Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Jeremy Corbyn MP: what influence might be possible on the local proto-Conservative administration?
I NOTE that the latest poll ratings for the former Harringay Ward Councillor – in his quest for leadership – show an increase from 53% to 57%. Could a national Labour Party led by Mr. Corbyn, be an influence for the good on the local proto-Conservative administration?
CDC
Councillor, Highgate Ward
Liberal Democrat Party
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Protheroe O'Shea on
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I would hope so.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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Some weeks ago at a social gathering in Highgate, I met a gentleman who asked me how did I find the Marxist Haringey Council and how did I get on with the Marxists.
(I think he may have been from the Camden side of Highgate, down the hill. The effects on the ground of New Labour appeared to be unknown to him.)
With patience, I explained to him that – despite whatever rhetoric he may have heard – the current Council complexion is neither Marxist nor Socialist. It's not even proto-Socialist!
No idea what Karl – buried in Highgate Cemetery – would have made of it all.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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I heard today that when Jeremy first said he was running, there were odds of 100 to 1 against him winning.. Damnspit aargh ack. I could have bought a house.
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Permalink Reply by Philip on
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It will be very interesting, and crucially important for Corbyn to carry out his his promise of re-democratising the Labour Party. The Red Surge may carry on and a flood of members into the Party may be able to turn the tide on all the careerists and opportunists who have been able to climb the greasy pole without actually engaging with the voters. Haringey council may be solid Labour, but only in the sense that they are seen as better than the others. Now the Council has all the worst aspect of a Tory or Libdem council. They are embarking on a terrifying plan to flog off council sites and housing and socially cleanse the east of the borough. We need help now!
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Both Haringey MPs nominated Jeremy Corbyn. If he wins on September 12th, what role should David Lammy and Catherine West play in a Corbyn-led Shadow Cabinet?
Also, the two local parties have over 4000 members/registered supporters. Whatever the outcome, what role should they develop in the coming period?
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I think you've hit the nail on the head Narendra. The post election membership surge opens a few possibilities. The Labour party can either look on this as an opportunity to actually involve members in building the party, its policies and working over the next four years to the next election or they can let them feel uninvolved and dribble away. The membership boost is unlikely to happen again so this is probably a one off opportunity. I know what my preference is.
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Big jump from joining to acting, beyond one email vote. Many wards can't get quorate meetings - which is about ten people into a room once a month.
To an old hack like me, a "meeting" is just a bunch of people getting on with stuff. But it's an unknown and untried and scary idea to about 99% of people. It may be that social media makes it more possible now to reach out. We'll see.
This is a chance for the party locally to leap ahead from old ways of working. I don't know how many new members there are in Tottnm and WG+H. If the same happens to them as happened to me when I signed up (for the 2010 leadership vote), they'll be lost. All that happened was £3 went from my bank account every month, for years. It was only in chance meetings with members engaged in other campaigns, that I was encouraged to get stuck in a bit more. Now I sit through meetings stuffed with procedure in a bleak church hall once a month, the most useful part is the reports from the three ward councillors when they are there. No policy discussion. No offers to go to classes about eg party history. I can go as an observer to the general committee discussions once a month, have been a few times but these are controlled from the top.
I didn't go near organised parties through the 70s 80 90s, had enough to do elsewhere. But I knew plenty of people in the smaller left parties, and saw that they were at least given what could be called a political education, as part of their membership. (They were also driven to madness by party structure and 'discipline', hence my resistance.)
The new members and supporters will now be getting dozens of phone calls from across the spectrum soliciting their votes. (Could it be that when I didn't put my phone number on the application, to pre-empt this, I struck myself off the recruiting pathway?) After 12th September (new leader in place), that's likely to be the last they hear, till next year and the mayoral election, unless something drastic happens.
I suggest a series of welcoming meetings for new members and supporters, both big ones - Ally Pally? Tottnm Chances? and smaller local ones, anywhere but bleak church halls. Childcare and disabled access provided, obviously. Party stalwarts will be gearing up now for the conference at end September, and that's going to be fascinating especially behind the scenes. Is there energy to get some 'welcome' meetings organised for the two weeks between 12th and 26th September?
At least £1million in m'ship fees has just come in, the party should use it to boost its members beyond the hardcore, into wanting to join in.
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Not a Labour Party member, but quite excited at the possibilities JC has opened up. Am going to his fundraiser on the 21st August. Suggest it might be the last chance to catch him in action on the stump!
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/rally-and-fundraiser-feat-jeremy-corbyn...
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