Rain didn’t stop play: Stratford Labour stall

This morning we had a rather “damp” but cheerful West Ham Labour Party street stall outside Stratford shopping centre. Despite the on/off rain I thought it went pretty well - led by members of the Stratford and Newtown Ward Labour Action Team. Together with our MP, Lyn Brown, they picked up loads of case work as well as giving out lots of lovely red balloons.

An irate “opposition” supporter accused me of “endangering” the shopping centre roof by giving kids balloons! Since apparently some of them were letting go of the balloons inside the centre and they would explode when they touch the hot lights on the roof bringing it all tumbling down (or somethink like that). He said I “would be held personally responsible for this” and then rushed off. I thought that I had at long last met up with Mike Law but apparently it wasn’t him.

I had a more interesting and constructive conversation with a shopper who worked in Canning Town. He asked me about what Labour was going to do about bringing down public spending and reducing the national debt. He argued that it was excessive spending on public services that had brought about the debt. My counter argument was that no, it was the collapse in tax revenue caused by the recession that had caused the debt. The real problem was the past over acceptance of a neo-liberal financial model that the “free markets knows best”. It was the Banking and Financial services disaster that brought about this debt not past public spending. It is absolutely amazing to me how blame for this recession, which never, ever, forget was caused solely by the actions of the greedy, corrupt and irresponsible rich friends of the Tory Party, has somehow turned into being the fault of public services?

After we packed up the stall and on route to voter ID (aka door knocking) in Plaistow I had a chat with a long standing Party member about our chances in the forth coming General election. He thought that we have every chance of winning a majority. The most likely scenario at the moment was a hung Parliament but he pointed out that hung parliaments are incredibly rare in our political system (he does have a PHD in history). The General election campaign itself will be absolutely crucial. He reminded me of 1970 and 1992. In 1970 the then Labour government called an election while ahead of the polls and until the last week were widely expected to win. The Tories won because they ran the better campaign . In 1992 Labour were expected to defeat the Tories yet a better than expected performance by Prime Minister John Major and his Party in the campaign resulted in their victory.  So in a tight spot - if they do well, the "underdogs win".

So comrades – there is still everything to play for – but we must play to win.