OR ANOTHER TITLE - VOTE LABOUR TO HONOUR PRINCE ANDREW’S BIRTHDAY?
The Guardian’s London blogger Dave Hill has covered the Lewisham Downham by-election under the thread Labour, Lewisham and the BNP here, here and asked me some questions here.
I had covered this campaign before and after the election. I am clear that Labour did not play the race card in Downham, and this is why:
I worked with Pauline Morrison throughout the 1990s when I was a member of Lewisham Deptford Labour Party. That’s why I was so pleased to see her fighting the Downham by-election. I blogged about her and in the comments I had a good debate with Liberal Democrat activist John Grieves.
I was determined to support Pauline’s campaign but I was only able to attend the by-election on voting day. That’s because as a London wide representative in the previous weeks of the Downham by-election campaign, I was working in by-elections in Croydon, Enfield and Haringey.
On the issue of flying the Union Jack that’s fine by me, and it is particularly appropriate when we remember those who have given their lives for our country. I think whether we are monarchists or not, we should also honour the Head of State on appropriate days. I do find it surprising that one of the dates that Lewisham Council most recently flew the flag over the Town Hall was Prince Andrew’s birthday, but that’s for somebody else to explain.
I saw no suggestion of implicitly using the Union Jack in a racist fashion when I campaigned in Downham. Having known Pauline for decades I know she did not endorse such a strategy. However, like any other campaign by any Party I cannot guarantee the conduct of every single activist on the doorstep.
After being in Downham on election day I commented on my experiences.
This paragraph seemed to be misinterpreted by a Liberal Democrat:
“On the streets it was sad to encounter young voters talking about voting BNP, we need to tackle this and their vote of 10% seems to have come mostly from the Liberal Democrats. As I posted in my comments previously, my experience had been that Liberal Democrats in this part of Lewisham had been quite happy to quietly pick up racist support. Good to see they ditched this approach in Downham by selecting Duwayne Brooks. I hope that principled Liberal Democrats like John Grieves can influence his colleagues who still turn a blind eye to this. Elsewhere in London the Lib Dems still play fast and loose with race for the sake of a few votes.”
I’m a little disappointed Dave Hill has not gone through the comments carefully, and just reported some assertions. So here’s a fisking of what his source Acer2007 has said:
“I find it appalling that you consider the liberal democrats to have been “quietly pick up racist support” (which is not true in the slightest)”
Sounds good doesn’t it? Here’s the full quote:
“my experience had been that Liberal Democrats in this part of Lewisham had been quite happy to quietly pick up racist support. Good to see they ditched this approach in Downham by selecting Duwayne Brooks.”
Just change had to have and you have a (false) story.
As to the truth of my assertion, there was a swing in this by-election from the Lib-Dems to BNP of 11.5%. Clearly some Lib Dem votes switched to the BNP. I also know from previous campaigning in this area, and through checking with Party colleagues that racists have voted Lib Dem over the last 2 decades, opposing Labour as the more multicultural party. Yes racists can vote tactically just like the rest of us!
Acer2007 says:
“a labour campaign in Downham which sole purpose and aim was to take advantage of the racial tension in the area”
Utter nonsense. That’s what the BNP did.
Acer2007 says:
“There are rumours circulating that the local Labour party, on the election night before polls had closed, had circulated leaflets stating that your exit polls had it that the BNP where going to win. You were blateney were trying to scaremonger voters, with complete and utter lies.”
Rubbish, I was there knocking up the Labour vote and getting people to polling stations. I saw no such leaflets. What Acer2007 says is a made up rumour. Ask any of those pictured in my blog, many of these people have decades fighting racism, this is scurrilous nonsense, all that can be bad about the blogosphere. Why Acer2007 makes up such things is up to him/her.
Acer2007 says
“It quite clearly gained you so much success, even though you percentage of the vote went down (query – how can you have a swing of votes, when your vote goes down????).
I suggested Acer2007 google to better understand swings, Acer2007 did not. The swing is 6% to Labour because the Liberal Democrats lost a greater proportion of their votes than Labour. The Party the Lib Dems mostly lost votes to was the BNP, even though Acer2007 claims no Lib Dem could have switched to the BNP, the figures are impossible to argue with this is not a 1 or 2% margin of error. 11.5% switched Lib Dem to BNP.
With such a poorly thought out comment I asked Acer2007 a series of questions which were ignored and Acer2007 came back with more assertions.
Acer2007 refused to acknowledge this disgraceful leaflet put out in Redbridge, because it shows shameful campaigning by the Liberal Democrats in an area with substantial Muslim and Jewish populations. Have a look at it Acer2007. I wasn’t there, you weren’t there, but it was leaflet put out to get people to vote on race and religion. Luke Akehurst has also commented on the Redbridge campaign.
Acer2007 says
“However you DID deliever in Downham – you did knock on doors in Downham – you did push letters and literature which was motivated to stir up racial motivations in the area”
Untrue and libellous (I won’t be suing). I delivered no literature, only sorry you were out cards. That’s the problem with most of Acer2007’s comments they are being made up as Acer2007 goes along. The idea that I or any other Labour member I was working with would do so is grossly offensive. Many have decades of anti-racist activity.
In summary. The Lib Dems had allowed racist votes to support them in previous elections, they challenged that this time and lost votes as a result, all credit to them for this. Labour fought a solid campaign. I do question the idea that flying the flag over a Town Hall on Prince Andrew’s birthday is a key issue. I found this out after the campaign by the way.
Vote Labour to honour Prince Andrew’s birthday has to be one of the more bizarre campaign strategies I have come across.
I fought a clean campaign, and the other 12 people I saw fighting this campaign, fought a clean campaign. One Labour candidate has a long and distinguished record of fighting racism personally known to me. One Liberal Democrat activist who hides behind anonymity to make false statements has tried to stir up things by selective quoting, stating rumours as fact, and deliberate invention.
Acer2007 could have consulted Dr.Matthew Huntbach, Liberal Democrat councillor for this ward 1994-2006 and a former Leader of the Lewisham Liberal Democrats.
Here’s his view of Downham:
“Also, of course, there is racial resentment. I can state quite clearly that the Liberal Democrats never used anything which “pandered to racism”, but one has to acknowledge that the sort of resentment which leads elsewhere to BNP voting here led to LibDem voting.”
Matthew Huntbach fought at least 5 campaigns in Downham (probably more he’s an inveterate activist) against Acer2007’s apparent one campaign. My analysis is with Matthew who does not hide behind anonymity. For the previous 5 elections racists voted tactically Liberal Democrat in Downham. To their credit this time the Liberal Democrats stood a black candidate and their racist voters switched to the BNP.
So Acer2007 if you say Lib Dems are the honourable victims here why will you not provide your name?
Filed under: Labour Party | Tagged: Acer2007, BNP, Dave Hill, Downham, Duwayne Brooks, John Grieves, Lewisham, Matthew Huntbach, Pauline Morrison, Prince Andrew, Union Jack
Acer2007 says:
“There are rumours circulating that the local Labour party, on the election night before polls had closed, had circulated leaflets stating that your exit polls had it that the BNP where going to win. You were blateney were trying to scaremonger voters, with complete and utter lies.”
Rubbish, I was there knocking up the Labour vote and getting people to polling stations. I saw no such leaflets. What Acer2007 says is a made up rumour. Ask any of those pictured in my blog, many of these people have decades fighting racism, this is scurrilous nonsense, all that can be bad about the blogosphere. Why Acer2007 makes up such things is up to him/her.
Mary, a copy of this leaflet has been passed to the Returning Officer (Barry Quirk) who has passed it onto the police.
I am happy to email you a copy if you wish.
Thank you for getting in touch Dan, please go through the contact form here
http://www.maryhoneyball.net/contact.htm and I will have alook and email you separately
I liked your working for Whitefoot site, something more councillors should do.
Mary
You are either unaware of, or are choosing to ignore the fact that it was Lewisham Lib Dem activists who were unsuccessfully sued by the BNP candidate after the Downham by-election in 2002 for putting out hard-hitting literature (written by me) which listed all the criminal convictions of top BNP activists, and laid out their disgraceful policies and the impact of their activities on the local community. That is not tacitly accepting BNP votes – that’s challenging them head on and being prepared to face them down in court. We did and we won. It was a thoroughly unpleasant experience and took 3 years to get to court, but we were not going to settle or back down. And, incidentally, it was the same candidate as stood this time. I was one of the key witnesses and am a former Downham councillor. Ask my colleagues – on the doorstep I used to challenge people with what I considered to be racist views and tell them not to vote for me.
I don’t disagree with what Matthew Huntbach, one of my then ward colleagues, says, but of course it is not possible to prevent someone with racist views voting tactically for us – we don’t stand over people in the voting booths. But I don’t know any colleagues who have let openly expressed racism go unchallenged.
If you’re going to enter into a dialogue about something this serious, you should make sure you know your facts first.
I’ve only just seen this, so here’s a belated comment.
I am very glad that we Liberal Democrats in Downham managed to turn the resentment that sometimes leads to BNP voting into support for something more positive. People who vote for the BNP are not necessarily deeply racist, but they feel resentment at the way the world has changed and they’ve been put down by the powers that be,
and most particularly let down by the Labour Party, and one of the immediate things they see that’s different from the past is the racial mix. In Downham we managed to persuade people not to blame non-whites for their predicament, and to see that whatever friendly “we’re just like Labour used to be” image the BNP may put on, underneath they’re still very nasty people who DON’T deserve your vote however much you feel it might be a good “protest”.
So, no Mary, I don’t want to pick up “racist” support, I want to persuade people that they should not be racist and turn to support us instead of the BNP. Understand the difference?
Cathy forgot to mention that in the 2002 borough elections we also put up a non-white candidate with a non-Anglo name, Vijay Naidu. Sadly, he lost by just 6 votes (disgracefully, the Returning Office “forgot” to ask if we wanted a recount before the declaration). We would hardly have done this if we had a deliberate tactic of trying to pick up racist support.
My own experience of the Downham estate is that the transition from an almost all-white council estate to a racially mixed one which I saw during my time as a councillor there has gone more smoothly than has happened in many other similar places. Doesn’t mean there isn’t racism, but I was pleased also how many times I also encountered friendship and support between people on the estate of different races.
I do think the sensible attitude we Liberal Democrats have taken to this issue – standing up for the largely white working class electorate there so they didn’t feel they were forgotten, while firmly refusing any “pandering to racism” and actively opposing the BNP – has helped with that. It’s not like some other (former) Labour strongholds where the absence of a decent opposition and the laziness and incompetence of their Labour councillors has let the BNP in.
Mary
1) I make no apology for the behaviour of the Liberal Democrtas in Downham because there is no apology to make. I was Liberal Democrat councillor for Downham for 12 year I am 100% proud of everything we did in that time.
2) When you write “Whatever you may say, the BNP is a deeply racist party” you are implying I am suggesting it is not a deeply racist party. I am not implying that, I am only noting that sonme who are not racists misguidedly vote for them, and I am proud for my part in turning people away in Downham from that.
I am sorry Mary that on your comments on what I wrote you are showing the nasty behaviour I have come to asssociate with the Labour Party – nasty, vengeful, mud-slinging, twisting. I do not forget the leaflet the Labour Party aimed at me in Downham – 20 terms of personal abuse at me. Why? Because I had the temerity to dare to challenge your domination and give the people of Downham a choice.
Mary, I was brought up in a Labour home, there are aspects of the Liberal Democrats I don’t like (e.g. Nick Clegg is far too right-wing for me, and I am worried about the right-wing “liberatarians” who seem to be invading the party and becoming its Militant Tendency). There was a point quite recently when I was becoming depressed enough about the LibDems that I just might have thought of moving back to your party.
But seeing how you have behaved here and tried to twist my words and misrepresent me just because I’m a bit independent-minded and never liked Labour’s monopoly, that reminds me why I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat and would never be in your horrible party. It’s obvious you hate anyone who isn’t you, isn’t that a bit like the BNP?
I’m sorry it isn’t possible to have a rational discussion on these issues, Mary, I tried, your reply to me shows why you and your party are worthless.
Mary, I never said the BNP were not deeply racist, so why do you keep saying it in a way that implies I don’t agree?
My point is that not everyone who votes BNP is deeply racist. There are people who aren’t deeply racist, but have a tendency to lash out and blame people of other races for all their problems when there are deeper and very different real reasons for those problems. This is similar to the way (you’ll like this example) there are people who don’t deeply hate Labour, but havea tendency to lash out and blame Gordon Brown for all their problems. There are also people who aren’t racist, but who have been misled by the BNP’s recent material which plays down their racism and sells the BNP as just a voice of protest.
So, we have to win these people back and teach them that they are wrong and that for whatever surface reasons they may have voted BNP or Conservative, those parties won’t really do anything for their problems because at their basis is a pretty rotten politics.
Why shouldn’t I be proud of winning back people who have been conned into voting BNP in the past, or stopping those who might have been conned from doing so?
Mathew, Your apology for the behaviour of the Lib Dems in Downham reads well, but, sadly, does not reflect what actually happened. We are faced with another vote in three weeks time for the European Parliament on 4 June. Labour is actively leading the fight against the BNP. Whatever you may say, the BNP is a deeply racist party – you only have to read Nick Griffin’s various diatribes to realise just how objectionable they are. Along with all the other Labour Euro candidates, I pledge to combat racism wherever it raises its ugly head. It’s time to stop the BNP once and for all.
Mathew, The BNP is a deeply racist party as is shown at present during the European election camapign. That is the substance of what I said, and I stand by my earlier comments.