04 May 2005
And now, the time has come
Well, here we are. It's late and I have to be up very early tomorrow. We've all been to our eve of poll rally in the Genesis Cinema in Stepney. Had to finish by 9 or we would have clashed with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Four hundred people crowded in and we heard great speeches. Now it's all (nearly) said and done and we will find out what people think. I hope we win.
It's hard at the end of a campaign _ or at least it is for me _ to know exactly what to do. My mind was partly made up by my trip to Downing St yesterday where I met more families of soldiers who had died and the solicitor who is representing them, Phil Shiner. He was really great, as were the families, but the press are all too ready to spout the Downing St line.
We met a man outside no 10 who was kind of hanging around _ not allowed in this particular location. Andrew Burgin asked him who he was and he admitted he worked inside. We asked him why he was there _usually there is no one except the police and the press_ and he said it depended on the number of press and the issue.
In other words, he was spinning the government line against the families two days before an election. Andrew asked him if Tony was worried. He said, I couldn't tell you. I said, sounds bad then.
He was like something from Yes, Minister.
In West Ham I feel we are gaining all the time. One Labour supporter told me my opponent Lyn Brown spent a lot of today at the hairdresser. Hope it's worth it!
Seriously, their campaign is non existent, which shows how little they want to engage with real politics. This is a disaster for them in the longer term _ and maybe in the shorter term as well.
Anyway I must end because I need some sleep. I am very proud of our campaign, our principles, and having involved some of the best people in Newham. By the time I post again we will know the result. Wish me luck. Not just for me but for everyone who wants change.
Four hundred people crowded in and we heard great speeches. Now it's all (nearly) said and done and we will find out what people think. I hope we win.
It's hard at the end of a campaign _ or at least it is for me _ to know exactly what to do. My mind was partly made up by my trip to Downing St yesterday where I met more families of soldiers who had died and the solicitor who is representing them, Phil Shiner. He was really great, as were the families, but the press are all too ready to spout the Downing St line.
We met a man outside no 10 who was kind of hanging around _ not allowed in this particular location. Andrew Burgin asked him who he was and he admitted he worked inside. We asked him why he was there _usually there is no one except the police and the press_ and he said it depended on the number of press and the issue.
In other words, he was spinning the government line against the families two days before an election. Andrew asked him if Tony was worried. He said, I couldn't tell you. I said, sounds bad then.
He was like something from Yes, Minister.
In West Ham I feel we are gaining all the time. One Labour supporter told me my opponent Lyn Brown spent a lot of today at the hairdresser. Hope it's worth it!
Seriously, their campaign is non existent, which shows how little they want to engage with real politics. This is a disaster for them in the longer term _ and maybe in the shorter term as well.
Anyway I must end because I need some sleep. I am very proud of our campaign, our principles, and having involved some of the best people in Newham. By the time I post again we will know the result. Wish me luck. Not just for me but for everyone who wants change.
