Saturday, June 12, 2004
High five
It's 3 in the afternoon and I've only just got round to my blog because I've been inundated with calls and messages. So how do I feel? Very good actually. Of course I'm disappointed I didn't get elected, especially since it was so close.
Only 4000 votes in it across the whole of London and well over 100,000 spoilt ballot papers on the assembly list alone _ a lot of which I bet were ours. I know lots of the mayoral ballot papers were spoilt because people put an X for me and for Ken in the same column.
But there are very big reasons to be cheerful. One is I came fifth in the mayoral contest _an incredible result since I beat all the smaller parties except UKIP, including the BNP and the Greens. All the other parties had more publicity than me (that wouldn't be hard)with Ram Gidoomal from the Christian People's Alliance getting a page in the Guardian on polling day, the Greens' Darren Johnson getting treated as the fourth major candidate, including huge coverage in London's Evening Standard.
And I was up against Ken Livingstone, who was not only the favourite but is closer to me politically than any other candidate _ so my vote held up well.
I think I performed strongly at all the hustings I attended, although I was excluded from so many including Transport 2000, the LSE civic society, London University students, the disability organisations and George was excluded by Amnesty International (talk about free and fair elections).
The polls were way out of line and should be asking questions about who they talk to and how they gather data. The poll published after polling ended put 'others' at 7 percent _ in fact it was 12 percent _ beyond the margin of error surely.
We polled almost 5% _ incredible given the media blackout and their boosting of the Greens as the 'acceptable' anti war party. And we did it all in 20 weeks.
So thanks to all my wonderful campaign team, to everyone who worked for me and most of all to those who voted for me.
I said at the beginning that this was an education. It has been such a privilege to do and I have met some of the most wonderful people in London.
I'm sorry I couldn't get elected and I hope people who voted for me aren't too disappointed. Don't be _ there are plenty of elections coming up and I'll be back, as will Respect.
We still have the Euro election results to come tomorrow and I'm hopeful, so I'll keep posting for a bit longer to share my views on them.
Only 4000 votes in it across the whole of London and well over 100,000 spoilt ballot papers on the assembly list alone _ a lot of which I bet were ours. I know lots of the mayoral ballot papers were spoilt because people put an X for me and for Ken in the same column.
But there are very big reasons to be cheerful. One is I came fifth in the mayoral contest _an incredible result since I beat all the smaller parties except UKIP, including the BNP and the Greens. All the other parties had more publicity than me (that wouldn't be hard)with Ram Gidoomal from the Christian People's Alliance getting a page in the Guardian on polling day, the Greens' Darren Johnson getting treated as the fourth major candidate, including huge coverage in London's Evening Standard.
And I was up against Ken Livingstone, who was not only the favourite but is closer to me politically than any other candidate _ so my vote held up well.
I think I performed strongly at all the hustings I attended, although I was excluded from so many including Transport 2000, the LSE civic society, London University students, the disability organisations and George was excluded by Amnesty International (talk about free and fair elections).
The polls were way out of line and should be asking questions about who they talk to and how they gather data. The poll published after polling ended put 'others' at 7 percent _ in fact it was 12 percent _ beyond the margin of error surely.
We polled almost 5% _ incredible given the media blackout and their boosting of the Greens as the 'acceptable' anti war party. And we did it all in 20 weeks.
So thanks to all my wonderful campaign team, to everyone who worked for me and most of all to those who voted for me.
I said at the beginning that this was an education. It has been such a privilege to do and I have met some of the most wonderful people in London.
I'm sorry I couldn't get elected and I hope people who voted for me aren't too disappointed. Don't be _ there are plenty of elections coming up and I'll be back, as will Respect.
We still have the Euro election results to come tomorrow and I'm hopeful, so I'll keep posting for a bit longer to share my views on them.
Friday, June 11, 2004
The streets of London
Haven't posted for nearly 48 hours but what a 48 hours. The rally on Wednesday had a tremendous atmosphere. Hundreds of people of all ages and races _ some of them new supporters of Respect _ cheered and clapped throughout the evening.
The feeling is that we are making gains every day and that this week has marked more of a breakthrough. Now we have to get our vote out.
That's how we spent polling day. I voted early _ it's a very strange sensation voting for yourself _ and it took a little bit of time because there are four ballot papers. Then headed down to Edgware Road to pick up the bus. It was loaded up with water, fruit, crisps and biscuits and then we were off, through west London to Shephers Bush market.
We swung round in a great circle through Hammersmith and Fulham, Putney Wandsworth and Tooting, then across south London to Brixton and the Elephant and Castle. Over Tower Bridge and past City Hall. In Brixton, Val Shawcross _ hammer of the firefighters and Labour candidate _was leafletting with a few miserable looking supporters and we had far more people out.
Other than that I don't think we saw any of the political competition. On to Tower Hamlets and Walthamstow where our response was really phenomenal. Everywhere we get horns hooting, thumbs up and waves from a large number of people. But in east and north east London that really grows. Many Muslims support us and they were making victory signs and holding up four fingers to show they'd voted for us on all four ballot papers. We also get support from lots of white and Afro Caribbean people in these working class areas.
Down through north London and back to the office where after a cup of coffee we were off for our final circuit: Queensway, a big Arab area where George Galloway got a brilliant recpetion and then back east again.
The atmosphere just grew as close of poll approached. In Newham and Ilford everyone waved and clapped and we shouted to get out to vote. One polling station had people queuing outside at 8.30 in the evening and we think we'll do very well in these areas.
I talked myself hoarse on the loudspeaker. In Ilford at 9.15 I said you've got 45 minutes to vote _ 45 minutes to launch your weapon of mass destruction at Tony Blair.
Completely exhausted but everyone was elated as well at the great response. We gave three cheers for Keith the bus driver and I was too tired even to go to the pub with the students.
Today now it's just waiting for the count this afternoon...will try to post later.
The feeling is that we are making gains every day and that this week has marked more of a breakthrough. Now we have to get our vote out.
That's how we spent polling day. I voted early _ it's a very strange sensation voting for yourself _ and it took a little bit of time because there are four ballot papers. Then headed down to Edgware Road to pick up the bus. It was loaded up with water, fruit, crisps and biscuits and then we were off, through west London to Shephers Bush market.
We swung round in a great circle through Hammersmith and Fulham, Putney Wandsworth and Tooting, then across south London to Brixton and the Elephant and Castle. Over Tower Bridge and past City Hall. In Brixton, Val Shawcross _ hammer of the firefighters and Labour candidate _was leafletting with a few miserable looking supporters and we had far more people out.
Other than that I don't think we saw any of the political competition. On to Tower Hamlets and Walthamstow where our response was really phenomenal. Everywhere we get horns hooting, thumbs up and waves from a large number of people. But in east and north east London that really grows. Many Muslims support us and they were making victory signs and holding up four fingers to show they'd voted for us on all four ballot papers. We also get support from lots of white and Afro Caribbean people in these working class areas.
Down through north London and back to the office where after a cup of coffee we were off for our final circuit: Queensway, a big Arab area where George Galloway got a brilliant recpetion and then back east again.
The atmosphere just grew as close of poll approached. In Newham and Ilford everyone waved and clapped and we shouted to get out to vote. One polling station had people queuing outside at 8.30 in the evening and we think we'll do very well in these areas.
I talked myself hoarse on the loudspeaker. In Ilford at 9.15 I said you've got 45 minutes to vote _ 45 minutes to launch your weapon of mass destruction at Tony Blair.
Completely exhausted but everyone was elated as well at the great response. We gave three cheers for Keith the bus driver and I was too tired even to go to the pub with the students.
Today now it's just waiting for the count this afternoon...will try to post later.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
When the weather is hot
The campaign is really hotting up now. A poll in the London Evening Standard puts Livingstone and Norris very close. It's the first time that my vote's registered as a mayoral candidate as well.
It doesn't seem possible that Livingstone will lose. But if he does it will raise the question that if even Livingstone can't win for Labour, then who can?
My day has been fantastic so far. We had a tremendous walkabout in Whitechapel. Everyone was shaking our hands and saying they'd vote for us.
We also visited council workers in Tower Hamlets. Even people in open-topped sports cars (not generally council workers - if only they were so well paid) were really supportive.
I then went to Trafalgar Square for a celebration of the Notting Hill Carnival, which is 40 years old. Then for a quick interview with BBC and now back out to East London.
We have an eve of poll rally tonight which lots of people are coming to. But before that I'm going to Stoke Newington for a social following the final of a Turkish football tournament. They're donating £500 to Respect from the tournament - I've just got a call from them to ask if they can give it to me in cash!
Ethnic communities and working class people in general are going to be very well represented in Respect's vote. We think that will be one of the big features of tomorrow's vote.
I got a message today from someone I hadn't seen in 32 years wishing me luck. I think a lot of eyes are now on how well we do.
It doesn't seem possible that Livingstone will lose. But if he does it will raise the question that if even Livingstone can't win for Labour, then who can?
My day has been fantastic so far. We had a tremendous walkabout in Whitechapel. Everyone was shaking our hands and saying they'd vote for us.
We also visited council workers in Tower Hamlets. Even people in open-topped sports cars (not generally council workers - if only they were so well paid) were really supportive.
I then went to Trafalgar Square for a celebration of the Notting Hill Carnival, which is 40 years old. Then for a quick interview with BBC and now back out to East London.
We have an eve of poll rally tonight which lots of people are coming to. But before that I'm going to Stoke Newington for a social following the final of a Turkish football tournament. They're donating £500 to Respect from the tournament - I've just got a call from them to ask if they can give it to me in cash!
Ethnic communities and working class people in general are going to be very well represented in Respect's vote. We think that will be one of the big features of tomorrow's vote.
I got a message today from someone I hadn't seen in 32 years wishing me luck. I think a lot of eyes are now on how well we do.
Monday, June 07, 2004
Head in the trees
Today another Labour councillor came over and joined Respect. He is from north Warwickshire and has left Labour over the war. None of this registers with the national media of course but we are detecting a lot of people coming over.
The bus has been going round central London and Ladbroke Grove today, with George at the front on the megaphone. He is absolutely great at it and just keeps going for hours. The worst injury apparently from these open top buses is people being hit by trees.
You would be surprised how many trees there are in London and yesterday I nearly got hit even though I was one of the shortest people on the bus. Everyone wants to take the bus on an outing after the elections _ now that would be a laugh.
As it is we have lots of laughs during the campaign about all sorts of things. People work really hard but they have a sense that we are building something real.
Many people in London still don't have our postal leaflet for the Euro elections. They call this a democracy but we find that many people haven't got leaflets, the postal ballots are a shambles and there has obviously been little attempt to register voters.
While we presume to tell the Iraqis how and when to have elections, we can't run this one properly.
Meanwhile my other concerns are how to get some food into the house, whether I've got enough clean clothes to wear in the next few days, and whether I can get my newsagent a big poster tomorrow to put in his window.
Not long to go now _one last hustings for Operation Black Vote, a couple of interviews, two meetings on Wednesday and hours and hours out campaigning, on the bus and meeting people. Plus the eve of poll rally which is looking good.
We have really got momentum now and that will build in the next few days. Exciting.
The bus has been going round central London and Ladbroke Grove today, with George at the front on the megaphone. He is absolutely great at it and just keeps going for hours. The worst injury apparently from these open top buses is people being hit by trees.
You would be surprised how many trees there are in London and yesterday I nearly got hit even though I was one of the shortest people on the bus. Everyone wants to take the bus on an outing after the elections _ now that would be a laugh.
As it is we have lots of laughs during the campaign about all sorts of things. People work really hard but they have a sense that we are building something real.
Many people in London still don't have our postal leaflet for the Euro elections. They call this a democracy but we find that many people haven't got leaflets, the postal ballots are a shambles and there has obviously been little attempt to register voters.
While we presume to tell the Iraqis how and when to have elections, we can't run this one properly.
Meanwhile my other concerns are how to get some food into the house, whether I've got enough clean clothes to wear in the next few days, and whether I can get my newsagent a big poster tomorrow to put in his window.
Not long to go now _one last hustings for Operation Black Vote, a couple of interviews, two meetings on Wednesday and hours and hours out campaigning, on the bus and meeting people. Plus the eve of poll rally which is looking good.
We have really got momentum now and that will build in the next few days. Exciting.
Sunday, June 06, 2004
Catching up with reality
A tremendous weekend. After the MCB hustings things just kept going well. On Saturday morning I was really suffering from sleep deprivation and it took me an hour and a half to get to Lewisham but as soon as I met the bus my spirits lifted because you can't help but get a great buzz from it.
There were loads of people including four young Asian children who were also out last Monday with their Dad. Respect is getting high recognition now, very little hostility from anyone and a lot of people waving, giving us the thumbs up and saying that they're voting for us.
We swung through South London and up the Edgware Road and then Harrow Road to Harlesden. Everywhere the response was great. I kept getting reports from round the country: seven different activities around Coventry, lots happening in Yorkshire, the north west, and hundreds of activities in London.
What a contrast with every other party who you rarely see.
In the evening I went to a reception George organised in the House of Commons for Arabs living in Britain where I met some old friends as well as lots of new ones. I made a short speech and people were lovely to me afterwards.
Like many other ethnic communities, they seem determined to make their mark on British politics and are fed up with Labour taking them for granted. There's something else I've noticed; every different group is desperate to hear that other people feel the same way.
That is why Arabs are so warm towards people who support Palestine and Iraq, why the trade unionists smile when they hear about the ethnic communities and why so many white people are happy to hear that we stand up for refugees and asylum seekers.
Also the class issues are coming through: housing affects everyone, wages and jobs affect everyone, so the different groups begin to cross over.
Sunday morning I woke up early then fell back to sleep till 10 then had to rush to get to Acton for a few more hours on the bus. Everyone is moaning about the Observerarticles on us. I take a different view. I stopped reading the paper during the war because it was a Blairite rag _ one of the most pro war of all the papers.
Now I think they're really rattled about us because any success for us destroys the Blairite argument that the only alternative to him is the right. And I've been through all this with the anti war movement which as defied all their predictions.
On the bigger picture, the Morning Starphoned me about D day and Bush using the commemorations to justify the present war. They won't pay the pensioners who fought at D Day or anywhere else. Apparently the guy who headed up the Iraq Survey Group has described Blair as delusional for still believing weapons can be found. Glad he's caught up with the rest of us.
There were loads of people including four young Asian children who were also out last Monday with their Dad. Respect is getting high recognition now, very little hostility from anyone and a lot of people waving, giving us the thumbs up and saying that they're voting for us.
We swung through South London and up the Edgware Road and then Harrow Road to Harlesden. Everywhere the response was great. I kept getting reports from round the country: seven different activities around Coventry, lots happening in Yorkshire, the north west, and hundreds of activities in London.
What a contrast with every other party who you rarely see.
In the evening I went to a reception George organised in the House of Commons for Arabs living in Britain where I met some old friends as well as lots of new ones. I made a short speech and people were lovely to me afterwards.
Like many other ethnic communities, they seem determined to make their mark on British politics and are fed up with Labour taking them for granted. There's something else I've noticed; every different group is desperate to hear that other people feel the same way.
That is why Arabs are so warm towards people who support Palestine and Iraq, why the trade unionists smile when they hear about the ethnic communities and why so many white people are happy to hear that we stand up for refugees and asylum seekers.
Also the class issues are coming through: housing affects everyone, wages and jobs affect everyone, so the different groups begin to cross over.
Sunday morning I woke up early then fell back to sleep till 10 then had to rush to get to Acton for a few more hours on the bus. Everyone is moaning about the Observerarticles on us. I take a different view. I stopped reading the paper during the war because it was a Blairite rag _ one of the most pro war of all the papers.
Now I think they're really rattled about us because any success for us destroys the Blairite argument that the only alternative to him is the right. And I've been through all this with the anti war movement which as defied all their predictions.
On the bigger picture, the Morning Starphoned me about D day and Bush using the commemorations to justify the present war. They won't pay the pensioners who fought at D Day or anywhere else. Apparently the guy who headed up the Iraq Survey Group has described Blair as delusional for still believing weapons can be found. Glad he's caught up with the rest of us.
