Had a chat with a Labour Party Canvasser

In the weeks running up to the local elections, the only party to canvas my house was Labour. I occasionally got a form through the door asking me to tick what my greatest concerns were: parking, schools, etc. There was no mention of AWS or Self-ID nor was there an 'other' box for the person being canvassed to write about their concern(s). And! The form had to be mailed back at the completer's cost.

Not surprisingly, I did not complete the form or return it.

I believe that everyone who goes out canvassing has their own reason for doing so; mine is to support people I respect and who I feel are the best candidates for the job. I came to Labour because of the hard work of my local councillors, rather than the manifesto.

That said, I’ve already talked with @namechangeah that I really don’t feel that I can campaign or vote for Labour at the next GE unless they come to their senses about this issue. I would very much like to be able to separate local and national politics, but our rule book is quite specific.

Now I’m off to re-read the manifesto in preparation for the 2019 local elections!

So the first thing I'm now going to ask canvassers is 'have you read the party manifesto'.
I mean if you google 'X party manifesto' its always the first result. Its not like you'd accidentally stumble on to some horrific porn or a Mexican Cartel beheading.

It's not a Labour thing; it's an every party thing

Oh yes I can believe that.

I'm just puzzled that people who are politically engaged enough to actually get off their arses to canvas, are not politically engaged enough to find out what the policies are of the party they're canvasing for. It's so much easier to sit at your laptop and read, than it is to actually go pounding the pavement and get abuse on doorsteps, that I'm just slightly amazed. This issue has been relatively high profile recently, I would have thought that if you were at all political, you'd be aware of it, that's all.

I mainly know about this issue from MN. I hardly seem to come across it IRL.

Ditto. I discovered thanks to MN that I am gender critical, but I know no trans people and have literally never heard anyone in rl even mention self i.d. or the trans agenda.

This is why it’s taking so bloody long to get information out there, people have no idea what is going on and they don’t believe you/think you are exaggerating when you tell them.

Langcleg, that exactly chimes with what manfink has told me. As a Labour canvasser.

I mainly know about this issue from MN. I hardly seem to come across it IRL.

We’re told that we don’t need policy knowledge for canvassing as we’re usually following a script to save time.

This isn't unusual. All the canvassers are assumed to be generally on board with the vast majority of a party's manifesto. The party has particular messages it wants to communicate on the doorstep and particular messages to counter the most likely hostile responses. Canvassers are volunteers - there isn't time for belt and braces training. They just get given the important messages and are told to get out of there as quickly as grace allows if something tricky comes up.

It's not a Labour thing; it's an every party thing.

And would suspect IF someone was familiar it would be interpreted as being nice to marginalised people and that's a good liberal thing.

Yes to all of this news management. Am a Labour Party member and local meet attender. Unless MN hadn't mentioned it from time to time.......i would be none the wiser. I have three member friends in three different CLPs and none knew.

How have they kept it a secret from ordinary members like him?

They haven't kept it secret - I am not a Labour Party member and I know about it; your friend has not educated himself. Two different things.

Moral of the story: don't wait to be told about policies. Be responsible for informing yourself.

A man friend of mine, 64 yrs old, Labour Party stalwart, has been attending local party meetings in Surrey religiously for 42 years and has held office and stood for council during that time.

I recently told him about self-ID and the crowdfunder and all that. He knew absolutely ZERO about it. His CLP had NEVER raised the subject. He peaktransed about 4 times during our conversation. How have they kept it a secret from ordinary members like him?

Sorry manfink!

I'm batfink's friend who he mentioned peak transed him. I'm a regular FWR poster. Don't want to out anyone. He's telling the truth and he's a good guy who totally gets where we are coming from.

No, we don’t know about this shit. We’re told that we don’t need policy knowledge for canvassing as we’re usually following a script to save time. I only know about this because a friend educated me.

And here was me sitting here thinking i couldnt be shocked any more

This is the sort of crap you can expect from a party whose leader, JC, supported the IRA murder gangs.

Yep I've had exactly the same conversation with a couple of Labour canvassers on my doorstep. I believe they were genuinely not aware of the issue; they were quite disturbed by it and promised to investigate further.

We’re told that we don’t need policy knowledge for canvassing as we’re usually following a script to save time.

Seriously? Why on Earth would you even want to canvas for a party when you don't know their policies?

I'm genuinely puzzled by this.

How can you canvas for a political party and not be aware of their policies?

I'm incensed at this. Socialism is based on class analysis and analysis of oppression and hierarchy. Women are a distinct class. Classes can work together for a common goal and are stronger together.
Identity politics is based on neoliberal ideas of the individual.

I've had to edit this post heavily to remove all the fucking

No, we don’t know about this shit. We’re told that we don’t need policy knowledge for canvassing as we’re usually following a script to save time. I only know about this because a friend educated me.

Sorry but they have got to be lying.

You cannot be politically engaged enough to actually work for free, for the Labour Party canvassing, and not know this shit.

I know there's a mainstream media blackout, but people who are motivated enough to actually canvas, read stuff other than msm, surely?

We need to tell everyone about this

And Guides

For the many not the few (unless you're female or a Jew)

I had an argument with a lab phone canvasser- she sounded very irritable when she claimed not to know anything about self Id and I souls consider local issues as they are local elections. Same when I brought up Brexit. They do know - she sounded totally fed up with being given reasons why lifelong supporters will no longer support Labour .