Keep the BNP out of Ipswich

Keep the BNP out of Ipswich – It was a sad day for the town this week when the BNP announced that they would stand in Bridge and Chantry. I have always been proud of the fact that Ipswich has been a town of many cultures and one that was not blighted by the race riots of the 80;s or the rise of the National Front in the 1970’s.
One of my old school friends has contacted me since I have been in Afghanistan and we both remember the great times we had at Toweramparts, but the best thing about the school was how everyone got on – white, West Indian, Sikh, Indian, Ukrainian- it was a school of many different cultures but the fact that we all stuck together- what ever the provocation was part of my education and upbringing that I am proud of.

Now we have fascists standing in this town that is not what is Ipswich is about – recently we have had Mayor’s born in the West Indies, but if you go to the Racecourse estate and just off Felixstowe Road is a street named after the first Asian Mayor in Ipswich – and that was in the 1920’s.

It seems funny and slightly perverse that I am sitting in Afghanistan, trying to bring democracy and freedom to all in a troubled country, when back in Ipswich we have two people standing who would like to take away the right to live in a democracy from thousands who now see Britain as there home.

Please make sure in June we show them at the ballot box that they are not wanted in this town and that they go back under the stone they crawled out from.

Keep on fighting

Saturday and the pace of campaigning is still unrelenting - we start the day in Ravenswood, a large team out knocking on door's- harder than you think with the maze style of modern housing. No Ipswich game this afternoon, so went out delivering, spoke to a couple of residents and they all seem very concerned about the new housing development planed for the Hayhill allotment site.
Sunday was a rest day from the campaign as it was off to Norwich to see Ipswich gain their fourth point off the budgies this season. interesting to visit another town during the campaign. Round Carrow Rd were a number of election posters- but no Labour (or Tory) just a mix of Green's and Lib Dems, must be the yellow and green colours. No campaigning today but did receive my next bundle of leaflets to deliver!
Monday and it was out the door at six in the morning to get a delivery out before work, lunchtime was spent phone canvassing and another dose of leaflet delivery after work before joining a large group in Bridge Ward as we canvassed in support of Phil Smart- Just over a week to go now and the Tory manifesto/kebab menu arrives through the door- Lib Dems still not shown their face in Rushmere yet.