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.

“On the knocker” with Labour Fire-fighter Michael Nicholas in Canning Town South

On Monday evening I went out canvassing with Michael who is an existing Labour Councillor, a London fire-fighter and who is also on the Executive Council of the Fire Brigade Union (FBU).

I hadn’t been to this part of the Canning Town South Ward before and was impressed with the regeneration works that had taken place in the area. The older “Newham Homes” blocks have been refurbished and there were a number of small new build housing association developments. Estate management and design by both organisations seemed to be pretty good.

Michael was born in Canning Town and has lived in Newham all his life. Local residents were usually quite happy to chat with him about local issues and concerns. So much that we had to take off him the voter ID sheets (NB never let your candidate lead the canvass team).

Pictured with Michael is Charlene McLean who is standing herself as a Newham Labour Councillor in Stratford and Newtown.