Gene Alcantara, Independent MEP Candidate for London, discusses how London’s ethnic minorities can bring about a change in British politics.

European elections take place 4 June 2009.

www.genealcantara.com

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The candidates – Gene Alcantara, Haroon Saad, Jan Janananayagam, Steven Cheung and Sohale Rahman – held a press conference this week, but have been ignored by the media. 

We live in a wealthy country and fair society where most things are laid out and made easy for us. Unfortunately, a lot of our current politicians are ‘out of touch’ that they have complicated simple interpretations of the law and do not seem to have the ability to understand the essence of diverse society London is about.  

Gene says’ “Immigrants are being blamed for all the ills of the society when we actually now have a bigger pool of immigrants whose skills and talents we should access and encourage them to be involved for the good of the country”. 

I will specifically share my feelings for Gene Alcantara. He is an educated, honest, likeable, hardworking and caring individual, who will make an ideal modern politician. He is always prepared to roll up his sleeves and listen to the people. Gene is patriotic as he tirelessly promotes the Philippines where he originally comes from as well as being a proud British citizen who worked for two decades promoting Britain abroad through the British Council. He speaks several languages and has visited 60 countries which makes him even more equipped to deal with the diversity of London. 

Talking about capability, Gene was Head of Accounts Payable for a number of years in the British Council and was the guardian of credit cards and payments worth hundreds of millions of pounds.  

The one other thing I am so proud of Gene is the fact that he never loses sight of the human factor when dealing with political issues. 

In the last month, I have followed Gene’s campaign and seen how Gene went out and talked to different communities. He attended community events, rallies, sports events, festivals, and could see that he is comfortable with talking to people and getting them inspired. He is a picture of a true leader who can organise and lead communities. 

Highlight of Campaign Events 

On 2nd May, Gene talked to Londoners in the street and visited the Tamil rally in London’s Parliament Square. 

On 3rd May, Gene met revellers at FM Pasyalan Club in Shepherds Bush and then joined boxing fans at the Walkabout Australian Bar to take in the Hatton v Pacquiao fight. 

On 4th May – Gene joined the Strangers into Citizens Rally in Trafalgar Square and talked to people from different communities including Filipinos, Chinese, Indians and Africans as well as different religious leaders. 

On 10th May – In the morning, Gene talked to the churchgoers at Westminster Cathedral. In the evening, Gene attended a Filipino community show in Harrow organised by West End starts including Monique Wilson and Junix Inocian. 

On 12th May, Gene went to the Philippine Embassy to pay his respect and introduce his campaign team. 

On 16th May, Gene attends “Flores De Mayo”, Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mayfair.

On 17th May, Gene attended Kampi Basketball matches in Canning Town, visited Oriental Store in Plaistow, Tawana Shop and Filipino restaurant in Walthamstow. 

Gene visited different churches including Westminster Cathedral, Iglesia ni Kristo and Born Again followers. 

In between the above events, Gene gathered up dozens of volunteers doing street leafleting and mailshots. 

Fundraising event with Madonna Decena 

On 18th May, Gene organised his fundraising campaign at FM Pasyalan which was successful considering the credit crunch and the fact that it was a Monday night. He had supporters from different communities including Filipinos, British, Polish, Danish, Norwegian and Panamanian. 

Stars supported him including Madonna Decena, Britain’s Got Talent star, Policeman, young and old, students, teenagers, business people and government officials.

This particular event shows Gene’s pulling power and how he can unite different communities and inspire them. 

On 21 and 22 May, hundreds of students volunteered to help Gene prepare labels and envelopes for his election campaign. 

On 23 May, Gene went to a number of events from a house barbecue party in South Croydon to the Grand Canao festival in Walthamstow attended by 500 people. In the evening, he was invited to meet the 300 guests at Batangas Association charity dinner.   

On 24 May, Gene went to meet Sacred Heart of Jesus churchgoers in Kilburn. 

On 25 May (bank holiday), volunteers turned up at Umi Hotel in London to help Gene prepare election communication. In the late afternoon he proceeded to Kusinang Munti in Tooting who proudly hang up his campaign banner. Nayong Pilipino in Tooting also put his posters up.  The Manalo family in Mitcham took his campaign materials to the bus drivers and nurses in London. 

On 31^st May, he was invited to introduce himself to the meeting organised by over 1000 South Americans in Elephant and Castle.  Yet again, he showed he could converse in their language as well as understand their issues.

In the afternoon, I went with Gene and Pi (his wife) to Chinatown to talk to the Chinese community. 

On 2^nd June, Gene went to Ealing to distribute more campaign leaflets to the Polish community. He even took the time to get his manifesto translated in Polish, Spanish and Chinese. 

To further support Gene’s campaign for tomorrow’s election, I ask the communities in London to:

• Unite
• Exercise the right to vote
• Vote for the right candidate
• Vote for Gene Alcantara
• Let Gene Alcantara be your voice in Europe

The BBC reports that the Communities Secretary and Minister of the State, Hazel Blears has sensationally resigned from Gordon Brown’s cabinet, increasing pressure on UK Prime Minister to step down. 

Her departure is the second top-level resignation on the eve of the European and English local elections. 

It led to stormy Commons scenes as Mr Brown denied his government was in “meltdown” and rejected calls for an immediate general election. 

Health Secretary Alan Johnson has been forced to issue a denial that he is ready to take over amid reports of a backbench plot - in political speak terms a sure sign that he about to do just that. 

Mr Johnson told the BBC: 

“He is doing the job and there is absolutely no one who could do that job better.” 

The BBC reports that is has seen a proposed letter from one Labour MP calling on Mr Brown to step down.

Never one to shy away from ‘kicking a man when he’s down’, Tory leader David Cameron said the Prime Minister was “in denial” and the communities secretary resigning on the eve of local government elections was a “direct challenge to his authority”. 

He said Mr Brown’s team was now “deserting him”, the government was “collapsing” and he urged the prime minister to “get down to the Palace, ask for a dissolution, call an election”. 

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg joined the growing calls for a general election: 

“It’s a tragedy that exactly at the time when people need help, need action, the country doesn’t have a government, it has a void. Labour is finished.” 

Ms Blears has been under fire over her expenses claims despite repaying £13,000 to the Inland Revenue, following allegations she avoided paying capital gains tax on a property sale. 

The Salford MP denied doing anything wrong but although Mr Brown described her claims as “totally unacceptable”, he did not take any further action against Ms Blears. 

Last month she launched what was seen as a thinly-veiled attack on Mr Brown in a newspaper article, criticising the government’s “lamentable” failure to get its message across. 

In an apparent jibe at the PM’s much-mocked appearance on You Tube, she said: 

“YouTube if you want to. But it’s no substitute for knocking on doors or setting up a stall in the town centre.” 

She was tipped for the axe in the forthcoming reshuffle, but has stolen the initiative from Mr Brown. 

Home Secretary (Home Office) Jacqui Smith, who also faced expenses criticism and went public on Tuesday with her decision to stand down, said she backed Mr Brown and denied Ms Blears was deliberately trying to undermine him. 

BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson described the move as: 

“Deliberate, calculated and with intent. That is the only possible interpretation of Hazel Blears’ decision to resign today.” 

The European and Local elections take place in a few hours and Ms Blears timing can only be seen as a direct and planned attack on Gordon Brown’s leadership. 

Labour is running at their lowest popularity level in the polls since polls began, and are expecting nothing short of a disastrous result in tomorrow’s election. 

Meanwhile the smaller parties and independent MEP candidates are being overlooked by the media in a European Parliamentary election which has been overshadowed by the MP’s expenses scandal.

Five London independent MEP candidates, all from ethnic minority backgrounds, were ignored by the mainstream press and the BBC this week at their ‘no press’ press conference.  

Gene Alcantara, Haroon Saad, Sohale Rahman, Steven Cheung and Jan Jananayagam hope to buck the trend against independents as voters desert the main parties.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Part two of the Independent Candidates ‘No Press’ Press Conference.

Five independent MEP candidates for London were ignored by the mainstream press and the BBC yesterday at their ‘no press’ press conference. 

The conference in Kings Cross St Pancras, London’s Eurostar gateway to Europe, was designed to draw attention to the fact that the mainstream media have completely ignored independent candidates in the European elections. The media’s lack of response demonstrates their point.  

Gene Alcantara, Haroon Saad, Sohale Rahman and Jan Jananayagam discuss their ideas and main policies on Europe. 

The lack of airtime and press coverage confirms that, despite the public anger against the main party politicians, independents and small parties have virtually no chance of breaking their stranglehold on power. 

All the candidates urge people not to waste their vote in the European elections this Thursday 4 June. 

For further details on all five candidates visit:

http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Five independent MEP candidates for London were ignored by the mainstream press and the BBC yesterday at their ‘no press’ press conference.

The conference in Kings Cross St Pancras, London’s Eurostar gateway to Europe, was designed to draw attention to the fact that the mainstream media have completely ignored independent candidates in the European elections.

The media’s response demomstrates their point. 

Gene Alcantara, Haroon Saad, Sohale Rahman and Jan Jananayagam discuss their ideas and main issues on Europe, immigration and London.

The lack of airtime and press coverage confirms that, despite the public anger against the main party politicians, independents and small parties have virtually no chance of breaking their stranglehold on power.

All the candidates urge people to use their vote in the European elections this Thursday 4 June.

For further details on all five candidates visit:

www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Filipino British Candidate for European Parliament, Gene Alcantara, speaks at FM Pasyalan in Shepherds Bush.

Gene is the London MEP Independent candidate in the European Parliamentary elections on 4 June.

He believes politicians are not listening to the public and he wants to be your “voice” in the European Parliament.

www.genealcantara.com

www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Britain’s Got Talent’s Madonna Decena wishes MEP candidate Gene Alcantara well in the European elections on 4 June 2009.

Gene is standing as an Independent candidate for Greater London.

www.genealcantara.com

Gene Alcantara, Filipino British MEP candidate for London, on the campaign trail at a Basketball match in Canning Town, East London.

Madona Decena of ‘Britains got Talent’ gives her special message for Gene.

Gene is hoping his brand of “clean and honest” politics will win him a seat in the European Parliament on European Election day in London on 4th June 2009.

Gene said: “With 75% of our laws now coming from the European Parliament, and the main parties ignore the British people, we need an independent “voice” in Europe”.

Gene thinks we “deserve better” and “change is going to come”.

He wants you to vote ‘Gene Alcantara, Independent Candidate‘ and make him your “voice” in Europe.

www.genealcantara.com