On Monday 7 February, the Bermondsey by-election campaign officially opened. Already the Bermondsey Labour Party has been hard at work preparing for this crucial dry-run to the general election. Mass canvasses have been called for on Sunday mornings at the party rooms. Last Sunday our Socialist Challenge reporter CAROL TURNER spent a morning out and about with candidate Peter Tatchel.
TEN THIRTY am at Lower Road, Rotherhithe. Shivering in the wind, and already wet through ay the sleet, workers are arriving for the Sunlay morning canvass.
'Hello. Have you signed in? Canvassing on eft, leafletting on the ight." Sermondsey Labour Party is geared up Peter Tatchell's bylection. The Party rooms ire spilling over eaflets, posters, badges.
The first two workers I neet are packaging leatlets o advertise Monday evenng's public meeting. One Jeremey Hawthorne, ecretary of the nearby Peckham Labour Party.
The other is Alan, who els us he doesn't have a onstituency he's just ack from Africa!
By lam, activities are workers eporting all over ondon are assigned their satch to leaflet or canvass.
Already they've signed in rom as far afield as HornIslington, Woolwich ind Wimbledon. Later, a roup arrives Eastbourne CLP. Labour Party activists recognise council tenants on the Heygate Estate leave their sunday dinner to meet candidate Peter Tatchell.
iocialist Challenge 11 February 1983 that this by-election will be for the proaching general elecSoon after !l o'clock, Peter leaves with a small entourage to cover his Sunday pitch. First, down Walworth, where we hand East Street market in out leaflets while Peter shouts through his loud The reception is mixed. Many shoppers greet Peter by name and wish him luck. Others Go back to Australia, you bloody draft dodger. Peter takes advantage of the situation to explain his views. Im proud not to have fought in the Vietnam war, ne regard all those who did as The media hatetaken toll, and Peter feels obliged to counter the lies of the press. *When get to The explains, "I won't be like all those won't move to a house in Surrey.
Live in a loca tat and know what it's like to be a council tenant. I will continue to share the blems of the local people.
As we move down the the fascists. Local thugs are on the corner, peddling Their urged by Peter to stick close together: You never know who'll pull a клпе on you. reter nas already had many threats on his life and his home.
More harassment COLC DOLLEWCER Council market officials who apologetically explain why he can't loud-hail inside the market. We move to ine perimeter or ine market. And finally go towards the local estates.
i ne small team workers with Peter knock on doors: Would you like meet Peter Tatchell didate?' while Peter shouts TUITOUS hailer, •What we need is more Labou rebels in parliament. When Labour is returned, we'll freeze rents for a year, we'll bring Britain Common Market, and we'll get rid of unemployment.
After two-and-a-half hours in the cold and rain, we make our way back to the party rooms. Everyone sabotage John O Grady must really think 'that some one up there likes him'.
certainly Labour Headquarters has a soft spot for Bermondsey's alleged real Labour candidate.
cancel Peter Thatchell's first election press conference and impound 25,000 broadsheets except as either bureaucratic incompetence, or deliberate sabotage.
Labour-hating press a scandal on a plate and they are certainly taking full advantage of their present from Transport House.
leaflets printed by the Militant supporters at Cambridge Heath Press. After all this Press is run by members and supporters of the Labour Party and surely instead of showing such a pro-Labour bias, the Bermondsey Labour Party could have found some local printshop with a Tory gaffer!
hunting Militant has dealt a blow at Tatchell's campaign.
leadership and its full-time organisers is to get on with winning the seat for Labour and routing O'Grady and his supporters.
should send people into Bermondsey who