“Knocking up” the Labour vote in Isle of Dogs

Back (via Spinnakers pub) from “knocking up” the Labour vote in Tower Hamlets (see main picture) for the Executive Mayor contest. I was part of a Newham team led by the super fast walker, Councillor Unmesh Desai, together with “Fitz” from Canning town and long standing Councillor (and TSSA Union activist) Amarjit Singh.

Nearly 60 activists from Newham had been recorded as coming over to help today.

The purpose was for us to knock on the doors of voters who had been previously identified as supporters of the Party and check that they had voted. If they have not voted then our job would be to “encourage” them to go out and vote. In a tight election this is crucial. Labour will win this contest if we get our vote out.

We had two lists to cover near Manchester Road in the Isle of Dogs. Mostly around the Samuda Estate and St John’s. Local landlords Island Homes (One Housing) are refurbishing many blocks (Labour government decent homes proramme?) and have taken away or obscured block signs behind scaffolding, so we had some fun and games identifying the location of certain blocks.

The response from those voters who we managed to find indoors was very good. It is perhaps a sign that people actually value the democratic process more than sometimes we think, since we were thanked by many people for reminding them to vote, even if it meant they had to rush out of their home into the cold at 9.30pm.

One of the last blocks we visited was “Betty May Gray House”. A well maintained block built by the Isle of Dogs Housing Association in 1962 (a good year) on land given to it by said Betty Gray (no known relation). Great views from the top floor.

Last night was probably the quietest time I have ever had on an election night in Tower Hamlets. I understand the usual mayhem was taking place in other parts, but I only saw one team of Tories out delivering leaflets and one independent/respect outside a polling station. The Count is going on overnight and we will find out the result in the morning.

(main picture of Gotham City from a marvellous pre-war Manchester Road sheltered scheme managed by Southern Housing)

The desperate race to be the Royal Docks best loser – Newham Tories or the CPA?

By last night I had recovered from my very severe bout of "man flu" (which of course I had most stoically endured) so I went off after work to help out the Labour Campaign in the Royal Docks by-election.

At first I was given a local leaflet round to delivery. Which went OK apart from last road since on the map it insisted that there were 13 homes to be delivered but I could not find a single letter box? Lisa our ace local organiser was very understanding.

Later I went out with a canvass team with Cllrs Pat Murphy, Pearson Shillingford and Amarjit Singh. Apart from the unpleasant experience of bumping into Alan Craig from the CPA it went very well. The CPA candidate was with him (see right) and she seemed friendly enough. Craig himself just glared at us from a communal balcony.

The Tories and the CPA (the so-called “Christian People’s Alliance”) are currently fighting a rather bitter war about who really is the No 2 contender in this election. I came across a new Tories leaflet last night which referred to the May 2008 GLA election when the Tories came second to Labour. While the CPA has a practically identical graph on their leaflets which claims to show they are first! While I obviously hate to support the Tories their version is accurate while the CPA can only be seem to be telling porkies. They clearly suggest that they actually came first in the area in 2006 when plainly they did not? The leaflet actually refers to the result in neighbouring Canning town South ward which shares the same post code. Most electors will not know this.

Now on the face of things these things "happen" (not the Labour Party of course he says with his tongue firmly in his cheek!) and that you could well argue that worse things happen in local politics. However, the CPA uniquely claims to be better morally than the rest of us “The Mayflower Declaration is a statement of our Christian Democratic values and philosophy. It is a CPA national party document but we apply its basic principles to our work here in Newham. It shows how we seek to apply Christian inspiration to our politics in theory and in practice”. By printing blatant untruths?

It is interesting mind that in 2006 election in Royal Docks the current Tory candidate Neil Pearce came last out of all the losing Tories? I wonder why? The best news last night was that he has republished his infamous “Vinnie Jones” photo in his latest newsletter. This time in colour and with arms folded! Excellent stuff! Even if I have lost a bet.

“On the knocker” for Labour in Royal Docks

Tonight after work I joined a Newham Labour party canvass team which went out knocking doors and talking to residents about the Council by-election next month and our candidate Steve Brayshaw.

I managed to arrive on time for the briefing and we were soon sent out in various teams to cover the ward. My team went to the more traditional Labour heartlands in the ward which lie towards the Woolwich Ferry.

I thought that we had a good reception. I felt that people were pleased to be canvassed for their views. Even amongst those few who said they would not vote for Steve I felt that there was no real hostility to Labour. I didn’t see any opposition supporters at all in the ward.

We had 3 Newham Councillors with us in our team of 7 (which was a bit too large). Local Royal Docks Cllr Anthony McAlmont (and his son!), Cllr David Griffin and Cllr Amarjit Singh.

What I was really pleased about was the state of the housing stock which I believe is largely run by Newham Homes (the Council owned ALMO). The stock and the street seemed to be well maintained and cared for which is a credit to the residents and the housing staff.

The only problem we had that night was when Labour stalwart John Whitworth tried to hand over our vote ID returns to HQ and he had to fend off Steve’s dogs at the front door who were busy trying to lick him to death.