West Ham ward Labour doorstep: Trees, Brexit, Cat, Knives, Parking, Care homes, Google translate & 3 John's

This morning we went door knocking in West Ham ward. It was a lovely blue sky, sunshine Sunday after a very wet and rainy Saturday.

The feedback for Labour was, as usual in Newham very positive, but we are, I think, taking a hit from Remain supporters, who are using our apparent ambiguity over Brexit to voice wider concerns about the Party.

However, come the real General election (I have given up guessing when but likely to be soon) can we win these voters back to Labour (and convert the others necessary to win) with another pragmatic but radical manifesto? Hopefully yes.

While knocking on doors I had a sensitive conversation with a man whose father had recently died and had just moved his Mum into a nursing home. He was clearing the family home to hand it back to the Council.

I also got very firm representations from a resident about a number of issues especially parking (see college bottom left).

We canvassed in Paul Street E15 where there is a Bin for knives outside the Salvation Army office. Also, Marriott Road, where there was a V2 Missile attack during World War 2 which killed 29 local residents. I believe that the road was named after firefighter, Harold Marriott, who was killed nearby during the Blitz in 1940.

3 out of the 7 canvassers were called "John" (see us on top left of college) but the young "John" showed all of us up, by being the only one to use "google translate" to explain to residents who did not speak English, why we were there. What a great idea!

West Ham ward Labour Doorstep with Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz

This morning we went on a #LabourDoorstep to speak to local residents in West Ham ward. We split into 2 teams and knocked on doors to ask residents whether they had any problems or issues with Newham Council.

As a local ward Councillor I had a number of challenging but always civil conversations with residents. The ward is strongly Labour but that does not mean that residents weren't willing to let us know their views on national as well as local issues.

I picked up various repair and management issues such as a new roof leak into a communal area, insecure storage areas, overgrown gardens (in fact, arguably mini jungles), ASB, fly tipping and a 13 year horrible on going waste pipe repair issue with one of our tenants, Newham technical services and the leasehold flat above.

Residents were really pleased that the Mayor of Newham was there to visit them in person and to talk about their concerns on a damp and windy Sunday morning.

On national issues people told me that we are in a mess but they mostly accepted my argument that Labour are the only party capable of fixing it by stopping a "No deal" Brexit, overturning privatisations, building more homes and supporting the NHS.

After 4 days of at times hot air, speeches, fringes and debates at Labour Conference last week, it was good to be back in West Ham, on the doorstep, talking to real people about real issues. 

Campaigning in Stratford Ward - Saturday 23 March 11.30 Meet Maryland Station

Canvassing in Stratford. Meeting time and location: Saturday, 23rd of March 11:30AM (leafleting) 12:00PM (canvassing) Maryland Station E15 1SA

Canning Town South Labour doorstep 11 March 2017

This college is from Saturday 11 March when West Ham Labour Party activists came to support the local Party in Canning Town South ward. Our MP Lyn Brown was there and we all knocked on doors in the ward asking if they had any issues that they wanted to discuss with their MP or local Councillors.

The response was on the whole very positive. By coincidence council contractors were marking the car parking bays in the area for the introduction of a new controlled parking zone. Some residents were genuinely worried about this but the vast majority realised that this had to be done to stop the area being turned into a car park for commuters.

The only other apparent  issue is that many of the houses in our canvass area are owned by a private landlord who is apparently trying to "encourage" residents who have controlled rents to move to other accommodation. We did not pick this issue up in the doorknock but local Councillors are aware and will be investigating.

Also that day there was a Labour canvass in Custom House (see photo in collage on bottom left).

Afterwards a number of canvassers from different parts of the CLP met up for coffee, cake and gossip (top left)

Labour Today in West Ham

Picture collage is from last Saturday's Labour doorstep in West Ham ward.

The "gang of three" on the left are West Hammers John Whitworth, Ron Manley and yours truly.

One proud resident had the West Ham Football Club motif on their wall (top right).

As well as door knocking we were delivering the latest newsletter "Labour Today". 

There was a debate with residents whether the emergency locksmith number illegally stick on everyone's letter plate in this street and elsewhere (bottom right) was a failed locksmith business venture or a "sophisticated new scam" (see Daily Mail) by burglar's to identify vulnerable properties.

I have phoned the number but it has been constantly engaged. 

I have been told that placing the stickers on doors is probably criminal damage but there is no evidence that this was part of any wider criminal conspiracy.  Surely this not mean that the Daily Mail was telling porkies?