Friday, February 09, 2007

Withington Selection: Thanks for Good Behaviour


There have now been 20 comments on Withington Selection posts without any repeat of the nastier rough and tumble in the 20 before that. Thanks very much for respecting the spirit and letter of the selection process which expects avoidance of disparagement.

Very damaging exchanges which ended up in the public domain from the last Lib Dem selection indicated racism, misogyny and islamophobia from that party. There's been none of that. Let's keep it clean. Thanks.

MEN DISCUSSION: The "MEN" are inviting comments on their "WOMEN" story HERE.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's coverage on the Manchester Evening News website tonight - and a debate on women-only shortlists.
It's at http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/235/235714_women_only_in_labour_battle.html

Anonymous said...

That should be: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/235/235714_women_only_in_labour_battle.html

lorenzo23 said...

Well there were 4 comments so far including one from Budapest North, and Alicante Central constituencies. There is also a letter in this week's S.M/c Reporter on this subject.

But, let's just get on with the Selection process and make sure we choose an excellent candidate.

I'm relying on this blog and comments to keep me up to date. I'll be at the first Nomination meeting on Monday next, and the camera might be in action. Digital technology makes us all reporters.

Manchester University Labour Club said...

Digital technology may well be in action at the Withington social on saturday night. I'll forward any suitable pics on.

Chris Paul said...

User friendly link to MEN debate HERE.

The letter in SMR was rather barmy, innit? Sent in a suitable reply about 60 minutes after the paper hit the mat. The writer had a go at Leech for his referendum hypocrisy ... having said that our AWS will make it easier for him to cling on.

This is the opposite of the research results.

Chris Paul said...

Here's what I sent in to MEN:

The Labour nominations list in Manchester Withington is blooming marvellous. It includes a cabinet member from a major Council with a great track record of beating Lib Dems and keeping them beaten, a previous PPC, two PhDs, and even an OBE.

And Jenny Lennox of course has the distinction of making two great platform speeches on one day at the Manchester Conference last autumn.

Labour is way ahead on equality of representation in parliament but there is still a long way to go.

If the other parties caught up that would be something. Focusing on the Lib Dems who now hold the seat after a controversial campaign - including the unfounded claim that Christie Hospital was threatened with closure - readers may remember that this followed a controversial selection.

One John Leech supporter put it on the record in writing that Dr Yasmin Zalzala "could not win" because she was a woman, and asian, and a muslim.

This was a terrible and potty slur on both a hard working candidate who had achieved good swings, without gutter tactics, and on the people of Manchester Withington.

They will get the opportunity at the ballot box to blow at least one of these prejudiced Lib Dem myths. If not all three.

The selection is getting coverage and comment on my blog at:
http://chrispaul-labouroflove.blogspot.com

lorenzo23 said...

Bring them on Adele. Bring on the pics. On a football note you're a Bitter Blue like Lucy Powell and Two Jobs Leachy MP of sorts. But let's keep football out of politics. One of the candidates denied supporting either Millwall or Charlton Athletic in her manifesto. I thought quite amusing, if you support Charlton you'd get my sympathy vote.

Manchester University Labour Club said...

Bitter blue. Ha, thats a good one. A lot of the liberal democrat group are blues so I think we would do well to keep football out of politics!

Anonymous said...

Campaigning event in Burnage this morning - door-knocking. Rather disappointingly only two candidates turned up. So, top marks to Nargis and Jenny. Must try harder everyone else.

There's going to be plenty of door-knocking over the next three years, so demonstrating your ability and willingness is essential!

Manchester University Labour Club said...

And it was very wet.To be fair the email was only received yesterday; but if the highly hungover kids; myself excluded for once could go, parliamentary candidates should all have been there.

Cllr Mike Amesbury said...

Hello comrades'

I'm sure whoever the good folk of Manchester Withington CLP select will prove to be a real challenge for that Charlatan Leech. Do check out the new interactactive map on the members section of the Labour Party website. I'll add campaigning events to keep all activists informed.

Manchester University Labour Club said...

Whereabouts on the members section is that Mike? Ta Adele

Anonymous said...

My enquiries have lead me to believe that the Burnage door knocking was organised by Nargis's people.
Other candidates, and at least one Burnage ward officer, say they weren't told.
Jenny was tipped off by a friend the evening before.
If other candidates had been told they probably would have turned up, with supporters, thus increasing the chance of the party winning the ward.

Anonymous said...

Activists know when the day is... And Organisers try to max the turnout. There's no votes in restricting the turnout for an event like this. Let's hope everyone pulls it together soon.

Anonymous said...

Further light (sort of) can be shed on yesterday's activity in Burnage by visiting this link:
http://chorltonparklabour.blogspot.com/2007/02/dodging-ballots-and-rain.html

Suzanne said...

The door knocking in Burnage was a city wide Super Event, which are timetabled and agreed by the Campaign Group. Details were circulated to Labour Cllrs on Monday and were circulate on Thursday to all Manchester emails by me - this was later than normal because I was ill.

It was nothing to do with any of the Withington Parliamentary candidates, so Annoyed Burnage Member needs to clam down and get their facts straight before posting .

In the end it will be consistent work from people who turn up week in week out and not just during a selection process that will win the seat for Frank which is what we all want.