West Hammers helping out at Ilford North

After our street stall today in Stratford many West Ham Labour Party members went off to canvass  in the marginal seat of Ilford North to support Wes Streeting as its future Labour MP.

We were split between two large local canvass teams. It was a little cold but mostly sunshine and blue skies. In our team we had a little bit of light hearted banter with some builders refurbishing a house about who they should vote for in the General Election. One of them claimed he was "posh" so he had to vote Tory. I said since they were hard working Labourers they had to vote for the Party called "Labour" Not sure they were totally convinced.

I knocked on one door and an elderly lady answered and explained that she was looking after her grandchildren while her daughter and her husband was out.  I asked whether she knew if they voted Labour, she looked at me with surprise and said of course they would be voting Labour for the sake of their children. I had to tell her that I couldn't agree more.

Afterwards we had a political debrief in the "New Fairlop Oak" in Barkingside (also known as "well deserved drink and bite to eat").

As always considering we were campaigning in a ward with 3 Tory councillors, the response was very good. I have also never seen any opposition canvassers in this ward in the 7 months we have been helping out.

West Ham Executive Committee approved this week a comprehensive campaigning plan inside and out of the Constituency leading up to the General Election on May 7th. We are all going to be busy, busy, busy.

(hat tip photos Matt)

West Hammers at Fairlop door knock

On Saturday West Ham Labour Party members went to help out Fairlop Ward in the marginal Parliament seat of Ilford North. Lyn Brown our MP sent her apologies since she has not been well lately. 

We were met at Fairlop station by local ward activist Pat and Redbridge Councillor Debbie Kaur-Thiara (middle of picture)

We were canvassing on behalf of Labour Parliamentary candidate (and Redbridge Council deputy leader) Wes Streeting.

We split into 2 canvass teams. The weather was pretty miserable and drizzly but luckily heavy rain held off. My team had plenty of exercise climbing up and down outdoor stairs in maisonettes.  Who needs to join a gym to get fit when they could join the Labour Party and go canvassing! .

The results of the door knock for Labour was pretty good. Fairlop is a Tory ward but we were able to identify plenty of solid Labour support and many who voted for the Conservatives last time are now thinking of voting Labour. I didn't come across any UKIP support. I think that many residents really appreciate that Wes Streeting is from a similar genuine working class background to them.

I knocked on one door and a very large man answered and half way through my spiel he cut me short  by saying he "would never support the Labour Party even if there was a risk of a communist takeover! Go away!" I thanked him politely for his time and went next door where a very dignified looking lady answered the door and listened patiently to my pitch, then said "I do not support your Party but thank you so very much for taking the time to call". What a Classy lady, definitely old school!  The next two households I called at were lifelong Labour supporters.

Door knocking can be cold, wet and miserable but rarely boring - since you never really know what will happen when you knock on that next door.