Cats are amongst the Missing Million as Bournville Labour Party supports voter registration in Stirchley

On a drizzly Saturday afternoon, members of Bournville Labour Party took part in #MissingMillion, Labour’s nationwide doorstep campaign to help people register to vote.

Conservatives ignore independent advice on electoral registration

Labour has launched the voter registration campaign because after winning the election in May the Conservatives have ignored independent advice to wait until the end of 2016 to fully implement Individual Electoral Registration, so that any difficulties could be ironed.

As a result of the Government’s decision, an estimated 1 million people are expected to disappear from the the electoral register on 1 December. And this is on top of the million or eligible adults who are already missing from the electoral register.

As a former local government equalities officer, I am aware of the flaws with the present system of household registration. There have been well-documented abuses of the system, resulting in electoral fraud such as the kind seen in Birmingham in 2004.

But it’s also well-understood that even under the current, more straightforward system of household registration,certain groups of people, notably private renters, black and ethnic minorities, the unemployed and the lower paid, are more likely to be missing. And historically, these groups of people are more likely to vote Labour than they are Conservative.

I hate to be cynical but it does seem rather convenient that at the same time as the Conservatives are feeling the heat over changes to Tax Credits which will leave 3 million families on average £1,300 worse off per year, the Government is pressing ahead with changes to electoral registration which will make it more difficult for those very same families to punish them at the ballot box.

Greetings from drizzly Stirchley

Steve McCabe MP (second from left) out in Stirchley with members of Bournville Labour on the Missing Million electoral registration drive

I’m pleased to say our voter registration drive in Stirchley went pretty well, despite the best efforts of the weather.

For starters, turnout was good. There were six of us in total, including new member Paul (one of the hundred-plus new members who have joined since the General Election). Paul did really well on his first time out, talking to residents on the doorstep in a relaxed and friendly way that people really responded to.

We were also lucky to have in our ranks our local MP Steve McCabe as well as Mary Locke, who stood for local election in May and will hopefully stand again next year. Having Steve and Mary out with us gave residents greater confidence that their concerns would be listened to and brought home the importance of being able to vote for someone who is on your side.

Sadly, the wet weather meant we weren’t greeted by the same number of mildly bemused cats as normal. I did briefly see one cat but it dashed across a road and disappeared before I could get my smartphone out of my pocket.

Fortunately, word of Cats of the Campaign Trail is spreading and I received a photo via Twitter of a cat spotted on a #MissingMillion session in North London on Sunday. My colleague Kelly from Helpful Technology encountered this black and white cat whilst helping people in Harringay, North London, register to vote. By the looks of the dappled sunlight in the photo, I’d say Harringay may have been a bit luckier with the weather but you can’t have everything.

Black and white cat spotted in Harringay on the Missing Million drive by my colleague Kelly

After finishing our session, we did what cats are famed for and headed off in search of a warm and dry environment. We decided to try the P Cafe in Stirchley, the new independent business which opened in May of this year. I’m pleased to report the cafe served very nice coffee and Brendan, the cafe’s owner, was very friendly towards us. If you ever find yourself in Stirchley, I recommend you pop in and check it out.

Don’t lose your voice – register to vote

Unsure whether you’re still registered to vote? If in doubt, you can register to vote via the GOV.UK website (you’ll need your National Insurance number to hand)

Want to make sure your friends and family don’t lose their right to vote? Please share information about Labour’s #MissingMillion campaign with your friends and family. Find out more over on the Labour Party website.

Bengal cat brightens up a Saturday delivery round

Yesterday, I found myself once again crossing the border from Bournville into Cotteridge on Labour Party business.

Where some people choose to spend their Saturday mornings with family or getting on with jobs around the house, I had volunteered to post some letters from Bournville Labour Party through  people’s  doorsteps. The talent is in the choices, as Robert De Niro once remarked.

Fortunately, my wife had kindly agreed to help me out and so we were able to drop off all the letters in just under an hour and a half’s time. My wife also kind enough to indulge my cat-blogging ways and drew my attention to lovely part-Bengal cat that was hanging out on Dell Road.

Bengal cat strolling on Dell Road

The cat approached us in a confident fashion, strolling up to meet us on the pavement before winding its way around both our legs. It didn’t seem to mind us stopping to say hello and enjoyed getting a stroke from us. The cat stuck around as I went to drop off a letter, sitting on the wall at the perimeter of the house, coolly observing the situation.

Bengal cat on Dell Road being stroked by my wife

Afterwards, as we headed up the street to complete our deliveries, I heard two older women greeting the cat as they walked up to the door of their house. I didn’t get the impression the cat belonged to them but they were clearly fond of it.

Bengal cat leaping from wall on Dell Road

I suspect the cat we met has a well-practised routine for endearing itself to its neighbours on Dell Road with the aim of securing extra food and we were just the latest in a long line of dupes. Whether or not that’s the case, bumping into this beautiful and confident cat brightened my day considerably and I for one hope that it continues to perfect its hustle.

What future will cats have under a Corbyn leadership?

The remarkable growth in the Labour Party’s membership since May has been widely commented on nationally. Latest official figures put total membership at just over 350,000, well ahead of the Conservatives’ estimated 100,000 members.

So far, pundits have spent their time speculating on what effect these new members will have on the character of the Labour Party and the prospect of intra-party strife over contentious policies such as renewal of Trident and the power of local constituencies to recall MPs. As (self?) important as these concerns are, I can’t help but feel they are taking attention away from the big question that confronts us, namely what future cat-themed Labour blogs will have under a Corbyn leadership?

Fortunately, if my experiences in Bournville are anything to go by I believe cat blogs will continue to occupy a place of affection in the Corbyn era.

How do I know this? Just yesterday, Liz Clements (@LizClements on Twitter), a returning party member, emailed me a photo of a cat she had spotted whilst out campaigning over the weekend. And given Bournville’s membership has grown by 66% since May I would like to believe Liz won’t be the last person to share with me a pic for Cats of the Campaign Trail.

And what a cracking cat Liz spotted. The cat is doing its best death stare and with its left eye a different colour to its right, it has got a David Bowie vibe.

In these uncertain times for Labour I hope local parties will welcome their new members and encourage them to make a positive contribution. I for one am looking forward to working with new members like Liz to help Labour connect with local people (and to grow Cats of the Campaign Trail along the way).

Cats of the Campaign Trail Roars Into the Corbyn Era

This afternoon, members of Bournville Labour Party got together in Cotteridge for our first campaign session since Jeremy Corbyn was elected Leader of the Labour Party.

Officially, we were out to get residents’ views on the local high street and how it might be improved. Unofficially, I think we all saw the session as a chance to see what residents made of our new leader. As such, even Corbyn supporters like myself were feeling a little nervous.

I’m pleased to say our campaign session went pretty well. For starters, we were joined by two new party members, Liz and Ted, who were very nice and displayed a relaxed confidence talking to residents on the doorstep.

Bournville Labour volunteers Stuart, Liz, Joan and Ted on Heathcote Road in Cotteridge

I was also pleasantly surprised by how we were greeted on the doorstep. With it being a Saturday afternoon, a lot of people were out but the people we did manage to speak with were friendly and, by and large, happy to ‘stop and chat’ with us. I didn’t encounter anyone who said they were put off voting Labour as a result of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Leader. Quite the opposite, in fact. Quite a few residents we spoke to said they were enthused by the change in leadership and two people asked if they could start leafleting and helping out for Bournville Labour.

It wasn’t just the human residents who responded positively to our presence. The cats of Cotteridge were on fine fettle, too. I only managed to catch one cat on camera but he/she did not disappoint (sadly I haven’t yet been able to persuade my Bournville volunteers to take snaps of cats they see on my behalf).

The featured image of the black and white cat roaring is a little misleading. The cat was actually very friendly and it was opening it’s mouth to make a friendly meow rather than anything fearsome. For proof, look at the picture I took a few second before the roar that never was:

Black and white cat strolling up to me on Cotteridge Road

It’s still very early days but I was pleasantly surprised by the reaction we got out and about in Cotteridge. I hope Bournville Labour will seize the opportunity presented by so many new members joining the party to develop a vibrant, sociable local Labour Party which is in tune with local residents’ concerns and aspirations.

How Can We Improve Cotteridge High Street? Our Survey Says…

This weekend, I tried to shake off my post-election blues by taking part in a ‘Talk Saturday’ in Cotteridge, the first in a regular series of doorstep campaign sessions organised by my local MP Steve McCabe.

The focus of the session was on regeneration. After knocking on a door and introducing ourselves, we asked residents if they could spare a couple of minutes to complete a short survey, telling us what they think about the state of their local high street  in Cotteridge and what improvements they would like to see.

As usual, the cats of Cotteridge took an interest in our campaigning antics. After playing it cool iniitally, I couldn’t resist snapping these two characters on Midland Road.

Black and white cat with missing tail wonders whether it can take part in our regeneration survey

Ginger cat proceeded to roll around the pavement when I approached with my clipboard. A novel way of getting out of completing our survey on regeneration.

I was really pleased with how open residents were to our campaign. Nearly everyone I spoke to cared about Cotteridge high street and believed things could be done to improve it. Top suggestions included:

• Improved parking facilities
• A better mix of shops – fewer takeaways, more vibrant independent shops along the lines of Cotteridge Wines and Loaf bakery
• Action on litter and fly tipping

Before going out on Saturday, I was still feeling pretty feeling pretty battered and bruised about politics and replaying the general election in my mind. After campaigning, I felt much upbeat about the ability to make positive changes in my local community.

Saturday’s door-knocking was just the start of my local Labour Party’s campaign on regeneration. Over the summer we’ll be gathering more people’s views on their local high street, both in Cotteridge and Stirchley. Afterwards, we will analyse the results and communicate the findings to the city council, with the aim of getting support for the improvements local residents have asked for.

Tired of the Claws Coming out for Ed Miliband? Here are some Cats of the Campaign Trail to ease the pain

It’s now four days since Labour’s general election defeat. It’s fair to say I was pretty crushed by the outcome of the election on Thursday, especially after getting a positive reception on the doorstep when volunteering with Bournville Labour Party.

In the days that have passed I’ve been coming to terms with Labour’s defeat. I’m determined not to let my disappointment get the better of my hope and optimism for a fairer, more just society.

I only wish some of the Labour Party’s grandees would try to do the same. In the aftermath of defeat, the knives have swiftly come out for Ed Miliband and his tenure as leader. Least edifying of all has been Ed’s own brother, David, breaking his silence in crass fashion from the safe distance of New York.

All in all, you could say the (big) cats of the Labour Party have been sharpening their claws for Ed and all he stood for.

With this in mind, I wanted to remind myself and others that cats don’t have to be associated with intra-party strife. So, with no further ado, here’s my last (for now at least) selection of #catsofthecampaigntrail.

Somewhat aloof ginger cat spotted on Ingoldsby Road whilst campaigning in the Masefield Estate

A friendly fluffy cat which came up to see me when I was doing some last-minute campaigning on Pineapple Road in Stirchley the night before the general election. With hindsight, the cat’s sad eyes seem to suggest it knew how the general election would ultimately work out for Labour 

My own cat Zelda sporting a ‘Vote Labour’ red rosette. My wife very generously indulged my idea to dress Zelda up. I used the photo of Zelda to variously persuade and cajole friends/family/colleagues to Vote Labour. In Birmingham at least, I (erroneously) like to say Zelda helped boost Steve McCabe MP’s majority.

The long tail (of cats)

In my last post, I took the brave/foolhardy step of writing about my experiences of volunteering for the Labour Party in Bournville without the safety net of my usual photos of cats of the campaign trail. To make amends,  here’s a bumper litter of seven new cats (kind of). Enjoy.

Ginger cat giving me a guarded look next to some colourful flower pots. I spotted this cat keeping an eye on me when talking to voters on Pineapple Road in Stirchley after work last Friday evening.

Tabby cat spotted on Middleton Hall Road by my wife when we were out leafleting together last Saturday morning.

I spotted this black and white cat just off Middleton Hall Road. It was territorial and didn’t seem all that pleased to see me. Another fruit of Saturday morning’s leaflet delivery run.

Proof of Schrödinger’s cat’s existence. Spotted on a flat top roof nearby to flats off the Middleton Hall Road. Another find on my leaflet delivery route last Saturday.

This tabby cat was very friendly and came up to me for a fuss when I was talking to local people on Hazelwell Fordrough in Stirchley after work on Monday

This fluffy cat woke up from its snooze under an out of use car when I was out on Oakley Road in Stirchley on Tuesday. The picture is out of focus due to the cat moving so much to get a fuss.

Black cat spotted on Oakley Road in Stirchley on Tuesday evening. This cat was very friendly and came up to see why a group of Labour Party volunteers had strayed onto his or her patch on Tuesday evening.

A week Is a Long Time in Cats of the Campaign Trail

Harold Wilson famously said a week is a long time in politics. However, if the great Labour leader were alive today I like to think he’d tell me a week is an even longer time in the world of election campaign cat spotting.

Rather than deluge you with the many photos of cats I’ve spotted on the campaign trail since my last post, I thought I’d keep this post cat-free and instead fill you in on what’s been happening more generally with the Bournville Labour Party election campaign.

Since I last posted, I’ve been busy juggling some fairly major work headaches with leafleting and knocking on doors for the Labour Party, all the while still trying to be a reasonable husband and responsible cat owner.

The Avengers or Bournville Labour Party Campaign Team with local Bournville Ward candidate Mary Locke in Stirchley

I’m pleased to report campaigning is going down well locally. With every passing day, our campaign team reminds me more and more of The Avengers (the Marvel superheroes rather than the British TV series incarnation), with each of us bringing something to the table. Well, perhaps not quite but I am pretty sure Stuart has a superpower of persuading residents to display ‘Vote Labour’ posters in the windows of their front rooms.

I’ve also really enjoyed getting to know our Labour candidates, Mary Locke, who is standing as a councillor in the Bournville Ward, and Steve McCabe, who will hopefully be re-elected as MP for Selly Oak Constituency.

Selly Oak Parliamentary Candidate Steve McCabe speaking at a General Election at Cotteridge Church hustings event organised Birmingham Churches Together

I was lucky enough to attend the recent General Election hustings event organised by Birmingham Churches Together. Steve performed strongly. I was particularly pleased that Steve presented a positive, optimistic and yet still credible alternative to what the country has endured these past 5 years. Over the course of the debate spoke up for a fully costed plan for proper jobs and wages; rising standards in schools; rebuilding the NHS; decent homes for local people to buy and rent. You can read my write up of the hustings over on Bournville News.

With Mary, what’s really stood out for me is her local knowledge and genuine concern for local people in her community. When I’ve been helping out in Stirchley, it’s amazing how many people Mary knows and the affection others have for her. Often, it’s the little things that stand out. For example, Mary asked me not to knock on a person’s door because she knew that the person who live there was an older, disabled person who would not appreciate being disturbed in the evening. Instead, Mary would speak to that person at a more suitable time. Mary is passionate about protecting the services local people rely on and, if elected, I am confident she will be a determined and selfless supporter of others.

I recorded a short video of Mary explaining why people should vote Labour on 7 May. Hopefully, it will give you an idea of why Mary is going over well with voters locally.

Thanks for reading. I promise my next post will be catnip to all politically minded cat people!

Cats of Middleton Hall Road

Last Friday, I (kind of) made the most of my last day of annual leave by delivering letters for Steve McCabe, the Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Selly Oak.

My route took me up and down the length of Middleton Hall Road. Given the busy nature of the road, my hopes of finding more #catsofthecampaigntrail were fairly low.

I’m pleased to say, however, that Middleton Hall Road proved to be more cat friendly than expected.

Let’s meet the non-voters.