03 May 2005
Do mention the war
It's the war, stupid! Who could have thought that this election was about anything else? Despite all the main parties agreeing to keep it under wraps, and a complicit media, the war now dominates all the news. I don't see that changing before Thursday and that is a disaster for Blair.
The widow of the soldier killed in Iraq yesterday has attacked him. There must be such bitterness in the military about the war. I am seeing some of the military families this afternoon. It's a break from campaigning _and for them, because Rose Gentle and Reg Keys are also standing in this election_but it's important.
We have to think beyond this election about how we continue our campaigning and we are planning, with the families, legal action over the war. So it's down to Whitehall this afternoon which will be strange after Newham.
The seat of government is so remote from ordinary people's lives that you could be in another world, not just a few miles and a half hour on the tube away. That's just one thing we want to change if we get elected.
I was in the lift of a tower block yesterday after visiting a potential voter so I asked the man in it if he'd heard of it. 'Oh yes I've already voted for you'. I'm getting a lot of people saying that.
We've had a very big holiday weekend. Labour are really rattled now and have had to take their campaign onto the streets. I knew this would happen and that they couldn't just sit tight as was their original aim. They are losing a lot of votes and we are gaining a lot. There are still a lot of unsures but we are gaining some of them.
Labour gave up soon after we set up our stall in Green Street so then we got on our campaign bus _ not the most luxurious of vehicles_ and went over to East Ham where Labour's Stephen Timms was there with his agent and some councillors who must be very worried people. We gave them a hard time and a big crowd gathered outside Primark while our bus was parked.
Our office is really buzzing all the time. Even at 8 last night there were still around 20 people and everyone was reporting a very good day. I went to a meeting of Somalis where they told us that the community had decided to back us. Some of the young women want to come and help in the campaign.
I think that whatever happens in this campaign we are doing something very important in uniting the different forces of the coalition. You would be amazed at the different people who go through the office every day and work very hard. Food now arrives in industrial quantities _ samosas from the cafe round the corner, pakora made by one of our supporters, M&Ms bought by my agent Abdurahman, chocolates, cakes and pastries brought by helpers from west London, big bags of popcorn. Delicious but not exactly a balanced diet.
The children are also great _ if they could vote we would win a landslide everywhere. I sent a card to the candidate standing in Stratford school mock elections for Respect. I bet he wins.
The widow of the soldier killed in Iraq yesterday has attacked him. There must be such bitterness in the military about the war. I am seeing some of the military families this afternoon. It's a break from campaigning _and for them, because Rose Gentle and Reg Keys are also standing in this election_but it's important.
We have to think beyond this election about how we continue our campaigning and we are planning, with the families, legal action over the war. So it's down to Whitehall this afternoon which will be strange after Newham.
The seat of government is so remote from ordinary people's lives that you could be in another world, not just a few miles and a half hour on the tube away. That's just one thing we want to change if we get elected.
I was in the lift of a tower block yesterday after visiting a potential voter so I asked the man in it if he'd heard of it. 'Oh yes I've already voted for you'. I'm getting a lot of people saying that.
We've had a very big holiday weekend. Labour are really rattled now and have had to take their campaign onto the streets. I knew this would happen and that they couldn't just sit tight as was their original aim. They are losing a lot of votes and we are gaining a lot. There are still a lot of unsures but we are gaining some of them.
Labour gave up soon after we set up our stall in Green Street so then we got on our campaign bus _ not the most luxurious of vehicles_ and went over to East Ham where Labour's Stephen Timms was there with his agent and some councillors who must be very worried people. We gave them a hard time and a big crowd gathered outside Primark while our bus was parked.
Our office is really buzzing all the time. Even at 8 last night there were still around 20 people and everyone was reporting a very good day. I went to a meeting of Somalis where they told us that the community had decided to back us. Some of the young women want to come and help in the campaign.
I think that whatever happens in this campaign we are doing something very important in uniting the different forces of the coalition. You would be amazed at the different people who go through the office every day and work very hard. Food now arrives in industrial quantities _ samosas from the cafe round the corner, pakora made by one of our supporters, M&Ms bought by my agent Abdurahman, chocolates, cakes and pastries brought by helpers from west London, big bags of popcorn. Delicious but not exactly a balanced diet.
The children are also great _ if they could vote we would win a landslide everywhere. I sent a card to the candidate standing in Stratford school mock elections for Respect. I bet he wins.
