West Ham & East Ham Labour Campaigning Weekend

This is another picture collage of West Ham (and East Ham) Labour out campaigning this weekend.

There is a Stratford & New Town ward team in Abbey Lane, E15. While East and West Ham activists were out Sunday morning with Ilford South, Mike Gapes. In the afternoon, Stephen Twigg was at Ilford North to show support. I went door knocking with Tower Hamlets Councillors, Josh Peck, Danny Hassell and Redbridge Councillor, Stuart Bellwood.

We went to Roding ward where we a pretty good response. I spoke to a number of residents who despite being in their 20's were first time voters intending to vote in this election and those who were genuinely undecided who to vote for and were up for a  political conversation.

At one home Danny knocked at an enormous Rottweiler dog charged out of the doorway despite being called back by its owner, but after a few dodgy seconds we realised that it was very friendly and in fact as soft as butter.

Back at the Ilford North Campaign base I spoke to a fellow North Walian about Labour chances in Clwyd (North Wales) and than ran into more West Hammers returning from another door knocking team.

I couldn't resist including the fanatic picture of Labour Leader, Ed Miliband and the Chester Hen Party (top right) nor the picture of baby Juniper (daughter of Cllr Farah Nazeer) with the Kinnocks in Hampstead & Kilburn. 

UNISON London LGBT "Equality at Work" Labour Link event at House of Commons

This great picture is from last weeks London UNISON LGBT "Equality at Work" mobilisation event at Portcullis House. I chaired the meeting on behalf of London Labour Link. Margret Hodge MP and Stephen Twigg MP were the guest speakers and reminded us that the Labour Party was the first political party to take LGBT equality at all seriously. While LGBT Chair, Deirdre Costigan, (next to Margaret) gave a fantastic speech about how no one should take these rights for granted if there is a future right wing government.

We are going to arrange for UNISON London LGBT activists to join West Ham CLP canvassing sessions for Labour in Ilford North. 2pm on the 2nd Saturday and 4th Saturday at Fairlop Underground station entrance. If you can let me know you are coming do so or just turn up at this time and place.

Bambos Charalambous and Stephen Twigg Campaign Fundraiser

A little late post on a very good fund raising dinner held on Tuesday evening for Bambos and Stephen’s Parliamentary campaigns.

The special guest was the Foreign Secretary, RH David Miliband MP.

I was there with UNISON Labour Link colleagues (including Rae Voller, the deputy Chair of UNISON Labour Link - see picture top right).

The event was packed with supporters many of whom had actually come down from Liverpool for the dinner.

It was held at the Ev Restaurant in Southwark, SE1. Bambos and Stephen were very hospitable and welcoming hosts to all their guests.

Some thoughts I scribbled down during the speeches.

David Miliband gave a very competent speech clearly pointing out that unless we win in seats such as Enfield Southgate and Liverpool West Derby we will not win the next general election.

He rightly praised Bambos and said he expected him at the next election to be the first ever Greek Cypriot MP.

At the same time he urged a bilateral solution to the problems in Cyprus so that both peoples there could live in peace in Cyprus as they do together in London. I was very surprised that there had not been a MP of Cyprus origin before now (Nick V - discuss!).

To great applause from the audience Miliband argued that the EU had encouraged Turkey to enshrine equal citizenship for all in its constitution and that was down in part to lobbying by the EU and the prospect of membership.

David was very direct and I think persuasive about not only the importance of the Labour Party winning power during the next election but also that it is still very winnable.

He reminded everyone how the Party had been written off during the early 90’s as being never able to win power. Also that there had been a failure of markets not the government that had caused the current economic mess.

New Labour is not a “faction” but a set of values, principles and a political culture. If there are good ideas regardless that they are from the Left or the Right they will size them. What matters is the good of the people. Politics is important since the NHS is important to most people, the minimum wage is important, and the vast increase in the number of teachers and teacher assistants are important.

Politics does make a difference.