A mad dash

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 17 April 2009, 08:40

I made a flying visit to Manchester yesterday, with three meetings packed in between 5pm and 8pm.

The first meeting was of our Manchester HOPE not hate Steering Group. I normally balk at weekly meetings, preferring action, but I've been really impressed by the business-like approach of everyone there and more importantly the outcomes. The group is bringing together a wide alliance of groups and individuals and I think this is the sort of new progressive movement that we need more of. Around the table are a wide range of differing political views and faiths, all united in their opposition to the politics of hate.

The results of this movement are now becoming evident. We set ourselves the target of delivering 150,000 newspapers just in Manchester and already we have commitments from groups to cover 28 of the city's 32 wards. This is really phenomenal. We are also launching a drive to find HOPE not hate Ambassadors, key movers and shakers who would be willing to speak out against the BNP. Our initial target is to get 50 by the end of the month but I think we can get a lot more than this.

Last night I spoke at a meeting of Manchester Gorton Labour Party. The timing wasn't great, given that City were playing a crucial European game a couple of miles away, but thirty people still turned up and they agreed to cover at least two wards on the Day of Action.

This morning I have to speak to Alec McFadden from Liverpool. At the North West TUC AGM in late March he publicly boasted that Liverpool would get more people out and deliver more papers than Manchester. Unless he has a secret plan he looks set to be humbled. From my records, we have nine wards taken in Liverpool so far. Which is obviously terrific, especially because the wards are bigger than Manchester's, but given the challenge Alec threw down it is still some way off their rivals.