It was a pleasure to return to Eastleigh for the third time in this campaign at the weekend. It was very inspiring to see the large numbers of members of Liberal Youth helping. Many had made long journies to get to Eastleigh. I was delivering with Matt and Johnny from Birmingham University, who travelled down by train for the day. It was their first time helping at a by-election.
A quick look at Liberal Youth websites and Facebook pages shows they have been spearheading huge efforts in Eastleigh. On Saturday they organised a special Liberal Youth Flock to Eastleigh event which was topped off by a rally addressed by Mike Thornton.
I would recommend having a look at the Today I made a difference website. It has some truly inspiring photos and videos of Liberal Youth members helping with phone banks and the like.
Well done to Liberal Youth for all your fantastic work in this campaign!
* Paul Walter is a LibDem activist in Newbury, Berkshire and blogs at Liberal Burblings
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5 Comments
If party activists are making “long journeys” to “flock to Eastleigh”, has it stopped being about local issues?
@Peter
No. Just because the people delivering the leaflets aren’t local doesn’t mean that the leaflets stop being about local issues.
Great work by Sam & Kavya! Hopefully it’ll continue for the 2013 local elections!
@George Potter
But what about the phone canvassing? And if a leaflet deliverer is asked about the contents?
Years ago, when I was outside a polling station helping to tick off voters who had promised to vote for our Liberal candidate, I was surprised to find that the lady with me was an activist from elsewhere. I guess Lib Dems need to use every weapon in their arsenal to overcome the advantages held by tories and Labour, but I can’t help but feel slightly uneasy about a party machine that can swoop from outside to work an election campaign but still make claims about localism. And can it work for national elections?
@ Peter – at byelections like this, a local activist will often accompany visitors, so if they are asked any difficult local questions , the local activist can help. Just because out of town activists help, I don’t think that means a campaign isn’t local.