Had a chat with a Labour Party Canvasser

[RadicalFern]

I've just had a chat with a Labour party highup(ish) on the doorstep: she was out encouraging us to vote. I asked her what she thought about self-ID on all women shortlists, and at first she didn't know what I meant and said she thought it was fine (she thought I meant trans people in general). When I explained that it meant being open to ANYONE who said they were a woman, no GRC needed, she looked horrified and said that she absolutely didn't agree with that. I told her it was current Labour party policy, and the view of JC that it should be so. She looked surprised and uncomfortable.

It just made me think - nobody knows what is going on at all. This agenda is being pushed through by the very few, without the knowledge of most of the people even in the parties most "pro" self-ID.

You would still need a GRC to be legally recognised as a female if born male. Self-ID woul however be given on your say so rather than with the current gatekeeping which includes a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Details on impact of proposed changes here: fairplayforwomen.com/legal-basics/

The other issue is the culture and policy changes - e.g. Guides, see info on the fair play website also - that have been put through 'ahead of the law' by lobby groups without thought of the impact on the mJority of the population, especially women.

But yes indeed people hadn't been told. Enough people are aware now though that concerns will need to be discussed and addressed. People are telling more people every day.

All women shortlists in the Labour Party are open to anyone who identifies as a woman, no GRC needed.

I had the same conversation with a Labour party activist. She spends the equivalent of 1 or 2 days a week working for the party but claims never to have heard of the policy.

Sorry didn't read OP properly missed this was about shortlists.

Must drink less gin.

Yes I had a similar conversation with a canvasser who just looked completely blank. He was an older bloke. He had clearly no idea what I was talking about.

No one really knows about the implications. All awareness-raising is good.

I had the same conversation with my labour canvasser this evening. On a positive note he said it was something he, and a majority of the others in the local party, was concerned about and he felt the majority in our area were not in favour of self I'd. I pointed out it was a shame it was not the party line.

None of the local bods in ordinary working class areas have any idea about this, I just got blank looks when I brought it up locally.

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 .

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

We need to tell everyone about this

And Guides

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Sorry manfink!

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?

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.

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.

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