Fighting the Good Fight in Norwich North

Back from a good day out with a West Ham CLP canvass team in Norwich North. The Labour Party candidate, Chris Ostrowski, is facing a strong challenge from the Tories. The day went pretty smoothly. When we arrived at the Labour HQ, local MP Charles Clarke was being interviewed outside by the Telly while standing under an umbrella. It rained on and off most of the day but wasn’t too bad. The Labour Party campaign headquarters itself was unusually calm, efficient and organised. Good sign!

We were swiftly sent off to a sub office in Catton Grove. Where we spent the day canvassing door-to-door and delivering some targeted leaflets. I knew the ward organiser via SERTUC. Most of the patch belonged to Norwich City Council and their stock was on the whole in pretty good condition and well cared for by the Landlord and the residents. We had a pretty positive reception even though I had one resident who after I posted the target mailing opened his door muttered furiously about God know what and threw the leaflet back out onto the floor and slammed the door shut. I put his leaflet in his recycling box.

There was a piano in one communal hallway which I wondered about while I noticed that one resident had converted their front door to resemble a shiny red post office box. I wonder if he or she was on strike Friday as well?

There were loads and loads of friendly Labour Students from all over - out delivering and door knocking.

I tried to help one elderly resident whose Yale key was stuck in her front door and she could not get in. I was called over because I was “a housing officer and will know what to do”. I failed miserably to open the door since the key was bent but the next door neighbour was looking after her and had called a locksmith.

My highlight of the day was trying to persuade a Labour supporter to use our “Promise Card” as a reminder to vote on the day. I explained carefully how he could keep it on his mantelpiece or behind a fridge magnet. To which he smiled nicely and said “or I could keep it in the rubbish bin?” while reassuring me that he would vote Labour and did not need all this “fuss” to do so. I still think that the “promise cards” are a good idea.

There were a few Tory canvassers about but the Green Party had bizarrely a (mostly) red ex-London transport double Decker as some sort of a “Battle Bus” polluting the environment with a loud, grating and almost completely intelligible PA system. Keep it up Swampy! Towards the end of day we actually canvassed the streets around the bus which appeared to have broken down.

On the whole we all felt that it had been a very positive and even friendly canvass. The big problem I suspect will be getting our vote out on the day. If we get our vote out we will win. So if you are available in person this Thursday then please turn up to help out. Or if you cannot then go to Labour Party members net virtual phone bank and pick up the phone.

(centre picture of the Sunday West Ham team led by our MP, Lyn Brown and 3 of the 4 Johns: double click to expand)