Campaigning by Theo Biddle
A 21.6% drop in the vote in a traditional Labour seat. One of the safest seats in the country becomes the 24th most marginal in England. The seismic impact of the last election cannot be overstated. My district was in the news quite often with the headline ‘Wakefield gone Tory for the first time in nearly 90 years’. What a first election that was; quite the baptism of fire!
However, the disconnect between ex-mining town constituencies and Labour was foreseen before this election. In my constituency of Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (in God’s Own County of Yorkshire!) In the 2019 local elections, we lost two wards – one by dropping 45% of the share of the vote. Labour being shattered in the Wakefield District was a long time coming, but why – and how do we make a change to this.
Campaigning during these divisive times has been a struggle. Brexit exacerbated every single possible community tension, and with our MP, Yvette Cooper, often being the target of vicious social media campaigns by both the Conservatives and Brexit Party because of her role in ensuring that we didn’t leave the EU without a deal. This led to some nasty interactions on the doorsteps – one particular instance stays with me of a man following us, screaming how we are traitors to democracy and not welcome here; another instance of activists being targeted by far-right trolls for featuring on campaign material. Trying to mobilise activists, particularly those like myself who had very little campaigning experience, was an uphill battle.
However, what we did get right is how we faced those attacks. When out campaigning in 2019, there was no ‘left’, ‘right’ or ‘centre’ of the party, only Labour members wanting a Labour government – the common aim that unites us all. In our CLP, we certainly have our differences over many different divisive issues of policy and politics, but when it came down to showing our neighbours why we need a Labour government, we delivered. That’s the difference between winning and losing in marginal seats.
Going forward, that’s what we all have to remember. However, this won’t help stop or reverse Labour’s decline. To do that, we have to show people why they need a Labour government, Labour-led councils and Labour mayors. Here in the Wakefield District, I’ve been organising young members to lead the way in this. Our methods are simple; combining good-old-fashioned door knocking, phone banking (with the new amazing Dialogue music!) and leafleting with community organising. Already as local members, we’ve helped clean-up a children’s play area, helped with home test deliveries, volunteered at Food Banks and much, much more. And the response we’re getting from people is already showing – but the real test will be at the ballot box at the next locals – whenever they may be!
Communities have come together because of the pandemic, with optimism for future post-COVID sorely needed. That’s what we as Labour activists have to show in everything we do when campaigning. We need to not just tell people that we’ll do a better job, but show them.
The takeaway message is to get active in the Labour Party – there will always be a role for you! Remember, if you get through to just one person per day on average, you’ll make a huge impact in tight races.
So, get your friends along and turn this pandemic into a chance to make the change we all need right now.
Theo Biddle
Youth Officer and CLP Lead for the Mayor of West Yorkshire Campaign
Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford CLP