Yesterday evening we had a Newham wide Labour Party mass canvass in Canning Town South. This is one of only 2 wards in the borough that are represented by Non-Labour Councillors. The so-called “Christian Peoples Alliance” (CPA) holds all 3 seats in this ward. Their leader is the awful Old Testament fundamentalist and super egotist Alan Craig.While I am sure that the vast majority of CPA supporters are sincere about their concerns and beliefs. I believe that Craig has deliberately stoked up division between our communities in Newham in order to appeal to his own vast personal vanity that he is some sort of “an important thingy”. For example he attacks the building of a big mosque in East London despite supposedly being a religious leader himself? Would he object to a big Christian church in Newham? Let me think about this for a moment? Nope, of course not.
Recently Tom Duncan, of the local weekly newspaper, the “Newham Recorder” compared leaflets put out by the CPA with those of the BNP.
We had 50 Newham Labour Party activists out and about in Canning Town South, knocking on doors, delivering leaflets and talking to local people about the forthcoming election.
I ended up in a canvass team with Newham Councillors, Andrew Baikie and Lester Hudson (see action pic at Stubbs Point tower block). I think we had a very good reception. Some of the other canvassers apparently had some problems with BNP supporters. I met no body willing to admit that they supported the CPA (or BNP).
Again, another positive canvass. Must not be carried away by this since most boroughs in London are not currently natural Labour territory.
