11 April 2005
The long weekend
Am writing this rather too early on Monday morning because the weekend has been so full that it is just impossible to stop. Friday night I was interviewed by Voice of Africa radio, based in a tiny building in Plaistow. Discussion ranges from Kwame Nkrumah to Bob Marley to what I would do for the people of Newham.
Saturday we had three stalls out. LibDems, Tories and Labour are sighted but we have more people. Canvassing and delivering tabloid papers for myself and Abdul Khaliq Mian, the candidate in East Ham, is now seriously under way. People are so unhappy with Labour and the battle is on to convince them to vote for us rather than sit at home. I think we can do it.
Certainly the response we receive is tremendous. Supporters from Newham and across London turn up in such numbers that there are constant logjams in our tiny office with people grabbing balloons, canvass sheets, tabloids, public meeting leaflets _ and if they are lucky cups of tea and fresh cooked samosas made by one of our supporters.
It is a serious challenge to avoid eating a lot because the food is so delicious in this area. Green Street, just up the road, has loads of tempting shops and restaurants. Luckily we use up a lot of calories running around and don't have time to go to buy the food.
Many of these restaurants and shops have taken our window posters _ and that is true across the borough.
Sunday was another beautiful day. The sun is shining on us at the moment but it is April, in England. The papers have quite a lot about Respect, including predictions that George Galloway will beat Oona King.
We leafletted the big Cahtolic church near our office after Mass and were very well received. I met lots of people _ a couple of older Afro Caribbeans swore loyalty to Blair, but generally most were unhappy.
Then to a walkabout on Green Street which was a delight. We met loads of people, many supporters, and thanked the shopkeepers for putting up our posters. Finally a Muslim event in Waltham Forest, where Abdul Khaliq announced our public meeting. There must have been close to 1000 people there. We received a friendly reception especially from the young women organisers.
Home by 7.30 but politics wasn't over for the day. George Galloway was on Radio London
debating with the other Bethnal Green candidates. Anyone doubting whether to vote for him or Oona King should listen to these debates. She is deeply unimpressive - a mixture of patronising attitudes, spin and a sort of fake localism which makes it very clear that she feels her constituents should be grateful for any of the crumbs they receive from central government.
She denigrated George for talking about international issues _obviously not realising that many of her constituents are extremely well informed on these matters. The argument came up about voting for a black woman but surely we've moved on from that debate. We should know now that it's no good electing black or Asian MPs who don't represent their constituents interests, or indeed the interests of most black and Asian people around the world.
Saturday we had three stalls out. LibDems, Tories and Labour are sighted but we have more people. Canvassing and delivering tabloid papers for myself and Abdul Khaliq Mian, the candidate in East Ham, is now seriously under way. People are so unhappy with Labour and the battle is on to convince them to vote for us rather than sit at home. I think we can do it.
Certainly the response we receive is tremendous. Supporters from Newham and across London turn up in such numbers that there are constant logjams in our tiny office with people grabbing balloons, canvass sheets, tabloids, public meeting leaflets _ and if they are lucky cups of tea and fresh cooked samosas made by one of our supporters.
It is a serious challenge to avoid eating a lot because the food is so delicious in this area. Green Street, just up the road, has loads of tempting shops and restaurants. Luckily we use up a lot of calories running around and don't have time to go to buy the food.
Many of these restaurants and shops have taken our window posters _ and that is true across the borough.
Sunday was another beautiful day. The sun is shining on us at the moment but it is April, in England. The papers have quite a lot about Respect, including predictions that George Galloway will beat Oona King.
We leafletted the big Cahtolic church near our office after Mass and were very well received. I met lots of people _ a couple of older Afro Caribbeans swore loyalty to Blair, but generally most were unhappy.
Then to a walkabout on Green Street which was a delight. We met loads of people, many supporters, and thanked the shopkeepers for putting up our posters. Finally a Muslim event in Waltham Forest, where Abdul Khaliq announced our public meeting. There must have been close to 1000 people there. We received a friendly reception especially from the young women organisers.
Home by 7.30 but politics wasn't over for the day. George Galloway was on Radio London
debating with the other Bethnal Green candidates. Anyone doubting whether to vote for him or Oona King should listen to these debates. She is deeply unimpressive - a mixture of patronising attitudes, spin and a sort of fake localism which makes it very clear that she feels her constituents should be grateful for any of the crumbs they receive from central government.
She denigrated George for talking about international issues _obviously not realising that many of her constituents are extremely well informed on these matters. The argument came up about voting for a black woman but surely we've moved on from that debate. We should know now that it's no good electing black or Asian MPs who don't represent their constituents interests, or indeed the interests of most black and Asian people around the world.
