Local Election Campaign 2017
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The first Party literature stall in Guildford for thirty years took place in Guildford yesterday. A couple of people asked where we had been but as their memory didn't go back that far they were more likely thinking of some other group with "socialist" in their name which had a stall more recently, probably the SWP. Gave away leaflets and talked to people, including an admirer of Bernie Saunders and a Brexiteer (Guildford voted Remain).A distraction was created by a historical renactment society, or rather a myth enactment society, with a man made up to have bruises all over carrying a hugh cross up the steep hill that the High St is surrounded by men dressed as Roman soldiers shouting abuse at him. A horrible spectacle but then the symbolism of christianity — suffering, death, crucifiction, blood, and the ancient equivalent of the gallows as their logo — is horrible. But a couple of Roman soldiers did come over and ask for our leaflet.Afterwards we leafletted another area of the constituency, a third of which has now been covered.
This is the leaflet (all 15,000 of them) we'll be distributing in the two Folkestone divisions.
One of our opponents in Guildford West is the pacifist Peace Party. Their reformist programme for the election can be found here:http://peaceparty.org.uk/2017/04/peace-party-candidates-in-the-county-council-elections-4-may-2017/
gnome wrote:We have been invited to participate in a 'Brexit' hustings in Guildford on Tuesday, 25 April at The Guildford Institute between 7.15 and 8.30pm.News item about this in the online newspaper The Guildford Dragon here:http://www.guildford-dragon.com/2017/04/19/63382/
Something to considerAre you considering advertising your business or event in The Guildford Dragon NEWS?Here are a few facts that may convince you that it is brilliant value for money:Your advert will cost as little as £25 per week for a front page or inner page slotOur October ‘hit rate’ is an impressive 97,209 individual page views – that’s an average of 3,136 hits a day.Your ad will be seen by a remarkable number of Guildford people every dayNews, features, pictures, readers’ letters and their comments to stories, are added daily. That maintains reader interestMany readers click on to the website regularly for the latest news around GuildfordThe website features prominently within internet search enginesAll articles are notified on Twitter and Facebook when published. We currently run with 2,635 Twitter followersOnce published, articles and their images remain on the website, which means it is a comprehensive database, especially for anyone searching the internet for specific information relating to GuildfordAdvertisements spots are available in key places within the pages of the websiteThey are clear and easy to view at all timesWe hyperlink your advert so when a reader clicks in the advert, it opens a new window on their browser to your chosen websiteAlternatively, we can publish advertorials and special press releases.
http://www.guildford-dragon.com/2017/04/20/take-pick-guildford-divisions-candidate-lists-scc-election/Scroll down to Guildford West see the case in 125 words (and the face, of five years ago):
Quote:I am standing to make the point that local problems arise from the economic system of production for profit that exists everywhere and that they cannot be solved unless this system is replaced by one based on common ownership and democratic control of the means of production. The main issue facing Surrey County Council is a lack of funds to provide decent care for the elderly and vulnerable but also to even keep the street lights on. Most of its funding comes from central government, and the “Great Recession” following the “Crash of 2008” required the government to cut back on its spending to relieve the pressure on profits. These cuts have now trickled down to local level. That’s why capitalism is to blame.Hmm, pity the face had to feature as well as a perfectly adequate statement – not your face but any face. The party logo would have been much more appropriate and helped to mark us off from all the other parties that relish mug shots and other gimmicks. We won't be doing that in Kent.
I've made my view about the face and the case many times before so i won't repeat it. But pleeeze…next time …a colour photo ….and a big warm smile, not a grimace that passes for one.I know you can look a very cheery fellow, ALB but as Gnome said, this resembles a mug-shot, a wanted dead or alive poster. It can be argued that photos can be welcoming…they can equally be off-putting. Let's look happy to be SPGB candidates.
I know Party opinion is divided on this but, as in previous elections, West London branch has not taken such a rigid attitude. We don't offer a photo or personal details of course, but if a paper asks for a photo we supply one, especially as a face (or, yes, an emblem if they'll accept it) draws attention to the text which otherwise might be lost amid statements from other candidates with a photo.
Two election street stalls tomorrow (22 April) in Guildford and in Folkestonehttps://www.meetup.com/The-Socialist-Party-of-Great-Britain/events/238856758/https://www.meetup.com/The-Socialist-Party-of-Great-Britain/events/237769573/
This is what happens if you don't send a photo. Mind you, in this case they didn't ask for one though they were sent our manifesto. Scroll down to Guildford West:http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/surrey-county-council-elections-who-12911967Here's a photo of the Labour's Party "radical", Corbynist manifesto (Guildford Labour Party supported his leadership bid). Actually that gives me an idea — I'll have a photo taken of me holding our logo.
Yes it is very unfortunate that all we get just an easy-to-miss oneliner. Also, wear a prominent SPGB badge like the Peace Party guyAlso if you don't offer a big friendly smile, hold the logo in front of your face
We were in the Guildford High Street opposite Tunsgate Arch again today. A "town ranger" asked if we had permission from the council to hold a stall. We said we didn't need one and anyway this was election activity. She took a photo of a proof of who we were (a Party membership card) and said she would check with her boss. Nothing happened so presumably her boss understood the position. We were accosted again by god-botherers who told us that only Jesus could bring about what we wanted. We replied that he couldn't even if he existed (which he doesn't) as only humans can improve the only life they have, this one on Earth. A busker having a rest read our leaflet and told us he agreed with it, saying he knew about getting rid of money from Zeitgeist. Somebody bought a Socialist Standard. We will be back again on Mayday, Monday 1 May.
News from Kent and SussexHeld our first Folkestone election street stall yesterday. Despite the town being very quiet (cold and wind keeping people away?) we had several useful conversations, gave out loads of leaflets and sold four Standards.We received a friendly visit from the Labour Party, requesting we stand down our candidates in favour of those (Labour) who had signed the Momentum 'pledge'. After an amicable meeting in which one of our candidates explained why we would not be standing down in favour of any other candidates, the Labour guy left on good terms even offered to exchange details of hustings events with us. Distribution of the main election leaflet started in both Folkestone (Kent) and Lewes (Sussex) on Thursday. Much of the 5,500 for Lewes are probably done by now. Folkestone will take the rest of next week to do 15,000.We also have a poster, which we used on the stall display yesterday and will try to get some up in windows. I would post a it here if I knew how to do so.
robert.cox wrote:We also have a poster, which we used on the stall display yesterday and will try to get some up in windows.
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