The Archers Co-operative Shop

Since October 2009, The Archers have taken their 800,000 daily listeners through the process of a community coming together to set up a community-owned enterprise to save their shop.
More.

For those who are wondering what The Archers is. A very long running soap opera on BBC Radio 4 and has stories on topical issues affecting rural life, farming, plus the usual love interest.

Interview with Gen Sec Co-op Party

"There is a definite ’sea of change’ happening between society and state, and a wave of enthusiasm for sustainable, long-term planning – so I believe it was the perfect time to interview the Co-operative Party General Secretary Michael Stephenson with the aim of learning more about the politics of the co-operative movement."

You can read and see the several short videos at Rob Dale's website - he's a very enterprising journalist student from Leeds and Co-operative Party General Secretary Michael Stephenson is being asked the questions. Link.

Video : Lucy Powell

"YouFundMe is a non-partisan online fundraising solution built with the needs of Britain's fast-growing political campaigns in mind." That's what the website says. Here Lucy Powell has made an online video. It looks like it has been filmed in the Co-op Rooms HQ at Hardy Lane and those are the leaflets that are going out this week.

Co-ops Fortnight Newsletter

A new Co-operative Fortnight newsletter is now in circulation. To find out all about forthcoming activities and to get some inspiration visit. We've heard there will be some activity locally.
http://www.thereisanalternative.coop/
For updates follow http://twitter.com/CoopsFortnight

John on a Co-op Soapbox

Liked this photo posted on Twitpic by the Co-operative Party. It's veteran campaigner John Prescott stood on a Somerfield/Co-op crate delivering the message.

Posters, Billboards and Phone Boxes

The Conservatives are not running any election campaign in Manchester Withington, they will come a poor third in the polls. But spotted this election poster on a phone box on Burton Road in West Didsbury.

That's the down side of booking hundreds of sites across the country - the scattergun approach is often off target.

Almost every aspect of this General Election campaign is being documented somewhat happazedly somewhere. Electionchampion.com is logging billboards across the country from photos sent in by readers.

A site with better photos and more humour is the Facebook Group - Vandalised Conervative Billboards.

The Road Ahead Broadcast

Thanks to the YouTube we can watch the Labour Party Political Broadcast. No idea what the viewing figures for the Tv political broadcasts are, but the parties arn't going to give up that free air-time as long as somebody is watching. This week we've had mini dramas and animations. The earnest chap in a suit and a pipe behind the desk wanting to tell you "the facts" has long retired. If you want to see how it all started then have a shufti at Ramsey MacDonald & The National Government film (2 minutes) from 1931 - it's here on YouTube (where else?).

Your Vote Could Be Worth 0.851

"In Manchester Withington, one person does not really have one vote, they have the equivalent of 0.851 votes. The power of voters in this constituency is based on the probability of the seat changing hands and its size. While you might think that every vote counts equally, where you live in the UK has a huge effect on your power to influence the election."

Check Votepower. A word of caution, aparthy can give results you never wanted.

Co-operative Toy Shop

Britain's first co-operative toy shop is just nine months old and enjoying success. There was a story in the local paper this week - the place to bee.

Not a bad pun as the shop is called Busy Bee Toys.
The shop next door is one the few remaining record shops in Britain called King Bee - which isn't a co-operative but an independent trader. Like TV Rentals, Laundrettes, Post Offices and Travel Agents record shops are a disappearing High Street outlet.

Labour Manifesto 2010 in Animation

Labour says "share our vision now by sharing our animated manifesto films with your friends". Good on the eyes and ears, a good all-round effort reports our critic.
You can download the manifesto (PDF) here.

Audio from the Co-op Party

Audioboo is an application to publish short audio interviews from your mobile phone. The Co-operative Party is on the act. Why not? Cos you can.
Check the sound here.

Leaflet Monitoring

Elections are still fought on leaflets. Paper thru doors and who can get the best, most controversial, yet another reminder, only we can win....etc, & etc.

This site is collecting examples from whoever sends them in. In there is the below the belt scaremonger job - how about Tories can save you from being stabbed in the street - here.

Make A Mark

Lots of political images or potential posters at Make A Mark. Bit different from the usual cliche propaganda.

Local press coverage : Withington

Is this Day 3 or is Day 4, according to the Manchester Evening News it is Day 3. What is happening locally, or very locally what has come through the letterbox today.
a) Leaflet from Labour to their supporters and members
b) Leaflet from Lib-Dems announcing their local election candidate (3 pages), and a page on the General Election
c) A phone call from the Lib-Dems. Politely told them I don't for them.
d) Free newspaper as in picture above, and story below.
Battlefield Withington - South Manchester Reporter Thursday 8th April 2010.

Co-op Party in the General Election

"The Co-operative Party has launched a new campaigning manifesto, alongside profiles of the 42 Labour and Co-operative candidates who are standing for parliament in the election - the highest ever number of Co-op candidates fielded."
Details of candidates
Manifesto (PDF - with pictures)

Vote Global

Lots of campaigning groups make use of a General Election to get their message across. The three main political parties have agreed to address world poverty issues on the third Sunday before 2010 Election Day - so that will be Sunday 18th April by my calculation, but may have to be corrected on that.

You can find out more at Vote Global - Make this election count for the world's poor is their slogan.

Local Elections 2010

The local elections won't get a look-in as far as the media is concerned but there is another ballot paper on Thursday 6th May and most people will make the pencil "x" to elect a City Councillors. Look on the bright side there will be a good turnout, and you get two votes for one trip to the polling station...

Withington Co-operative Party is supporting several candidates all of whom are members of this branch :
Sue Murphy (Brooklands)
Suzanne Richards (Longsight)
Jim Battle (Ancoats and Clayton)
Eddie Newman (Woodhouse Park)
Chris Paul (Withington)

General Election

At last it has been announced, it would have been a shock if it had been called for a date other that Thursday May 6th 2010.

If you want to follow Co-operative Party reaction, action and other news then the best place is on Twitter @ CoopParty. We'll bring some stories from the Withington Labour Campaign HQ, which is in the rooms above the Hardy Lane Co-op Store.

So, one month from now the electorate decide and by then we'll be worn down by the debates, accusations, leaflets through doors, counter-claims & etc...