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!

The cats of Stirchley Didn’t Disappoint

Last Thursday evening (16 April), I found myself in Stirchley once again to knock on doors on behalf of Steve McCabe, The Labour Party’s parliamentary candidate for Selly Oak constituency.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Our team of volunteers worked well together and there was plenty of good natured ribbing whenever one of us had a difficult conversation on the doorstep.

Lucy, Stuart, Harry and Jim from the Bournville Labour Party out campaigning in Stirchley (I took the picture and so am not featured)

I’m pleased to say there weren’t many difficult conversations; in the main we received a friendly response from residents in the streets of Newlands and Lewis Roads, persuading 20 households to display a Labour poster in their window.

Have you got a Labour poster in your window yet? If not, you can print out your own poster at home here.

But more importantly, what kind of response did I get from the cats of Stirchley? Let’s just say they didn’t disappoint.

A shy black cat keeps its distance on Lewis Road

A black and white cat keeping a low profile next to a parked car on Newlands Road. Was this cat pregnant or simply well-fed? 

The friendliest cat of the evening. This fluffy cat came up to me and was very happy to be stroked. Unfortunately, it’s good-natured enthusiasm meant it was difficult to take a sharp photo.

A sleek black found outside the same house on Newlands Road as the fluffy cat. This cat was more shy than the fluffy cat at first but soon gained the confidence to approach me

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.