Wednesday

An interesting but varied evening yesterday.

First of all, the London Region Political Committee of Amicus, where we had a good discussion about how to strengthen the union link by getting workplace reps of the union to get involved in the Labour Party as Amicus delegates to their GC. Anyone got any best practice on how to get this happening they can share?

Labour Party NEC Member Mike Griffiths, our National Political Officer, was guest speaker and, in advance of the merger result, stressed that the merged union musn't just be the one with the biggest voice in the Labour Party, it must be the one that gives the most support by putting the most campaigners on the streets at election time. An early priority is anti-BNP work in Sandwell in the run up to the 3 May local elections.

Afterwards, a dash across town to a fundraising dinner for two of the hardest campaigning Labour MPs - Jim Knight and Chris Bryant. Speaker David Miliband stressed that although their two constituencies - Rhondda (Lab maj 16,242) and South Dorset (Lab maj. now up to a comparatively large 1,812) they actually have more in common than might be apparent - both have very active campaigning CLPs, both have MPs whose local work meant they increased their majorities in 2005, and they need each other - The Rhondda can only get a Labour government if we win in South Dorset, and South Dorset needs heartland voters in The Rhondda to keep faith with Labour.

Also there were Labour bloggers Tom Watson MP who was on good form ribbing me for my support for Hazel Blears and Leighton Andrews AM who asked which Luke Akehurst blog I was the author of (very funny).