On 04/10/06, Sue Burchett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >Subject: [canals-list] Re: John Prescott t
> >well snipped
> >I'd be happy to keep track of any volunteers and act as central clearing
> >house.
> >Will Chapman
> >nb Quidditch - all fired up!
>
> I think it is excellent that the internet community has got involved but
> please >work with the user groups and compliment their work, don't duplicate
> it or even >inadvertently sabotage it.
> Sue nb Nackered Navvy
>
Will is right to see this as urgent, but Sue is also right to say that
it is important to plan and work together. Politics is a tricky and
subtle area, and it is vital to have a proper strategy and campaign
plan. Boater demos could well be part of that, but on their own are
unlikely to win much. Frankly there are not enough boater votes to
shift an election, and not that many boaters will simply vote as
boaters in any case. There are other important issues.
In running a campaign like this, it's first important to work out
exactly what you want and who can deliver it.
Then you try and mobilise every argument and every influence you can
on the key decision makers.
For a start the waterways interest goes much, much wider than boaters.
There are all the other leisure users. There are those with
regeneration interests. Those that make their living from the
waterways, and local economies that depend to some extent on a healthy
waterways system. How do you get them to work together?
Which are the sympathetic ministers? Probably John Prescott, but who
else? Do any have canal/waterways links? Special interest in
regeneration? How can you help them make the case within government?
What about MPs with canal links? Particularly Labour MPs in marginal
seats. How do you involve your supporters in campaigns?
How do you link this with other issues such as the 2012 Olympics given
the importance of waterways to the regeneration plans?
How do you turn this into a media issue, both locally - particularly
where there are MP targets - and nationally? Waterways campaigning
makes for good pictures!
Who are the opponents, or obstacles? How do you deal with them?
And how do you win without humiliating your opponents, so they they
don't even realise they have lost.
The Government's comprehensive spending review is currently taking
place, and will decide spending for the next three years. It will be
tight - public spending will not grow as it has in recent years, and
health and education will be the priorities.
But it does provide the opportunity for changes in priorities and a
new deal for the waterways.
A few brief hurried thoughts that might help the debate. It's more or
less what I do for a living, so I hope they help.
--
Nigel Stanley
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