Canvassing in Cott.

The regional gang joined us locals for some serious campaigning today. People in Cottingham were very welcoming – as ever – and everyone we talked to was very interested.

It was great having Green Party perennial Clive Lord around. As a founder member, he’s done every Green by-election since the last glaciation and is staying ten days. He even brought his tent!

Leslie Rowe, fellow Euro-candidate, brought campaigners all the way from Richmond (N.Yorks) and we went door-knocking too.

Local secretary, Martin Deane, spotted David Davis (yet again, 'by coincidence' in a constituency of about 120 square miles), and tackled him on detention and his vote for war on Iraq. Davis said he was a Privy Councillor. So that’s alright then. (One million dead, 176 British troops, a country destroyed). Davis honestly held that the war was to bring liberation and democracy to Iraq. “It was about oil!” Martin came back, “It was planned. The Americans wanted Iraq from day one.”

We did agree though to debate the issues sometime, so look out for an official hustings.

And hurrah! People were telling us that they had our leaflet already. The remainder will arrive by Monday - in time for the postal votes.

Feel like helping? Come on up!

shan@voice-international.net

“Oh there’s no bus from here!”

Friday 27^th June, actually – just catching up! I went to Howden today. I thought I’d garner votes on the train – and found one! Once at “Howden” you arrive a mile and a half from the town at a station that has seen better days. I asked someone about a bus to town: “Oh there’s no bus from here!” So I had to plod into town! We clearly need a Green Party win to revamp public transport here!

I spoke to people around Howden marketplace and had a very enjoyable time.

We are the only other serious party contending this election and many people were interested enough to talk about their views and local life.

It struck me that if you mix red and blue and yellow – it makes brown! So, “the brown parties”, as I’ll call them, now have great difficulty making policies appeal to most people. And it’s because they are committed to a system that no longer works. If it ever did. We just cannot have endless growth. Full stop.

Saturday, we are in Cottingham market place from 11am onwards. We have lots of inspired visitors from around Yorkshire coming to help us!

shan@voice-international.net

Grey meets Green in by-election showdown

We had an enjoyable day in Cottingham market today. Cottingham has the distinction of being the largest village in England. Very positive responses from public in general once we had collared them.

A BBC Look North camera crew turned up and asked loads of questions. The interview went well, but of course they chose to show the one bit with a hesitation in it! They also got us talking with a group of people sitting nearby having cuppa. So, we got on the box with 2 other ‘small parties’ so that’s a plus!

We had a stall set out most of the day and gave out some mini-manifestos and all the leaflets we had and had to print up more! People talked to us very easily and the majority seemed interested in what we stood for once they got to know. David Davis appeared there too and he and I and the team had a little chat where we asked him why he’s a Tory and told him we want to open up the issues. He told us he would invite us to any events he holds and that he sees us as the only serious challenger to him. We said we certainly did intend to challenge him.

Judging by the reaction overall of the people we spoke to there was a lot of support for us just waiting to be tapped.

All papers duly in!

Wow!…fantastic support and brilliant ideas from everyone – yes its looking really exciting now our nomination papers are accepted and the freepost leaflet is printed and on its way. We will follow up on all suggestions.

We’ll be talking with BBC Look North tomorrow . The East Riding Youth Council would like us to visit with David Davis too. Need to work on a press release now….

11 candidates so far… more tomorrow - watch this space!

Very best

Shan, Bill and Martin

Donations to: "Hull and E. Riding Green Party"

DONATIONS CAN BE SENT TO:
Co-op Bank, Alfred Gelder St, Hull
sort code: 089299
acc no: 65169216
or to Bill Rigby, 3 Norwood, Beverley, HU17 9ET

Donating to our campaign

We've had a lot of very kind people volunteer to give donations to the campaign to show-up the Tories' real record on civil liberties.

Cheques can be made out to Hull & East Riding Green Party at the address below, or using the bank details which follow:

Co-op Bank, Alfred Gelder St, Hull
sort code 089299
acc no 65169216

Please let bill@voice-international.net know that you have made a donation, as it's important that we track these.

Many thanks,
Shan


Green Party Candidate for Haltemprice and Howden
3 Norwood
Beverley
East Yorkshire
HU17 9ET, UK

Election Communication gone to print

Excitingly, our official Election Communication has gone to print today, and it will be delivered by the Royal Mail through the letterbox of every constituent before polling day!

I've been selected as the official Green Party candidate

After a democratic debate inside the Green Party about whether we should stand in this by-election, I'm thrilled to announce that today the national party gave the go-ahead to us standing in Haltemprice and Howden, after I was selected last night by the local party to contest the seat against the Conservatives' David Davis on July 10th.
That's 16 days time!

Our constituency-wide leaflet is due to go to the printers tomorrow, and we're starting campaigning in earnest. Any offers of campaigning help can be directed to Martin Dean at sokuto12 'at' sokuto12.karoo.co.uk
I'm looking forward to highlighting the Tories' hypocrisy on civil liberties.