Food

Most of the 1900 guests at the royal wedding will be served canapés after the Westminster Abbey service, with only a select 300 making it through to the sit-down dinner in Buckingham Palace that evening. Your party numbers are likely to be more modest, so you have lots of options to choose from. If you’re having people over to watch the 11am service on television then cakes and sandwiches should suffice. Raynors, the sandwich supplier to Buckingham Palace and winner of the British Sandwich Association award 2011, suggest salmon (supposedly Miss Middleton’s favourite). A few cucumber sandwiches should set a suitably regal tone, but they are incredibly dull and will invariably end up being left to one side.

You can really have fun with the cakes. The Union Jack is the motif of the day, so incorporate that into your designs. Make a pavlova, top with cream and add blueberries and strawberries in the Union flag’s pattern. Or head to Party Party in Dalston, a warehouse-sized shop that has a whole floor devoted to cake supplies. The shelves heave with raw materials – coloured icing paste, bags and bags of flour­, all manner of sprinkles – as well as every size and shape of tin and mould. They can print any image you want onto icing which you can then lay on top of your cake – just think, you could have the royal couple’s faces looking up at you from your sponge. Or ask them to print Union Jacks, which you can cut out and place on Percy Ingle jam tarts and cherry bakewells. It’s a cheat’s way to serve customised cakes without doing so much as cracking an egg.

If even that seems like too much hard work then head to Maiden on Shoreditch High Street on April 28 where Cakehead Loves Evil will be selling cupcakes and miniature wedding cakes to commemorate the big day. They’ll be copying the recipe the royal confectioners are using for the real wedding cake so expect them to be delicious.

If you think your guests will be staying for the afternoon, you’ll need to serve up something slightly more substantial. An updated version of coronation chicken ­– the dish created for the Queen’s coronation in 1953 – is perfect. Nowadays you usually only find it in soggy shop-bought sarnies, but follow my recipe below to make something fresh and 2011-appropriate.

In a bowl, mix a tub of crème fraiche (half-fat is fine), a few dollops of mayonnaise, half a diced red onion, a crushed garlic clove, a few teaspoons of curry powder, a small grating of ginger, a handful of chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime juice. Now add cooked chicken ­– some you have leftover from a roast will suffice – and mix before seasoning with salt and pepper. Put a few mounds on top of a bed of lettuce and sprinkle with sliced red chilli and more coriander. Serve with lime wedges.

Drink

Pimm’s is the obvious choice of drink for the royal wedding day. It’s fresh and summery, and – importantly considering you may be starting at 11am ­ – quite low in alcohol if you add plenty of lemonade and ginger ale. Make up big pitchers with ice, strawberries, lemons and apples.

Alternatively opt for tea, which you absolutely must you must serve in commemorative cups. Maiden has a selection from the last big Royal Wedding – that of Charles and Diana – but you might decide that’s not in keeping with the happy day.

Style

The Union Jack is your friend here. It’s far easier to draw than the royal couple’s faces so pick up some red and blue markers at art suppliers Cowling and Wilcox and get decorating. You can draw onto blank little flags from Party Party and stick them in your sandwiches.

And as for crockery, well there are plenty of options in Hackney. KK Outlet, the advertising agency and gallery on Hoxton Square, has created a range of plates with irreverent slogans, such as ‘Thanks for the free day off’ and ‘It should have been me’. They’ve proved so popular that even John Lewis – that bastion of British respectability – has started stocking them. At £75 you may however find that they’re out of your price range. Maiden – a Shoreditch shop with a whole exhibition planned for the Royal Wedding (see video) – is stocking paper plates that are similarly tongue-in-cheek but significantly cheaper. One has a picture of William with the other Kate (Moss, that is) and another shows Prince Harry in his ill-judged Nazi costume. Or you can pick up Union Jack tableware in Brewode’s Cornucopia on Broadway Market.

Bunting is a must, and if you are handy with a sewing machine you can run up your own, buying your fabric at Ridley Road market. If not, Party Party on Ridley Road stocks the less impressive readymade stuff.

A Union Jack manicure is a simple way of incorporating the theme into your everyday look. Pop into one of Hackney’s many nail salons and wait patiently as your fingers become more patriotic by the minute. I recommend Nails 4 U on Dalston Lane, where a Union Jack manicure costs £13.

Maiden is also stocking royal masks so you can pretend you’re second in line to the throne by donning a Prince William one.

Entertainment

If the sight of your guests masquerading as royalty isn’t quite enough to sate your entertainment demands, then you’ll have to resort to gambling, speculating and blindfolded party games.

Before the ceremony you can place bets on a variety of possibilities. Will Kate confuse the order of William’s many names? Will Kate’s train be longer than 5 metres? And will she include ‘obey’ in her vows? After the I dos, it’s time for analysis: What did we think of the dress? And what about Carole’s mother-of-the-bride ensemble? Did the couple seem suitably moved and in love? Is this a royal marriage that’s going to last?

A homemade game, such as pin the tail on the corgi, is easily made using card and paint from Cowling & Wilcox. If you’re anything like me at drawing your corgi will resemble something from the Middle Ages: a flat, one-dimensional, Medieval dog that could only have been painted before the notion of perspective in art was fully grasped. But your guests should still get the message. And they’ll be wearing a blindfold at this point anyway.

Or get knitting. Not just any old scarf, obviously, but a scene from the wedding. Fiona Goble has put together a beautiful book (available at Maiden and pictured below) that is full of pictures and patterns so that you can create your own Wills-and-Kate-at-the-altar moment.

Take a look at ELL’s Google map to see all the royal wedding party stockists mentioned.

As a Millwall and England fan, disappointment and pessimism is the natural form to take when your club or country need to win.  Even as Robinson kicked the ball in the Onion bag, my celebration came with that niggling voice in the back of my mind saying “don’t get ahead of yourself” and “never going to happen”.

Half time is a time for reflection on the first half for most, but it just prolongs the agony that we think is inevitable.  Not long after the players came back onto the pitch, Swindon striker Charlie Austin’s who shot wide of the Lions goal exercised the half time panic as we constantly expected the Wiltshire men to break away and get a point on the scoreboard.

The last twenty minutes caused the most butterflies, as the players, the managers and the fans fear those two little words that come with flashbacks of Italia ’90 and Euro ’96 – “extra time”.  Every time a white shirted Swindon player travelled the ball over the half way line, every corner and every foul, I became resigned to the fact that they would score.

Four minutes added time.  The boys held them off and kept a cool head under pressure.  Laps of honour were punctuated by the sighs of relief I knew were being released in Wembley, a pub in New York and in my living room.

The sight of Steve Morison wearing a vivid blue t-shirt with the words “We’re Going Up!” printed on it seemed to reinforce any doubt that we are in fact going up.  Neil Harris – the most popular and iconic players of recent years – led the manic and electric cheers which reverberated throughout the 32,000 fans at the home of English Football.

Just before I put away my blue and white jester hats and brush the dust of the England paraphernalia at the back of the cupboard, I had a few celebratory texts that were thankfully sent long before the alcohol set in, as well as a quick glance at Facebook.  Some were unhappy about the promotion, but those who have waited as long as I have, wrote messages of anticipation for a new season and a new league.

Football, I can take it or leave it, and Swindon, when given the choice, I will almost always leave it, as shown by my moving to London at the first opportunity.

But since leaving the cultural desert of Swindon, the town in which I grew up, and where the majority of my family and friends still live, I have become uncharacteristically loyal to the North Wiltshire town, most famous for non-negotiable roundabouts and teenage pregnancies. I am now often caught defending the town at any chance, and saving newspaper clippings about the towns twinning with Disneyland.

This recent loyalty has even spread to the football team – Swindon Town Football Club. Throughout my life football has been of little interest to me, further than what the likes of Colleen and Cheryl were wearing in the stands, but at 13 I decided I would support the local team and purchased a Swindon Town strip with MACLEOD emblazoned on the back.

The shirt was this week dug out and lovingly worn as Swindon took on local team Millwall at Wembley.

Swindon was a-buzz with excitement, with countless friends on Facebook dedicating their status to their beloved team. On the other hand, friends I have made since moving to London all had anti-Swindon statuses, one even claiming they would hit any “lairy Swindon fans with a Millwall brick” (which I have since found out is a rolled up newspaper, used as a weapon because if arrested, it looks unsuspicious) My protective side kicked in and I wanted to defend my home team.

Since my knowledge on either team is limited to what colour strip they wear, and evidently, the weapons they prefer, I decided to ask my friend, life- long Swindon Town fan John Bamford, 54, why he deems Swindon Town a better team than Millwall, and I was surprised by his answer. John didn’t cite the merits of Swindon being better players, or nicer people, but of the town that they come from: “Swindon Town are better because they live in a better environment which helps to produce a different sort of footballer. Milwall players live in a big city with all the pollution and stress that goes along with that. The Swindon team benefit from a cleaner environment and are closer to the country side. Just to the south of the town lies the Wiltshire countryside and the ‘downs; with its invigorating air. The town players train on a country estate outside the town and benefit from a stress free and healthy lifestyle”

He went on to discuss the reason why Millwall, described at the UK’s second roughest football team, may have reasons for being quite so aggressive: “Due to the traffic conditions in London, their players spend a lot of time in traffic jams and are known to suffer from stress. This obviously affects their physical condition which is a paramount concern.”

It was interesting to me that Swindon supporters such as John, not only love their team, but also the town they come from. It led me to thinking that perhaps positivity towards the location, as well as the team itself leads to a better team overall.

While Swindon lost the match 1-0, supporters stayed loyal to their team and town, with one friend telling me: “Millwall played better and deserved to win. Of course I am fed up with the result, but as always I am just looking forward to getting back to home turf and watching the boys play again in August. Come on you reds!”

Palace of Westminster from Lambeth Bridge. Photo: Tim Crook

Who lost the elections? Conservative ideology comprehensively lost. Only just over a third (36%) of the British electorate voted Tory, a handful voted for Ulster Unionists and the BNP were routed.

By our arithmetic that means that around 60 per cent of the electorate voted for anyone but the Tories: Labour, the Lib Dems, the Greens, Scottish and Welsh Nationalists, and Sinn Fein or the SDLP. This is not the story you would pick up from today’s headlines as the British press line up behind the Times front page statement that Cameron:

 ”has earned the moral right to govern”.

What gives him this moral right? Certainly many people were angry with Labour, angry with Gordon Brown, and angry that he had led us into the heart of a financial crisis. Brown’s popularity was at a very low ebb but, when faced with the choice of just how to get rid of him, remarkably few people decided that the Conservatives were the way to go. The raw figures demonstrate that the Tories were nearly four million votes short of their position the last time they governed the country in 1992.

The Conservatives are unlikely to give the Lib Dems what they want: a referendum on electoral reform. If they did so, then we could look forward to a time when everyone voted for the party they actually wanted to see run the country.

From there coalitions would be built as they are in most other European countries. The reason that the Conservatives hesitate to go down this road is quite simple. British electoral figures demonstrate that most people would favour a progressive coalition– not a conservative one.

Opening the gates of power to Downing Street. Photo: Tim Crook

Today’s General Election promises to be one of the closest in recent history. Polls across the UK opened at 7 am and will close at 10 pm tonight. In many of our boroughs there are also local council and mayoral elections. Turnout is expected to be high this year, reversing recent electoral trends. This suggests there is an engagement with political issues and the potential outcome of this election.

The television debates have galvanised interest among many younger and previously disaffected voters. The prospect of a hung Parliament offers a chance for real electoral change. There are campaigns for introducing new voting systems in which the single voter can count for a lot more. Even if one party gains an absolute majority on Friday it would seem that the appetite for democratic change among the electorate has been growing. Reform will be on the agenda whoever takes power.

As James Graham from the Campaign to Unlock Democracy says:

“It’s probably the best opportunity, in terms of driving the case for electoral reform, that we’ve had in a generation.”

The current first past the post system can lead voters to feel apathetic, with their votes counting for little in some constituencies.  Incumbent MPs with falling majorities retain power despite failing to get a majority of votes. In local and European elections a proportional system offers smaller parties such as the Greens the opportunity for representation and it has been argued that when elected they are given a clear mandate from voters who have specifically chosen them in a voting process that carries greater meaning. As Matt Sellwood of the Green Party points out:

“People want to be able to vote for the party they want to win.”

There are many types of proportional representation, some considered better and fairer than others. But whatever may come to pass, there is a political consensus that it is important for those currently disengaged to be encouraged to participate in democratic voting. It is argued that democratic culture and ritual needs to be renewed by the enthusiasm of young and first time voters choosing who represents them in Parliaments, assemblies and council chambers.

The Barack Obama US presidential campaign of 2008 showed how social media can be a powerful tool in doing this, while events in Iran, Ukraine and now Greece show how young people can use these new tools of immediate and interactive communication media to protest. However, it is not just about getting people out on the street, it is important that we vote. This is the emphatic view of James Graham of Unlock Democracy:

“The challenge is taking people’s enthusiasm and turning it into votes rather than facebook groups. “

The decision to vote is an exercise of our democratic right, and whatever decision is taken it is almost certainly right. James Graham’s political mantra is:

“participation is the key.”

The palpable enthusiasm for electoral change must continue beyond the election.  It is an opportunity that cannot be missed. By voting we show our desire for a more democratic process.

James Graham on the prospects for electoral reform

A week doesn’t go by without a fresh debate over some new topic with the potential to impact the lives of people living in East and South London. Whether over planning permission, healthcare or or tax plans, intense political battles are fought to decide the best way forward.

But all too often local issues are hijacked or sidelined by bigger ideological struggles. And while it’s good to have your eye on the troubles of the world at large, solving problems is never as simple as declaring them a microcosm of a battle between good and evil, champion and deceiver.

And there’s the rub – the temptation for public figures of all stripes is always to seize upon the latest events and attempt to turn them into political hay.

Take our recent story about the controversy following Croydon Council’s announcement of its tax plans for the year ahead. Looking at this war of words, it’s not so hard to see the spectre of advantage-taking on both sides.

The Conservative authority, eager to trumpet its benevolence, announced its intentions in the most glowing fashion. Suggestions of unprecedented generosity to the man on the street abounded in the rhetoric of its statements.

As the Labour opposition was swift to proclaim, the shining statistics belied some more complex numerical reckoning. However, in its eagerness to condemn adversaries for the unthinkable crime of spin, Labour itself fell prey to similarly extravagant tendencies, using the news to promote its own agenda.

And thus an issue of local import becomes the stage for a wider party-political showdown, with the voices of each side vying to denounce the other most volubly. In the ensuing din, the voices of citizens themselves are rather drowned out.

Attempting to take an abstract line on issues of the everyday can be a recipe for trouble. As Freud might’ve put it, sometimes a gripe is just a gripe.

When local politics becomes a stage for more grandiose conflicts of opinion, the risk is always that mutual respect fades away, and negotiation becomes a slanging-match.

The truth of the matter is that there is no one truth. Situations, like people, are complex. There’s always more than one side to a story, and sometimes half a dozen stories to each ‘side’. By failing to recognise the points your opponents have to make, you make life harder for everyone.

Being moderate doesn’t exactly have a sexy image. It’s hard to rally the metaphorical troops with a war-cry of “Sensible and balanced responses to complicated situations!”. But that same fastidious fairness is vital when it comes to making life better for all.

Hopefully there will be some relief in Lewisham, where local shopkeepers are calling for an urgent redevelopment of withering high streets.

The borough’s high streets have seen a drastic increase in the number of vacant shops despite the new transport hub plans. Revitalising a local economic model has impact for everyone as it is a key factor in recovery and a guarantee of dynamic job creation.

Councils are also taking the opportunity to remind us about all the thousands of victims of domestic violence among us and to encourage them to come forward.

After four months of operating, our site has now reached what some might call adolescence. Over the past months we have brought you breaking news from Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham and Croydon.

We have scrutinized our political and economic leaders and presented you the latest sparkles in art and sports from grassroots level. We would like to thank each and every one of our devoted readers and welcome all new followers.

We thought that Valentine’s Day would be a wonderful occasion to celebrate this initial lap of our journey by offering you a special edition of EastLondonLines. Stay connected, there’s more to come over the next days.

Jo Kippo
Editor

It has been an eventful week to say the least, with news that has sparked strong reactions within our boroughs and amongst our readers. The BNP announcing that they plan to stand for the Mayoral elections in both Hackney and Lewisham has indeed caused a stir. Looking back at the Battle of Lewisham in 1977, local residents know that this will not go unnoticed, as the extreme right-wing has been met with violence and riots in our boroughs in the past. It remains to be seen how the reactions will manifest this time around, but we suspect this is only the calm before the storm.

Secondly, it was decided today that the demolition of The Foundry, an art centre in Hackney, is to be demolished after Hackney Council granted planning permission to a Hotel building owned by the Park Plaza Group last night. This has already caused strong criticism as the art space has been an important venue for acts such as Hot Chip and The Libertines.

In contrast with the BNP announcement, a number of events have also taken place that prove just how modern, multi-cultural and forward thinking our boroughs are. The Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender Community kicked of its annual awareness month with a series of events and exhibitions. It has also been a good week for schools along the East London Lines, with Hackney Jubilee School being named the first Fair Trade school in London, and Bethnal Green Technology College has been given the thumbs up by Ofsted. Hackney proudly celebrated 100 years of employment centres and opened the exhibition “100 years and counting: helping people into work since 1910”, a true testament to how much has evolved within employment during the last Century.

This week has certainly left us with lots to think about. As always, we look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions on our stories.

Lea Jakobiak

Editor

It has been a diverse week for the communities along The East London Lines. As the UK has officially come out of recession this week, London boroughs are on their way to recovery. This is good news for the small and medium enterprises that dominate business in the east London boroughs, as they proved resilient during the financial tsunami that previously engulfed the financial world.

Now are your children eating too much junk food after school?  Lewisham council may offer parents a treat of their own by enforcing a ‘no fry’ zone around schools in the borough, which may ensure that your little darlings are getting their meals at home.

Women are equally standing up for their rights over their children in Peckham where a group of mothers have chosen to fight the decision to close the outstanding maternity ward that delivered their babies. Our exclusive East London Lines footage shows just how important it is for mothers to feel comfortable with those who bring their children into the world.

Holocaust Memorial Day was commemorated on Wednesday in Goldsmiths College in Lewisham. They were honoured with a visit from Dr Hajo Meyer, a survivor of the holocaust and Auschwitz.  This incredible man suggested to the audience that the Holocaust should not be used for political means in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, provoking a dramatic disruption within the room.  Nonetheless, Dr Meyer continued to communicate his distinctive message of the need for peace within humanity. We wish him all the best in spreading his heart-felt beliefs.

We hope that this week’s issues are as varied and unique as our readers and we look forward to hearing your views on our stories.

Krystina Meens

Editor