[xXedixXx]

Hello.

I'm a member of The Labour Party and have just started doing some activist work and I was wondering from other Labour members what kind of activist work you do, if any?

I want to know which seems to be the most rewarding etc...

At the moment I've just been doing the Labour Phone bank and spoken to people in my constituency (which is okay) but the first person I called I woke up and felt really bad about :P

No trolls from other parties please

[Doyle&TheFourFathers]

share your wealth

[xXedixXx]

(Original post by Doyle&TheFourFathers)
share your wealth

As in give them a load of money? I don't think that's the right thing to do...

Helping them is probably worth more.

[dr_gonzo]

Ha! 'activism'... What 'activism'.... calling people up to ruin their days with NUlabour soudbites? why not do something more productive, volunteer....

[Moe Lester]

Jump in a river?

[xXedixXx]

(Original post by dr_gonzo)
Ha! 'activism'... What 'activism'.... calling people up to ruin their days with NUlabour soudbites? why not do something more productive, volunteer....

Well, that's what I'm saying. What sort of volunteering? Handing out leaflets? Door to door? I'm not much a people person so I'm not sure that's my thing :/

[beefmaster]

I handed out some leaflets and will hand out more!

[Cesare Borgia]

Cut down the arm rather than across.

[RK]

I was out Monday delivering some leaflets around where I live and will probably be doing more stuff like that over the next few weeks if I get the chance.

They want me to go in to their office one day too to pick up more deliveries or do some phone stuff, which I might do.

[dr_gonzo]

What I meant is that you shouldn't be leafleting, shouting slogans, whatever, for Labour anyway... I don't plan on voting cons. at the election (it's just a tiny bit beyond the pale), but you have to realise that labour's got nothing to offer this country as it is now. It's lost all sense of people's representation and any claims otherwise is complete imagination.

And under our Great Leader, it is a government surviving on a week to week basis.
If you're looking for a way into politics, I guess you should just try to work for a labour mp.

[dr_gonzo]

@ beefmaster, saw your blog... u at SOAS?

[xXedixXx]

(Original post by dr_gonzo)
What I meant is that you shouldn't be leafleting, shouting slogans, whatever, for Labour anyway... I don't plan on voting cons. at the election (it's just a tiny bit beyond the pale), but you have to realise that labour's got nothing to offer this country as it is now. It's lost all sense of people's representation and any claims otherwise is complete imagination.

And under our Great Leader, it is a government surviving on a week to week basis.
If you're looking for a way into politics, I guess you should just try to work for a labour mp.

Pretty sure I said no trolls, thanks.

[dr_gonzo]

How is this'trolling' .... I'm offering you valuable advice so you don't waste your time.... I'm unpartisan, and would hate to see conservatives in but would hate more of this uncertain, 'dead hand' government too.

I mean, this forum does seem to have an overly 'squeaky clean' image wherby any opinion which doesn't relate to the op can be said to be trolling...

I'm not making any judgements of you, but surely you would face far more ranting/confrontational attitudes to your campaigning/leafleting/telephoning than what has been said here... think of this as practice

[deMARTINO 92]

activism for a political party is a waste of time,especially for the labour party or any other party, because you want to know what people do with those leaflets, take one look at them for 5 seconds and then chuck 'em in the bin and that a waste of the funds they receive from unions and stuff that people don't actually have a choice about

[xXedixXx]

I need to help protect my interests in some way (which lie with The Labour Party), if I do some activist work at least I know I've done my bit to help secure my interests.. This is why I want to do something.

[dr_gonzo]

Ok .that seems a fair enough point of view. But then two questions must be asked:
1. What are your interests (this should be fairly clear to you - though I would argue it is not always so clear. Can we really be sure of what the best options are when choices between options is so limitied?)

2. How does the party represent you on these aspects/values/interests. I don't know if you have done this, but If you're seriously considering spending your (no doubt valuable) time on campaigning, you should check out your local MP's parliamentary record and the general party's stances with great scrutiny. http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mps/ is a good place to start... and BBC Open Democracy.

be as skeptical as you can get... They have nothing to lose from one leafleter but you have it all to lose from more 'dead hand' governance. That's not to say what you're doing is necessarily bad, just make sure it really is the right thing to do.

[xXedixXx]

(Original post by dr_gonzo)
Ok .that seems a fair enough point of view. But then two questions must be asked:
1. What are your interests (this should be fairly clear to you - though I would argue it is not always so clear. Can we really be sure of what the best options are when choices between options is so limitied?)

2. How does the party represent you on these aspects/values/interests. I don't know if you have done this, but If you're seriously considering spending your (no doubt valuable) time on campaigning, you should check out your local MP's parliamentary record and the general party's stances with great scrutiny. http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mps/ is a good place to start... and BBC Open Democracy.

be as skeptical as you can get... They have nothing to lose from one leafleter but you have it all to lose from more 'dead hand' governance. That's not to say what you're doing is necessarily bad, just make sure it really is the right thing to do.

Yeah I understand what you're saying. I do like being politically involved but if everyone has the attitude that "Oh, I'm just one person and I can't make a difference." then not a lot would get done.

[RK]

(Original post by deMARTINO 92)
activism for a political party is a waste of time,especially for the labour party or any other party, because you want to know what people do with those leaflets, take one look at them for 5 seconds and then chuck 'em in the bin and that a waste of the funds they receive from unions and stuff that people don't actually have a choice about

On the other hand, you regularly hear people saying they never hear anything from the candidates in their area and many people may only hear from one. I've heard people say countless times that they voted for someone as they were the only candidate who ever gave them any info about themselves. So it's not the total waste of time you make it out to be.

[LivingMemory]

(Original post by xXedixXx)
Pretty sure I said no trolls, thanks.

How was that trolling? It was on topic and relevant to the discussion. Just not an opinion that you wanted to hear perhaps, well, it's a public forum ...

[AntiMonarchist]

You better not show up on my doorstep