Stalybridge and Hyde

On Friday night I went to Hyde to give an NEC report to their General Committee Meeting.

Stalybridge and Hyde is a good Labour Party with James Purnell as its MP and part of Tameside - a very strong, progressive Labour Council. Very down to earth with a good age range they know the importance of concentrating on practical matters - as I have put it "if you can't get the bins emptied, they're not going to trust you to run the country!"

There was a good range of questions and contributions ranging from the timing of the General Election (if only I knew!), party funding, the need for greater regulation of public transport in the metropolitan areas - a subject there's a growing consensus on, and the need to take into account the needs of traditional Labour voters as well as swing voters.

One of their branches - on a big former Manchester overspill estate - have developed a tool co-operative - where for a small membership fee, people can hire skippers, sanders, generators etc. for a nominal amount. A real way of engaging with the community.

Anyway - a good way of spending a Friday night followed by a trip to the World Irish Heritage Centre in Cheetham, where I picked up details of the One World One Cheetham Festival (more later).