My journey -both physical and metaphorical- towards becoming politically active and joining Majority in later life ... (part one)
As someone who has always been endlessly fascinated by discovering new people and places -travel, in its most culturally distilled connotation- my journey towards becoming politically active began in SW France in the autumn of 2022. That's a story for another time, but the trip marked a pivotal springboard that reoriented my 'travel-consciousness' thereafter.
During the following year, together with my wife, Sue, I continued my foray, this time, into the North East of England, and still largely incognisant of any newly found travel-radar, we explored the Cleveland Way, Whitby, Middlesbrough, Durham and its former mining communities, before heading to Newcastle as a part homage to paternal ancestors, part tourism, but always with an untiring curiosity to travel and discover new people and places.
We were immediately enamoured by the entire genius loci of the North East and regretted not discovering the region earlier!
It was upon one of our return journeys, from what had now become regular excursions, that my travel radar turned decidedly political after my independent-media barometer flagged up a people-powered political 'earthquake' emanating from the then North of Tyne Combined Authority.
In June 2023, as many of you will remember, Novara Media reported Labour-NEC's undemocratic blocking of Jamie's candidacy for metro mayor in the newly formed NECA.
We subsequently learned that, undeterred, Jamie had decided to stand as an Independent candidate for North East Mayor, and after he successfully achieved this goal, went on to host 'Meet Jamie Events' across the North East Electoral Region.
Intrigued both by local progressive political developments and an ever expanding psychogeographical event horizon, I decided to combine one of our now increasingly regular travel breaks to the North East, with an 'excursion' into more socio-political itineraries.
We met Jamie, together with other local activists, at a campaigning event in Gosforth, Newcastle, and were duly inspired by the visionary Mayoral manifesto for building upon an already unprecedented devolved NE investment deal of £6.1 billion, together with plans for an integrated Total Transport Network, a Green New Deal for local businesses and economy, and a plan for Full Employment.
After spending the first of many ensuing weeks away, intensely engaged in politics, "a long time", as Harold Wilson once famously said, it felt like a veritable baptism of fire.
As a collective social activity or perhaps more accurately, activism, politics has many facets, some of them inspirational, some humdrum and sadly, others, downright nasty.
But what I saw first-hand on this trip were only positive attributes; selfless dedication from volunteers, passionate about cooperating together in the interests of a new kind of people powered politics, the only kind that's authentic, really.
To be continued ...