Canning Town South Labour doorstep 11 March 2017

This college is from Saturday 11 March when West Ham Labour Party activists came to support the local Party in Canning Town South ward. Our MP Lyn Brown was there and we all knocked on doors in the ward asking if they had any issues that they wanted to discuss with their MP or local Councillors.

The response was on the whole very positive. By coincidence council contractors were marking the car parking bays in the area for the introduction of a new controlled parking zone. Some residents were genuinely worried about this but the vast majority realised that this had to be done to stop the area being turned into a car park for commuters.

The only other apparent  issue is that many of the houses in our canvass area are owned by a private landlord who is apparently trying to "encourage" residents who have controlled rents to move to other accommodation. We did not pick this issue up in the doorknock but local Councillors are aware and will be investigating.

Also that day there was a Labour canvass in Custom House (see photo in collage on bottom left).

Afterwards a number of canvassers from different parts of the CLP met up for coffee, cake and gossip (top left)

Door knocking in Butchers Road, Canning Town

Picture from this Saturday's door knock in Canning Town South, Newham organised by our local MP Lyn Brown (seen in bottom left with our favourite Labour attack dog, Cara, the Yorkshire Terrier)

We were split into pairs by Ward organiser, Alan Griffiths which personally I think is too small a team for a canvass but his argument was it prevented the chatting and gossiping you get in larger teams....As if Labour Party activists ever gossiped!

I was paired with Canning Town South Councillor, Bryan Collier MBE. Who is I think universally recognised as a hard working, dedicated and competent Councillor and  community activist. Bryan was for many years an Environmental Health Officer and UNISON member in one of my favourite branches, Lambeth local government.

We went to a relatively new block in Butchers Road, Canning Town managed by L&Q Housing Association.

The first home we visited were enthusiastic Labour supporters and pleased with free school meals for their children and that their son was learning to play the violin at school under the "every child a musician" programme. Their young son who was present didn't seem to share their enthusiasm quite so much but wouldn't it be brilliant if Canning Town was known in the future as the home of a violin maestro!

We had some fun and games trying to get into the block. There was no "drop key" panel which made me wonder how the emergency services can gain immediate access to the block? There was probably the most sophisticated door entry system I ever come across. When you rang a door number, if it was not answered it was transferred to the occupants’ mobile phone number. We were eventually let in by a resident who was not even at home (or so he told us I suppose).

The block was in a good condition (well done to caretakers, maintenance and management staff).  There were complaints by residents about anti-social behaviour by some local children in the car park and people leaving rubbish bags outside the communal bin areas. Bryan has already held one meeting with L&Q, local sector Police and residents about this problem and will see about holding another.

The very positive response to Labour that we received did surprise me a little since many residents were not originally from Newham. Bryan was recognised by some as a good local Councillor but without being at all flippant or complaisant in the slightest, we had some very good and interesting canvass returns.

“On the knocker” in Canning Town South

My third canvass session on Monday was with Newham Mayor, Robin Wales and Canning Town South candidates, Bryan Collier and Alan Taylor.

There was another positive response from local residents. People coming up to you and saying “Labour – that’s my Party”.

In between sessions I had also done some leafleting of West Ham ward.

Thinking about it – I drove around Newham for most of the day and campaigned in Custom House, Royal Docks and Canning Town but I didn’t see a single opposition campaigner.

Canning Town South Labour Candidate: Alan Taylor

Picture from last night of Alan Taylor about to go off and “fight the good fight” for Labour in Canning Town. Alan is a well known and respected community activist in the local area.

I was sent off to deliver a direct mailing and rather embarrassingly got locked inside a  community garden area in New Barn Street. In order to deliver to ground floor flats in the block I went through an entry door without checking I could come back through it! You had to have a special block key to do so.

After 15 minutes trying to work out how to get out I gave up and knocked on the door of the flat nearest the entry door. Happily they didn't mind and were strong Labour Party supporters and let me out.

Canning Town South: Team Labour 2010

Out Wednesday with Canning Town South Action Team.

Canning Town Voter ID

I was out tonight campaigning in Canning Town with West Ham Labour Party members Bryan Collier and Ahmed Noor. Byran is a UNISON member who use to be a member of my 3rd favourite branch, Lambeth Local Government!   I must have a chat to him some time about the “Levithan Witch hunter”.

While Ahmed is I am reliably informed the son of the first Asian shop keeper in Green Street.

There were a large number of Newham “Team Labour” canvassers out tonight. I was leading our team and wished I bought a torch since it was so dark I was sending them to the wrong door numbers. Yet another reason for my firm belief that political campaigning is ideally a summer sport. The response tonight from voters was again very good. 

Blogging Labour MP Tom Harris posted yesterday a really sensible article on political canvassing.