RED ROSE WEEK 1993
Labour's first Red Rose Week starts on Saturday, June 5 1993. The Week marks the first concentrated effort, involving all members in all local Parties throughout the country, geared to the regeneration of the Party.
The task of building a Party with a strong membership and funding base is absolutely essential - indeed, it is the precondition for winning the next election. There is independent evidence that Labour did best in those seats which we targeted for victory; and that a strong membership base helps to secure the support needed for electoral success.
Taken together, this evidence underlines the significance of the Party's organisational achievements in whittling down the Tory majority in Parliament.
Like you, I share the enormous disappointment that we did not win in 1992. Like you, I am angry when I see the Tories breaking their election promises. Their narrow majority has created a Conservative Party which survives on shabby deals - a government lurching from day to day, living on borrowed time.
And like so many of you with -whom I have spoken since the election, I am determined that we bring Labour to power and elect-John Smith as Prime Minister.
Red Rose Week gives you the chance to help bring this about.
What Will YOU do for Red Rose Week
• Will you encourage. someone to join - per-haps a friend or colleague, who has always been meaning to become a member, but has never got round to it?
• Will you perhaps approach someone who used to be a member, but who has now lapsed? We've been contacting some lapsed members over the phone and the great majority say that the reason they are no longer members is simply that they haven't got round to it.
• Will you give money to the Party by standing order, supporting our new fundraising initiative Sponsorship 2000 – and thereby become one of the 35,000 members and supporters who contribute over £2 million a year to the Party. Builder a strong Party will result from the individual contribution of thousands 6F members and supporters. We can only succeed by the Party - at all levels working together.
Nationally we will provide you with the resources you need to get the job done. The campaign theme of the week will be concentrating on Labour's jobs and industry campaigns. There will be a special full colour leaflet for Red Rose Week (3,000,000 reasons to support Labour), available to local Parties at the special rate of only £7.50 per thousand.
Regionally^ we will be organising a number of events to which members and sponsors will beinvited, to meet with John Smith and myself, and members of the front-bench and the NEC. The first event will be held in Brighton on June 4. For further details, contact Tony Beirne XXXX or George Catchpole XXXX.
Locally, we are asking you to focus on one or two projects in your area. There are plenty of ideas in the new look Branch Bulletin, which has just been sent out to all Party branches. For example
• Organise a campaign aimed at getting in touch with everybody who used to be a member, but isn't anymore
• Organise a street stall or publicity event to get attention for Red Rose Week in your area
Red Rose Week 1993 is the ideal time to get involved and help build the Party - even if you've never been active before. If you're not sure who to contact, look at the list of helpful phone numbers on page two of this issue of Labour Party News.
Everyone's contribution is valuable so let's build up the Labour Party for the next election -together
SIX WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Recruit a friend
Take part in a membership drive
Re-join a lapsed member
Become a sponsor and support Sponsorship 2000
Hold a discussion group on the economy
Organise local campaign activity – street stall or photo opportunity
Margaret Beckett MP Deputy Leader
