Can Labour win in the south? Yes it can and we proved this in the recent May local election in Rushmoor (the towns of Aldershot and Farnborough in the Tories’ Hampshire heartlands).
The Labour group gained five seats and now the main opposition party with a group of 11 councillors.
How did we do it?
We started planning in July; we held a workshop for all those interested in standing and over twenty members attended. We had to find 39 candidates.
From that meeting we formed a number of work streams who took ownership of sections of the campaign.
The work streams were tasked to find the 39 candidates (which we did), write the manifesto/policy, draft the literature, work with the media, organise fundraising and plan both the long and short campaigns.
We targeted four wards and set a target of 12 councillors. One leading member of the shadow cabinet who visited the Aldershot and Farnborough said this was wildly optimistic. It was optimistic and yet we came within five votes of becoming a group of 12.
We campaigned in our targets wards from July to May with regular ward based newsletters, surveys, surgeries, street stalls and door knocking.
We used the local media and targeted a story a week from Labour in the one local paper that covers the borough. We had regular visits from MPs such as Andy Burnham, Kevan Jones, Toby Perkins and Hazel Blears during the campaign – not organised by the regional office but by ourselves.
Our campaign was strongly supported by our partners in the trade unions. Unite sent a letter to every member in our target wards urging them to vote Labour in Rushmoor. This was vital support to our campaign and with a low turnout predicted every vote was needed.
Our partners in Progress co-ordinated a Campaign day in Aldershot on the last Saturday before polling day. A dozen Labour party members from London and across the south east came and joined our campaign and worked with our local members to door knock and deliver leaflets in the rain.
Good examples of the Labour family working together to win.
It worked. On polling day we gained five seats and I now lead a brilliant Labour group of eleven hard working councillors.
And as a bonus – Rushmoor is now a Lib Dem-free zone!
You can read the post election reaction in the Aldershot News here.
As we always say: if we can do it in Aldershot and Farnborough – it can be done anywhere.
Join me at the inaugural Third Place First Conference with shadow energy and climate change secretary Caroline Flint MP in Reading this Saturday 23 June.
The day promises a packed schedule with dynamic debate about how Labour fights back in critical council seats, important Westminster races and wins an increased share on the popular vote.
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Cllr Keith Dibble is leader of Rushmoor Labour group
LABOUR WINNING IN THE SOUTH
The Rushmoor story.
Can Labour win in the south? Yes it can and we proved this in the recent May local election in Rushmoor (the towns of Aldershot and Fanrborough in the Tories Hampshire heartlands).
The Labour Group gained five seats and now the main oppistion party with a group of ELEVEN councillors.
How did we do it?
We started planning in July; we held a workshop for all those interested in standing and over twenty members attended. We had to find 39 candidates.
From that meeting we formed a number of work streams who took ownership of sections of the campaign.
The work streams were tasked to find the 39 candidates – which we did), write the manifesto/policy, draft the literature, work with the media, organise fundraising and plan both the long and short campaigns.
We targeted four wards and set a target of 12 councillors, one leading member of the Shadow Cabinet (Andy Burnham) who visited the Aldershot and Farnborough said this was wildly optimistic. It was optimistic and yet we came within five votes of becoming a Group of 12.
We campaigned in our targets wards from July to May with regular ward based newsletters, surveys, surgeries, street stalls and door knocking.
We used the local media and targeted a story a week from Labour in the one local paper that covers the borough. We had regular visits from MP’s such as Andy Burnham, Kevan Jones, Toby Perkins and Hazel Blears during the campaign – not organised by the Regional Office but by ourselves.
Our campaign was strongly supported by our partners in the trade unions. Unite sent a letter to every members in our target wards urging them to vote Labour in Rushmoor. This was vital support to our campaign and with a low turn our predicted every vote was needed.
Our partners in Progress co-ordinated a Campaign day in Aldershot on the LAST Saturday before polling day. A dozen Labour Party members from London and across the south east came and joined our campaign and worked with our local members to door knock and deliver leaflets in the rain.
Good examples of the Labour family working together to win.
It worked on polling we gained five seats and I now lead a brilliant Labour Group of eleven hard working councilors.
And as a bonus – Rushmoor is now a Lib-Dem free zone!
Please see below the link to the front of the post election Aldershot News.
http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2113173_election_tories_retain_control_of_rushmoor_council
As we always say if we can do it in Aldershot and Farnborough – it can be done anywhere.
Join me at the inaugural Third Place First Conference with shadow cabinet member, Caroline Flint MP, this Saturday in Reading on the 23 June 2012.
The day promises to be a packed schedule and dynamic debate about how Labour fights back in critical council seats, important Westminster races and wins an increased share on the popular vote.