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Manchester Withington Selection: Genuine Supporters' Endorsements
First Posted Wednesday, February 14 and reposted February 27, 2007
Withington Selection: Supporters' Endorsements
Any candidate's supporters may post 150-word endorsements here by submitting comments on this post. Please abide by these seven simple rules for this post only:1. Recommended 150-word maximum, but 50 is fine;
2. No more anonymous or aliased contributions please;
3. Use other or a blogger/google account with real full name;
(Parburypolitica and other well known handles acceptable)
4. Strictly no personation please;
5. Strictly no abuse or disparagement of others;
6. Positive, Positive, Positive;
7. * One comment per contributor on any candidate.
* LoL will accept genuine supporting statements for several candidates from one commentator.
16 comments:
First posted: 14 February, 2007 10:16
Lucy.. Think tactically - despite all the arguments for/against "local", it cannot be denied that she already has a unique supporter base, friends, relatives and neighbours who are probably floating voters of the "as-long-as-its-not-Tory" variety who WILL ACTUALLY TURN UP to vote for someone they personally know, or know of. In a marginal seat those extra votes will be crucial. Her views and policies are decidedly socialist and she has a lifetime of Labour activity and commitment. Her professionalism will mean that when she wins back Withington, we will have an articulate and intelligent voice representing us -hurrah!
First posted: 14 February, 2007 11:24
JENNY! As a party member living outside the constituency I know I'd turn up and lend a hand for Jenny in the run-up to election time, and I know without doubt that heaps of others would too. Not only is she a committed local socialist with real views she's prepared to debate and defend, she's also lent her support, personally as well as in her NUJ capacity, to dozens of campaigns around the area. Jenny is someone who has stuffed envelopes and trudged around streets for countless others over the last few years, there's a lot of people hoping to repay her in kind. Having looked at all the candidates, it seems to me she has the best chance of actually winning.
First posted: 14 February, 2007 14:29
Nargis Khan for me. She is the only candidate who has a proven track record in campaigning. She has beaten Libs Dems as a candidate not once but twice. She is the only one who has representative experience.
She has a good political track record both at local level and national level.
She is likeable and approachable.
She is a serious candidate and has what it will take for me.
Finally ask yourself the question. Who would Leech choose to be up against. It's not Nargis I can tell you that!
14 February, 2007 14:29
First posted: 14 February, 2007 19:45
Jenny has impressed me enormously in recent years with her principled commitment to the very issues we need to re-engage with voters on - from the core local issues to the big picture of peace and social justice.
And it's not just talk - she will roll her sleeves up and deliver - meetings, lobbies, leafleting, stalls she's prepared to take the arguments to the very people we need to convince if we're not only to win individual seats but win a fourth term. She has a real chance of not just winning - but being a great MP.
First posted: 19 February, 2007 13:44
I am supporting Nargis for three key reasons
1. She has a record of beating the Lib Dems. She took her council seat from them and then held it four years later. Good test of campaigning all year round that.
2. She has real representative experience and has represented peoples views.
3. She has the experience both personal and political to make an excellent representative for Manchester Withington.
First posted: 23 February, 2007 20:17
I’d like to put a word in for Jenny. I have known her in her NUJ union role for a long time and can vouch for the incredibly hard work she puts into translating her beliefs into action. On the basis of her work representing and fighting for union members, I know she’d make a fantastic champion for local constituents. As for her long-standing principled commitment to social justice and the labour party: can any of the other candidates say they started handing out leaflets at the age of three – and have been campaigning indefatigably ever since?
Uncorroborated Steve has now identified himself with a full name. Not called Steve. But a genuine, bona fide, Man Wit member with a vote. The only unidentified endorser is logical leo backing socialist lucy. Which is enough editorialising.
From Paul mackney, UCU joint general secretary (former NATFHE general secretary 1997-2006)
I have known Naheed Arshad-Mather for some six years.
I first met her when she came to give evidence to the Commission for Black Staff in Further Education.
Shortly after that she was elected to NATFHE's NEC representing Black women members.
Naheed is an active trade unionist and has been an independent-thinking member of the Labour Party for a number of years and a majot player in the voluntary and community sector.
She has expertise in education, crime, justice and social housing.
She is very keen for the Labour Party to be representative of the Communities it serves and will appeal to voters who have fallen away in recent years.
~paul mackney~
Jenny Lennox: Click above for endorsement and story from a proper journalist, not just an activist.
I support Naheed Arshad-Mather because she is someone who has the vision and experience to connect political policies with local connection and to involve diverse communities in national policy development. She was building Just and Sustainable Communities long before it was fashionable.
Eighteen years ago, Unity Housing Association was an Innovative idea on how to meet BME Housing needs in Leeds. Today, it is a thriving business with a turnover of £5million because of Naheed's work. Her contribution was key to this social enterprise.
She is neither 'right or left' in the Party but someone who understands there an inclusive society cannot be calved up into neat boxes, she knows the strength and value of women to politics and to a successful administration.
The challenge to the Constituency and to the Labour Party is to go beyond creating openings for women, including Muslim women and to appreciate that women such as Naheed can show new ways of negotiating change, developing policy and of reaching out to win the Withington seat back to Labour.
I aim to go to the final selection meeting on March 31st before I finally make my mind up. However, my current intention is to vote for Nargis Khan.
I have met or spoken to all the candidates and she is the one who has impressed me most. She is easy to talk to and a likeable individual, but clearly a serious, experienced and hard working candidate
I am and have from the start supported Nargis.
Every Saturday and Sunday she has been out knocking on doors. Plus hammering the phones.
She has never tired. She has tried to contact every member numerous times. She has never been a favourite but has also lead the way.
First website, first to mail out, first or only one to use video & email to get her message across.
What has impressed me most is that even when things can look bleak, she never lost one ounce of her determination.
I have worked with the very best in Manchester. And seen all the close elections at very close quarters.
I have never seen anyone work as hard as Nargis.
I have no vote on Saturday as I have recently moved here from East Manchester.
I know better than to tell people how to vote.
And I am sure that Withington activists know all too well how painfull loosing is.
I am sure you will all use your vote for whom you seem best.
I am proud of the carefull way in which all sides have approached their deliberations.
I am also certain that we will all back fully our candidate once our colleagues have spoken.
Jim Mackrell
Phew!
JENNY:
Powerful - Passionate - Principled - Political.
Labour through and through.
Perfect for Withington.
Socialist AND pragmatic.
Growing by the minute.
No down side.
Whatsoever.
Nothing.
At all.
(ends) (26)
NARGIS:
Batters Lib Dems so they don't come back.
Which is what Withington wants.
Constituency should return to 10k majority for us.
Aiming for bulk switchers not a few neighbours.
3,500 student body we must court.
Up to 15,000 BME voters we should win back.
It is scandalous how poor representation is.
Nargis Khan MP = boon for Mcr, GM and NW.
Personable and experienced representative.
(ends) (65)
Just to say that Jenny Lennox is a socialist through and through and would make an excellent MP. She is a dedicated trade unionist and has worked tirelessly for the Party.Most importantly, I believe Jenny's integrity shines thorugh and thatshe would bring the many disilllusioned voters in Withington.Weneedmore candidates like Jenny to give us hope in the difficult times ahead.
Susan Press, Chair, CalderdaleNUJ.
Calder Valley CLP
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