth and welcome at almost all levels of the Labour party. 46,150 members voted for me in NEC by-elections, earlier this year. Thank you very much!

As a Jew, I worry about racism against Jewish people. I also worry about privileging the racism faced by Jewish communities in this country, as more worthy of resources than other forms of discrimination such as against Black people, Palestinians, Muslims and refugees. Abuses of power are measured in detentions, deportations and deaths.

I am proud to stand together with Cllr Matt White to represent local councillors on the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. Like many in the party, the values of justice and socialism are close to my heart. My own family history and our Labour movement’s collective struggles drive me to ensure that these values are put into practice, rather than just being empty words.

Speech at Labour Representation Committee conference.

Inspired by all of us, I was elected as a Labour councillor on the Wirral two years ago. I am standing for election to Labour’s National Executive Committee. For two seats for local government representatives, alongside my brilliant comrade Councillor Matt White from Haringey. Only Labour councillors can vote for us.

I’m standing for the NEC again.

Only Labour Councillors can vote for me and excellent comrade Matt White

Thank you very much Alan and everybody here for a fantastic demonstration. Alan’s right, I am standing for the NEC [National Executive Committee] again. This time for the Local Government section and every Labour Councillor can vote for me and my excellent comrade Matt White. Unfortunately, I won’t get the chance to have the votes from Labour members across the country. Last time I won 46,000 votes, so thank you very much.

I was elected as Labour councillor for Bromborough two years ago today.

In my first year, I gained hardship payments for disaster victims in my ward and became secretary of Wirral Labour Group under new leadership. I experienced brief administrative suspension from the Labour Party, which helped me better represent my constituents, fellow Labour party members and councillors.

Elections are being held for two local councillor representatives to serve on Labour’s governing body.

Backed by the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour Councillors, I (Jo Bird) am standing for election with my brilliant comrade, Councillor Matt White.

Jo Bird's contribution to “Labour Leaks - Lessons for the Left” meeting organised by Don’t Leave, Organise!

Thank you very much. Excellent speakers and thanks very much to Don’t Leave, Organise for organising this event. Its really crucial that we sustain ourselves through the struggles that we’re actively engaged in.

1. Jeremy Corbyn is staying in Labour. His legacy includes hundreds of thousands more members. We count, we matter.

2. It’s important to hold our leadership and government to account, even more so in times of crises and disaster.

Thank you so much to all 46,150 members of the Labour Party who voted for me for the NEC [National Executive Committee].

Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to win this time but we are taking the message.

I came fourth. It’s quite a resounding vote actually for the things I was standing for: - Fairness - Innocent until proven guilty - Stop suspensions before investigation.

So much has changed in the two months since Wirral South was the first Constituency Labour Party to nominate me for a CLP seat on Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

My speech on the streets of Liverpool yesterday.

Defend, Attack, Build, Create!

How are yous doing? I’m alright but I’m in mourning. Like many people here, I am mourning for the socialist Labour government that the country did not elect, last week.

I am a Jeremy Corbyn supporting Jewish Socialist in the Labour party. There was a time, not so long ago when this would not have been a controversial thing to say, lately Jews like me have found ourselves boxed in by a Labour Party in retreat from accusations of antisemitism and a vocal centrist alliance united by a desire to oust our current leadership. I found myself on the receiving end of this when suspended and readmitted to the labour party for using the phrase “Jew process” in a now infamous speech.

I’m one of many Jewish members of The Labour Party here in Liverpool city region. We don’t recognise the description that Louise Ellman paints of The Labour Party being institutionally anti-Semitic. My experience is of a very welcoming Labour Party for me as a Jewish person, as a socialist and as a human.

I'm Jewish. My great grandparents fled Eastern Europe because of fascism, the far right of the time and ethnic cleansing and found safe haven in England.

I rejoined the Labour Party in 2015 because it's the best chance in my lifetime for socialism, and for the values of care and compassion for everybody.

I re-joined the Labour party in 2015, when Jeremy Corbyn was first elected leader. With his track record of campaigning against war and injustice, I knew this is the best chance in my lifetime for socialism - for fairness for everyone. In 2017, I moved from Northern Ireland to England, partly to seek election for Labour and our collective movements for justice.

In early 2018, I was part of a successful Labour-led campaign to re-open the NHS Walk In Centre for Wirral South. I stood for local election and Labour's share of the vote swung from 24% to 36%.

New Ferry Explosion Anniversary.

Two years after the explosion which ripped through the town, residents of New Ferry came together for a special event to mark the anniversary.

'Into The Light' was a procession of homemade lanterns crafted by local people at a series of workshops - and now a new video celebrating that special evening has been released.