We're backing Arlene

The first I knew it was European Parliament candidate selection time was when the Arlene McCarthy's leaflet arrived yesterday. A prominent mention for the Co-op Party, and a short endorsement from Paul Murphy, Chair of Manchester Area Party and Secretary of Withington Co-op Party for her help with credit unions and co-operatives.

Today the ballot papers arrived. They have to be returned by Friday 7th March by post - sadly no online voting for this contest. Anyway it's no contest for us - Arlene is the Number 1 choice for all the support and help she's made as MEP for this region. The European Parliamentary elections will take place in June 2009.

Campaigning all year round

Years ago political parties turned up in April for your vote in May. Now propaganda activities only stop for xmas and the long school holidays in summer. This is a picture from the other night in an activity called "stuffing envelopes" for the Labour Party in the Hardy Lane Co-op Rooms. I noticed everybody in the photo is also a member of Withington Co-op Party. We could have organised a discussion instead of doing gossip, jokes and a cup of tea.

Picture from John Hacking - see ChorltonParkLabour.

New General Secretary

"The Co-operative Party is searching for a new General Secretary after the surprise announcement that Peter Hunt plans to leave the post next month to set up a Westminster-based public affairs consultancy.

Mr Hunt will be joined in the new venture by Matt Ball, currently Parliamentary Officer with the Party, who is also working his notice and will leave his post on March 3rd.

Peter Hunt told thenews.coop that he wanted a new challenge after ten years in charge of running the Co-op Party's affairs, but said he would continue to be involved in the co-operative and mutual sector and will stay on as Chief Executive of the think tank and advisory body Mutuo."
form Co-operative News 12/02/2008

Online Web Chats

The Co-operative online webchat series continues tomorrow afternoon with Ethical Shopping. On Thursday February 28th there is another about Fairtrade Campaigning, and on the panel that'll be replying to questions via a keyboard will be one of our members - Councillor Sue Murphy (Brooklands, Manchester).

You need to log in with your Co-operative membership number to take part. Link.

Co-operative Football

You couldn't possibly get more community and co-operative than the forthcoming FC United v. Bamber Bridge fixture at Gigg Lane, Bury on Saturday 1st March. The kids (u-18's) have free admission, there are free fairtrade snacks provide by The Co-operative and other activities if you get there early to Youth United Day. FC United are owned by their members, and personally as someone who watches the Premier League I must say I do really enjoy an afternoon in the Unibond Division One North with 2-3,000 Mancunians.
Details

Two Ministers in One Day

Possibly what's to come over the next two years or less - Ministers popping into Withington Constituency now it's a target marginal with one of our members Lucy Powell the prospective candidate for the Labour Party.

In the afternoon there was Douglas Alexander MP, Minister For International Development. Arrived an hour late due to previous engagements and traffic. But 40 or so hung on in St. Ninians, Chorlton to listen. Then followed some tricky questions from the audience, but you have to hand it him he knows his stuff.
In the evening it was a fund raising dinner for Lucy's campaign in Didsbury. The Co-op Party, as you'd expect chipped in with prizes and support. The highlight was Ed Balls MP (Labour/Co-op). Now I've been to many dinners like this but never one with the guest speaker going round every table to meet everyone. Hand shaking and a few relevant words - it takes some stamina to work a room of that size and then do your speech with a few funny stories thrown in.
Picture is of Kevin Bennett, from the Co-op Party in Warrington and Ed Balls MP. There are a few other Photos (11).

AGM Done and Dusted

As AGM's go the Withington Co-op Party is possibly one of the most relaxed meetings to attend. Okeh, we got delayed whilst the Secretary nipped to the Co-op shop downstairs to buy the juice, beer and biscuits so ten minutes of gossiping whilst we wait. Everybody re-elected unopposed - not sort after posts then. Bit of a discussion about will there still be a branch next year with the organisational changes of the party in the north. Who knows, you just carry on until told not to... Agreed the donations to five our members standing in the local elections (3 as Lab/Co-op; 2 as Labour) just as long as they mention something about the Co-op Party in their leaflets.

Ideas for activity, and after the 90th Anniversary year of 2007 it didn't have that must-do buzz this year....Fairtrade Update (read can we sample some new world wines from the Co-op again), Robert Owen (acknowledge 150 years), Ship Canal Cruise (the Secretary has been trying to get six hours on a boat with a bar on the programme for years - this might be it - Liverpool here we come), Internet & Political campaigning (this one was mine but I could see the eyes glaze over when mentioning Super Tuesday, Twitter, Spinvox to some who arn't sure what YouTube and Facebook are). Maybe something on railways - an industry that receives a lot of public money and could be better run on more beneficial mutual lines (see forthcoming Social Enterprise and the Railways Conference by the Co-op Party in Swindon).

However it's making suitable time in people's busy agendas that's the issue.

February / March fixtures

Now that winter isn't over! It was Candlemass / Groundhog Day yesterday and if any hedgehog got up it would have definately have seen its own shadow and hibernated for another six weeks. But we're of sterner stuff.


Thursday 7th February 2000h Hardy Lane, Chorlton
Withington Co-op Party AGM. Business is brief and the highlight is trying to put a realistic programme of events for the year. Suggestions?

Friday 8th February 1900h for 1930h Sangam 2, Didsbury
Fundraising Dinner with Ed Balls MP (Labour / Co-op) - a few tickets still available.

Wednesday 27th February 1830h for 1900h Blue Box Theatre, Chorlton
Black Gold film (74 minutes) organised with The Co-operative, South Manchester Members Group and ourselves. Free admission to all. Part of Fairtrade Fortnight

Saturday 15th March 1330h Castlefield Hotel, Manchester
Area Party AGM with guest speaker Sean Fensom on Retailing & The Internet (an ever growing way of doing business).

Picture is of the new Co-operative look in Didsbury - the picture in blue fascia taken last year is here.

UK Politics on You Tube

You Tube is very much an extra tv channel. Just check the number of times it is quoted in the tv and print media though very often it's minor criminal types filming their activities and wondering why they got caught.

The UK Politics Channel was launched last week by Gordon Brown with a video (1 min 16 seconds).
So far we have the Labour Party, Webcameronuk (worth a visit), Green Party, Sinn Fein and Respect. A cross-section but where are the nationalist parties, and maybe the Co-operative Party could think about joining in too with some short, inexpensive talking head footage. I'll stress the concept short - some of the material available to view is nearly 15 minutes long which doesn't suit squinting at a PC with other distractions going on.
UK Politics Channel

Co-ops UK NW more than think

Spent an afternoon at the Co-op UK North West meeting - a get together of all co-operatives in this part of the planet. We got the big names speaking first - Pauline Green from Co-ops UK, and Moira Lees from Co-operative Group. After a break you get me, as seen in the photo. It's only when I got home that I found out someone had used my camera to take the picture. That's co-operation for you. A very positive and inspirational meeting. There are more mutuals out there than you'll ever read about - met growers from Growing With Grace, Salford Leisure, Supporters Direct, Huyton Elderley Housing. Just a few notes..Pauline Green stating that co-operatives arn't an alternative to doing business they are a better way of doing business...Moira Lees pointing out that people are calling for co-operative solutions giving this just this week's examples of fans of Liverpool FC wanting to do their own buy out, and the residents on tiny Eigg with their community energy solution.