Good point Zac about the media coverage.

It is amazing how little the Respect and Green Party have recieved over the last 2weeks on Sky News, BBC and the Newspapers. Whereas the BNP has been on loads.

Hopefully despite this both Respect and the Greens can make some breakthroughs

Galloway's days being 'numbered' if 'BNP' do better than RESPECT!

I have been fascinated by the speculation around BNP and RESPOECT. I have been following the mainstream comments and comparisons of the two groupings in the run up to 4th May elections.

It is interesting that the Galloway organisation is yet to find its political niche, at least on the local level. In Bethnal Green and Bow, the only RESPECT ‘activists’ who are recognisable are the ones who would have been engaged in some sort of productive work in the community even without a RESPECT group.

Their number is small as compared with the large number of RESPECT ‘members’ who appear to be indistinguishable from what used to be called the SWP.

I wonder what happened to the SWP!

It is so very weird!

For years and years there were SWP banners and SWP banners! I could hardly walk through the ranks of any London display of political disgust because of the impenetrable forests of SWP banners!

Something quite undemocratic is going on around RESPECT, I suspect

canvassing results show that respect is likely to make break through all over the country and we can look forward to an increase in media coverage of radical politics.. However, the hard work will be after the elections, e.g. how will respect respond to the housing crisis in london, how will it deliver reforms and extra funding when central government resists. RESPECT will judge by this, if they can't win or seen not to be doing anything then RESPECT will not be seen as an alternative by everyday people.

Regarding the SWP, the truth is that the SWP is throwing its full weight behind RESPECT and in my opinion quite rightly, why join a revolutionary party if you cannot engage in mass political activity? The SWP has alot to prove to many suspicious INDYMEDIA activists and ordinary people, I hope that RESPECT can deliver and win a larger layer of people to the movement , British politics is changing, european politics is changing, if RESPECT does fail then i fear the BNP will be the main winners and we will all be in deep shit.

Have to disagree with you there red letter. I think it is possible that RESPECT will gain seats in London but as for the rest of the country not so sure. Its a pity that the big bulk of RESPECT candidates are standing in London, this is not the way to make it a national party. Standing in mainly Muslim multi cultural communties can give the apperance that RESPECT are chasing just the Muslim vote. How come RESPECT are not standing any candidates in Barking where the BNP are strong? There are only 150 RESPECT candidates any gains with such a tiny number can only be very limited. In Tower Hamlets where RESPECT are standing in every seat the dark horse there are going to be the Lib Dems who have had some defectors from RESPECT, possible they will be the biggest winners 4th May. Galloway going on Big Brother did him no favours with the Muslim vote in Tower Hamlets.

working and canvassing around the campaign in brixton, i have to say that RESPECT are likely to win in the ward , just to remind you this is mainly a black african/carribean and white area. The issues people are cheesed off with are the same as in tower hamlets. I honestly think respect could have stood more candidates in all areas as i genuinely believe (based on experience in brixton) that respect will win almost all of the council seats where they are standing.

Tower hamlets and Newham will be the battle ground where there could be a show down with New Labour national Government if RESPECT wins control of the council. All the importnat battles and stuggles will arise from these areas and will shape RESPECT in the future, this is why RESPECT and to some degree SWP will be tested.

As far as Galloway is concerned, i was worried that his stupidity in BB would have a very negative impact on the way people vote. I have come across people who will refuse to vote RESPECT on the grounds that"galloway is a bully/ arsehole/ self promoting but this is not the norm and most people are willing to discuss politics with you and show their support

I'll make a prediction, RESPECT will gain 90 councillors in the elections.

I did not vote for George in the general election and I am not a Respect supporter, but I am impressed by the Respect candidates in my ward. All are young bangladeshis, include one woman candidate, all are ex-labour party members not SWP members, all are locals and all are secularists.

Voting in the Borough is never straight forward as it is based on the internal political machinations of the bangladeshi community who are the majority voters. This election will be descided by a good old fashioned system of patronage and who can bring in the most favours. Interesting this was the system that failed Oona, but Labour will have been busy trying to secure various 'community figures' along with their block votes to Labour. However, the war continues to turn any muslims off Labour in droves so that the old system of patronage is no as strong as it once was.

Zac's hope for the Liberals is wishful thinking as they have no real profile in the Borough and had a terrible reputation for racism amongst bangladeshis. It is possible that the white working calss vote will go to the Liberals but this will just undermine further the Labour Party vote.

The one party that is showing a lot of energy is the Tories and the large numbers of rich people now settled in Docklands and around Brick Lane may produce a few more councillors if Labour and Respect tear each other to pieces.

The Sun and News of the Screws is printed in the Borough they have been busy paying for anti-Galloway posters and trying to set him up with the Fake Sheik. I guess some nice smears will appear this Sunday but bangladeshis do not read the Sun or Screws. However, this may be a source of surprises and upsets.

It is certainly going to be fun and interesting to see if there is more to Repect than George, meanwhile got the pop-corn in and a ring-side seat.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4947274.stm

Come on 90 seats for RESPECT! Thats would be 60% of all RESPECT's candidates taking seats! I think that would be a political record. If that became true the general election is in the bag for RESPECT with Galloway in number 10! Any political parties's predictions should be taken with a pinch of salt. The fall will be hard for people who think RESPECT are doing that well. Prediction for RESPECT, 10 to 20, and I don't like this and I hope I am wrong, 40 to 50 for the BNP.

I think it is interesting that in most (but not all) Tower Hamlets wards the RESPECT candidates are two Bangladeshi or Somali activists and a white SWP member. A cynic might think that the SWP don't trust those RESPECT candidates who are not under their party discipline and have strategically sprad out their own candidates as 'minders' to ensure they get their way.

Before Big Brother, I thought RESPECT would win control of Tower Hamlets council. Now my guess is that they will ensure Neo Labour lose control of the council and there will be a (more-or-less) three way split between Labour, LibDems and RESPECT. Who will the LibDems form a coalition with?

I bet you fifty quid respet do not win 1 seat.