Dan Tomlinson for Chipping Barnet

 

It was great to attend fundraising dinner last week for the Labour candidate in Chipping Barnet, Dan Tomlinson. I went with my UNISON colleague (and political secretary to London Labour Link) Joel Bodmer. 

Dan was supported by @unisonglr #LabourLink committee during his successful selection process to be the official Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Chipping Barnet. 

Dan gave an inspiring speech on his local background, wider life experience and what he can offer the people of Chipping Barnet if elected as their MP.

Some great speeches also by London Assembly member Unmesh Desai and Rushanara Ali MP. 

My run of luck in Labour Party raffles continued and I for the second time in a row I won first prize in the (enviable) raffle. I choose a bottle of House of Lords whiskey, signed by the very good friend of UNISON, David Lammy MP. 

Chipping Barnet East End team

Today I went with on a canvass team for Labour Candidate, Emma Whysall, in Chipping Barnet. Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz also joined board Leader, Graham Taylor, who is the Parliamentary agent from Bethnal Green & Poplar. I have known Graham for many years and as a former Tower Hamlets Council Housing officer, I even used to manage the tower block that he lives in.

Around a hundred canvassers met outside Cockfosters underground station. After a short speech from Emma and her organiser we set off.  Lots of first time canvassers had turned up and were welcomed and reassured that they would be looked after. Two first time canvassers from Waltham Forest joined our team.

We were in classic outer London suburbia with lots of large houses. I spoke to a number of residents who I think were genuinely undecided. Sometimes when door knocking you feel that people say they "don't know" just to get rid of you. I didn't think so on this occasion. Remain/Brexit is obviously an important issue and some made it clear that they were considering tactical voting. 

I knocked on the door of a family who explained they will probably not vote Labour this time because they want to send a message to the Party about antisemitism. They fully accepted that Emma was an excellent candidate and that they may still vote for her since the right wing Tory candidate is so "awful".

While this is obviously an affluent area to live in there were homes which had been converted into HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupancy) and others which were clearly in a state of disrepair. Owners may have a property which is worth a lot of money but no income to maintain it.

We finished off canvassing a newly refurbished Council housing estate (Barnet Homes ALMO) which reminded me of similar blocks back home in Newham. The Mayor and I were impressed with their stair rails and flooring which I will investigate further for use back in Newham.

After the canvass I went back to West Ham to pick up and deliver "Vote Lyn Brown" leaflets to activists for them to leaflet their local streets, railway stations and school gates next week.  While we will be campaigning daily in West Ham, we want as many activists as possible to go to nearby Labour marginals. The next few days will be key and we simply have to win the marginals to form a Labour Government. I firmly believe that we can still do it and that there is still everything to play for.  

Chipping Barnet is dead heat between Labour & Tories

This afternoon I went to support Labour Candidate, Emma Whysall, in the most narrow Tory held marginal in London, Chipping Barnet. Emma lost by only 353 votes in 2017 to hard line Tory Minister, Theresa Villiers.

Fellow West Hammer, John Morris was there as was UNISON Labour Link national officer, Mark Ferguson (a local resident).

Emma gave activists a stirring speech before we went out to canvass. The latest polls are putting Labour and Tories head to head at 41% each. (usual warning about accuracy of polls)

I was a "board runner" today with a team of 3 other Labour Party activists. I don't mind doing the board (telling other members of the team which homes to call upon and recording the result) but I prefer knocking on doors and speaking to people.

We had some good results and were able to identify new Labour voters and reaffirm existing supporters who are still Labour. So lots of supporters to "knock up"on polling day and encourage to vote.

Check out future canvass events for "most marginal seat in London" Chipping Barnet here. I was really impressed how organised and friendly everyone was.   

West Ham on tour: Peterborough, Hull, Cities & Westminster and Chipping Barnet

This morning West Ham Labour members met up outside Stratford Station to go to the launch rally of Labour candidate, Gordon Nardell QC, in the Cities and Westminster seat. This was a packed rally with guest speakers, Shami Chakrabarti and Kier Starmer.

The Labour Party has asked West Ham to support Cities and Westminster in the General election and our Chair of West Ham CLP estimates that we had about 25 of our members attending the rally and the canvass afterwards.

After the canvass I went to the "Big Unions Campaign" launch with West Hammer UNISON member Mumtaz Khan, in Chipping Barnet, of trade union lawyer, Emma Whysall, who only lost out by just over 300 votes in the 2017 General election.

Our UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, was there as well as London Mayor, Sadiq Khan. After this rally I went on a UNISON canvass team with our General secretary, Assistant General Secretary, National Labour officers and National Chair of Young Labour, Miriam Mirwitch. We got absolutely soaked but had a successful canvass in (believe it or not) "Union Street"!

My last call was to a resident who was a traditional Labour supporter who felt very torn about who to support this time. However, she was so impressed that the Party had turned up on her doorstep on such a wet and horrible day that she was willing to give us the benefit of doubt and vote for Emma.

Result!

Our West Ham Labour Candidate, Lyn Brown, had also been out "on the knocker" supporting Labour candidates in Hull and Peterborough.

Launch of Cities & Westminster & Big Unions Campaign in Chipping Barnet (we must win marginals to form Government)

Tomorrow (Saturday 9 November) West Ham Labour members are going to support our key marginal Cities & Westminster campaign launch. Meet at STRATFORD STATION (outside main ticket barrier in concourse) at 9.30 to travel to together to Westminster Napier Hall, Hide Place, London SW1P 4NJ, UK for 10.30am. Followed by canvassing.

Shami Chakrabarti and Kier Starmer will be supporting new candidate Gordon Nardell at the launch,

Later that day there is a "Big Unions Campaign" in Chipping Barnet starting at 1.30pm. Meet at Chipping Barnet Library, 3 Stapylton Road, EN5 4QT. Trade union lawyer Emma Whysall is the candidate who only lost out by just over 300 votes in 2017

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis will be present in Chipping Barnet, as will London Mayor Sadiq Khan

As you can see from images both Cities and Westminster/Chipping Barnet are winnable marginals. We need to win all our marginals to elect Jeremy as our Prime Minister and form a Labour Government. Some marginals will be won or lost by a handful of votes. Do not allow Boris Johnson to win by failing to campaign in our marginal seats.

UNISON endorsement for Emma Whysall as Labour Candidate for Chipping Barnet: "Let's get the job done"

"I’m at least the fourth generation of my family to be a Trade Unionist - back to the blacklisted docker and the miner on strike for the minimum wage in 1912.

Trade Unions are the core of the Labour Movement. I am so humbled by @unisontweets endorsement for @ChippingLabour"

Hustings are tomorrow. Eligible Labour Party members are being sent ballot papers. While Chipping Barnet members has 3 good candidates to choose from, Greater London UNISON elected lay leadership endorse Emma to be the candidate as its next Labour MP.

"Let's get the job done".

Check out

https://www.facebook.com/EmmaWhysallChippingBarnet/

https://twitter.com/EmmaWhysall