MCARF leafletting in By-election Ward

A group of around eight made our way to Halewood South, where the BNP are standing in a Knowsley council by-election later this month. Having divided the streets amongst ourselves we bumped into the labour party team who had been canvassing the area. They told us that the BNP had been out in the morning and were pretending to be UKIP candidates, presumably so that they the public did not turn on them. This tactic might have worked if UKIP were actually standing a candidate. The leafleting itself went well and we quickly covered a large part of the ward with Hope not Hate's 'Never Forget' Leaflet for Remembrance Sunday. A number of the houses had just had the BNP’s ‘Voice of Freedom’ newspaper pushed through their letter box. It would appear that the party are either extremely desperate to achieve some kind of foothold or that they simply can’t give their material away.

Two hours later, as the rain which had threatened all day began to fall; a man came out shouting after us. Seeing his shaven head we thought it was a BNP supporter ready to shout some abuse, he was followed by another shaven headed man. It turns out they were members of the former Dockers’ party, The United Socialist Party, and offered us a much needed cup of tea and a biscuit. It just goes to show that you can’t judge people by their appearances. Anyway we have now passed the leafleting baton to them and they will be completing the ward in plenty of time for the election.