By Grace Fletcher-Hackwood and Kevin Peel
Today we're launching a new online initiative which will allow activists from across the country to come together and provide much needed help to our campaign efforts in key marginal constituencies - without leaving the comfort of your own home!
#mobmonday is an attempt to MOBilise the many thousands of Labour activists up and down the UK who are using the social media site Twitter and give them the opportunity to contribute easily to seats where their help is desperately needed - and vital to ensuring we see a fourth term Labour Government returned to the House of Commons after the next general election.
So what's the ask? We want members to log on to the Virtual Phone Bank between 6pm and 8pm - for all or part of that time - every Monday evening and make contacts for a different key marginal seat each week. Even if you just spend half an hour on there you can make 10 contacts, which will really make a difference.
Activists are encouraged to Tweet in between phone calls using the #mobmonday hashtag to create a virtual online community where our Twittering canvassers can come together to talk about the experience.
We're kicking off with the key marginal constituency of Bury North, where Tweeting PPC @Maryam4BuryNth is fighting to ensure the people of Bury still have a Labour MP after the election.
The more people we speak to the better our chances of winning the next election - it's that simple. In key seats where the result will be decided by a handful of votes it could be your phone call that makes the difference between a Labour MP or not, and a Labour Government or a Tory nightmare. If that isn't enough of an incentive, we'll be thinking up fun prizes for the people who make the most contacts every month.
To join in e-mail Kevin Peel or Grace Fletcher-Hackwood at mancyounglabour@googlemailcom or DM @kevpeel or @msgracefh on Twitter We're available to answer any questions or provide any support we can to activists who haven't used the Virtual Phone Bank before. It's really easy though and you'll have a lot of fun!
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Did you know that Bury North members are piloting the STLP Labour Loyalties survey? An open version was run here
http://www.labourlist.org/save-labour-party-peter-kenyon-radical-manifesto-poll
Synergy?
I would have thought that meeting people face to face would be more benifencal ? what policys are we suposed to sell ? what happens when someone says "i dont belive or trust mr Brown", what happens when someone mentions we broke promises?
Danny
btw i dont use twitter
Being disabled and housebound, this is perfect for me in fact.
As regards the issue of fighting key marginal constituencies, I have posted elsewhere on many people are not embracing Gordon Brown despite nearly 750 members in our Facebook Group "We're Backing Brown". This is of enormous frustration to us who feel that the Party should at long last bury the hatchet and show their unity behind Gordon Brown. Incidentally, whilst this has fallen on deaf ears mainly in Labour media circles, it was nice to get positive input after Iain Dale posted it at the top of the Daley Dozen yesterday from some leading journalists in the left-wing print media inter alia.
http://www.shibleyrahman.blogspot.com
Petty though it sounds, but if people are not wishing to show unity over Brown, I am rather loathed to join other initiatives in the social media where they are not backing my cause. I have my point, and you all have yours.
Keep up the good work
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=242290599294&ref=ts
It is a closed group so if you would like to join could you send a message on how you found the group as we had a big problem with 'offensive posters' last week unfortunately?
On that note, I can perfectly understand why some of my close comrades prefer not to have the anxst of Facebook but maybe prefer Twitter. Twitter is definitely much better for this.