Ed Miliband’s Campaign Gains More Momentum

The Labour Leadership campaign began some eleven weeks ago. It started following the resignation of Gordon Brown. It began immediately after the formation of a callous, cruel coalition.

Ed Miliband started his campaign from his living room with no money and no organisation but with a real passion to bring about change. A desire to change the Labour Party, to reconnect with the membership, to create a party in which all the members have the opportunity to contribute to the movement for change which is the Labour Party. A movement for change which can reconnect with our nation by demonstrating that we are on their side, that we understand their issues and that we have solutions to their problems. But not simply solutions to their problems but ideas to fuel their hopes.

In those eleven weeks Ed’s campaign has gained real ground, inspired and motivated so many people. His campaign has been gaining real momentum because people understand that Labour must change if we are to win again. In the last week alone, 7 additional MPs have offered him their backing, and he has secured the nomination of the 6th trade union.

Today, a new poll shows just how far his campaign has come and how close this contest is going to be. Ed Miliband’s campaigh in really within touching distance of winning.

Ed’s campaign is powered by people. Thousands of people who have signed up to volunteer, and over 600 people who have helped us raise over £40,000 in small donations so far.

There are just 8 weeks left to go in this fight. It’s a fight for our values the values which my late Father and Grandfather believed in and committed themselves to. Values of equality, the dignity of work, aspiration and liberty.

You can help Ed Miliband with the campaign he intends to win by making a small donation to his campaign here: Ed Miliband

Ed Miliband’s Campaign Powered By People – Powered by You!

*Post adapted from an Email Sent By Ed Miliband

That’s Torn It Ed!

If you are supporting Ed Miliband for Labour Leader and have a website or blog then a great way to show your support is by carrying a banner with a link back to his site.

Someone asked for something a little different to the standard banner. So here to help you demonstrate your support for Ed Miliband another banner you can use. To use it on your own website or blog simply right click and “save target as” remembering where you saved it of course! Then upload it to your own website.

Ed Miliband – The Momentum Continues

Firstly an apology! I made a post yesterday which urged candidates in the Labour Leadership election to drop the “Spin” from their campaigns which I subsequently deleted. I deleted it because I saw that there were some who no matter what was said were going to engage in spin. However, more importantly I deleted it because I remembered one of my key tenets which is to always focus on the positive and let others wallow in those low places if they wish. There is much to be incredibly positive about!

As the window for supporting nominations closed in the Labour Leadership Campaign Ed Miliband has proven something really important for the Labour Party! He has proven that a campaign which focuses on the issues that matter and driven by the enthusiasm and small donations of many people can triumph.

To quote from an email from Ed and his team:

“I am delighted and humbled that I have been backed by over 150 Constituency Labour Parties, by over 60 MPs, by 6 MEPs and by 6 major trade unions.

This is a huge victory for our campaign.”

It is indeed a huge achievement and a testament to the passion and commitment that Ed has already inspired in so many ordinary members. Some of those whom some would call the grassroots have shown that they believe in what he is saying and in an approach which engages with them.

I am delighted to be backing Ed Miliband for Labour Leader because more than any other individual he embodies the beliefs and the values that talk to the needs of our country and the Labour Party. To quote further from Ed’s email:

“My campaign to renew Labour is rooted in our common values: equality, the dignity of work, fairness, aspiration and liberty. With those values, Labour can build a new progressive majority to win. We can recapture the centre ground, reconnect with communities across the country and regain the trust of the British public by building a new politics we can be proud of.”

A few days ago someone asked me why I support the Labour Party. The answer I gave was quite simple. I support the Labour Party because I believe that it best reflects my values, of fairness, equality, justice and service to others. With Ed Miliband as Leader we can achieve so much.

I would urge any member to join me in voting for change and a Leader who embodies change and that individual is Ed Miliband

You Have To Laugh!

With all the seriousness of the Labour Party Leadership campaign and other political happenings sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we need time to relax.

Laughter as they say is the best medicine and I thought I would take a moment or two to reflect on that.

“Laughter is the best medicine” is an old Proverb (Proverbs 17:22) and the phrase is still widely used today all over the world. But, why do we say “laughter is the best medicine”? Let’s take a look at what happens inside your body, mind and spirit when you laugh.

When you laugh endorphins are released throughout your body, stimulating muscles, nerves, organs and tissues. These endorphins give relief to chronic pain, help to relieve stress and promote functioning of the immune system. When you laugh or even smile, your spirit or inner being is stimulated in a positive way, producing a more positive outlook on life which helps your body produce more self healing endorphins. Laughter causes a lift in your spirits, helping you feel more positive and happier. Laughter literally helps heal your body.

When you are hanging out with friends, having good conversation that produces smiles and laughter, your mind is producing happy thoughts. Happy thoughts lead to a more positive outlook on life. Laughing causes your inner being to be emotionally healthier.

Laughter begins to develop in humans as early as 3 months of age and baby laughter is one of the most contagious of all human sounds! Don’t you just love it when you hear a baby or toddler laugh? What happens to you? You can’t help but laugh too! In addition, think of how good you feel when you hear a baby laugh.

Laughter not only helps you personally, it is also very contagious and infectious helping those around you feel less stress and anxious. How about in your relationships? When two people share a funny story or a funny situation arises between the two, there is a unique bonding that happens. Something special is created between the two that only they can relate too. It’s like an inside joke that only the two people who’ve shared the moment can relate to and laugh about.

You’ll be amazed at how you begin to feel on the inside. It will also begin to affect how you look and feel on the outside.

Why I Believe In Ed Miliband

I have talked about the influence that my late Grandfather and Father have had on my values in previous posts. How their selfless service to their local communities has inspired my own approach to life. How they loved, served and fought for the people of their local communities through and with the Labour Party.

One of the things that was drummed into me from an early age was that my efforts should be focused on helping others to help themselves. Not simply solving problems for people, although at times that has its’ place, but enabling and facilitating them to solve their problems.

Every time I watch Ed Miliband on TV and through the web the more convinced I become that he is the man who encapsulates those values which so resonate with me.

I can remember being told about many of the ways in which my Grandfather helped his community. In recent days one particular memory has been coming back to me and perhaps is pertinent for today. The local community wanted to build a Community Centre on spare land that had been designated for them to use. He was asked to take the lead, as he was so frequently, on what nowadays we would refer to as a community project.

He could, quite easily, have turned to his Family or to some well to do donor to get the money for the building. But he knew how important it was that everybody who would benefit from the Community Centre played a part in bringing it into being. So there were numerous fundraising activities, bric-a-brac sales, small donations, levies at meetings and so on. The community raised the money with no need for them to be beholden to the wealthy donors no matter how well intentioned they might be.

They raised the money they needed and the Community Centre was built. A monument to the community and to the fact that whatever their ability everyone had played their part. A monument to the fact that people coming together and working together for the common good to achieve something which they believed in because they had made it happen. There was a real sense of momentum in the creation of a monument to community endeavour.

It is that same momentum which is driving forward the campaign for the election of Ed Miliband as Labour Leader. A commitment to working with people to facilitate real change in their lives, but change built on what they want and not what vested interests have decided.

Ed no doubt has his faults, and I am sure he would be the first to tell us what they are! But since the time, some while ago, I first became aware of him and what he stands for and believes in I have been impressed. With his values I believe that he will be the right man to lead the Labour Party in a renewal and a re-connection with the people that matter, the ordinary men and women who want to play their part in creating a better nation.