|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
Livingstone courts London Poles
|
|---|
| Parent(s) |
Candidate
|
| Contributor | New Jerusalem |
| Last Edited | New Jerusalem Aug 27, 2007 08:47am |
| Logged |
0
|
| Category | News |
| News Date | Monday, August 27, 2007 02:45:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Livingstone launches dumpling offensive to court London Poles ahead of polls
· Mayor reaches out to Polish voters in capital
· Pork and pierogi at City Hall to woo community
"Realising that among the huge Polish community in London lie tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of untapped voters who could put a tick by his name on May 1 2008, Mr Livingstone has added the Slavic dumplings to the City Hall shopping list."
"Several months later it was time for Mr Livingstone to make a personal appearance. On July 25, he hosted the first City Hall reception and the next day he made a visit to POSK, the Polish cultural institute in Hammersmith, west London.
The schmoozing paid off. In the past month, Mr Livingstone has been featured on the cover of Cooltura and on the front page of the newspapers Nowy Czas and Dziennik Polski, as well as gracing big spreads in weekly publications Polish Express and Goniec Polski.
At the City Hall reception, Mr Livingstone told Poles they were "rightful residents of the capital ... Polish Londoners, not outsiders. It's time for London to notice your presence," he said.
He also made some tentative promises to the Polish community. "This year in Trafalgar Square we're celebrating the Indian culture. In a few years' time, I can see a Polish festival in Trafalgar Square. I am sure that thousands of Londoners would go to experience Polish culture, music, film and cuisine."
And that's not the only idea the mayor has floated. According to Krzysztof Ruszczynski, the chairman of The Institution of Polish Engineers in Great Britain, the mayor expressed support for opening a centre which would allow Polish qualified engineers to work in their profession when they come to London.
Adriana Chodakowska-Grzesinska, editor of Cooltura, said Mr Livingstone also hinted that he might be able to subsidise Polish Saturday schools." |
| Share |
|
|
2¢
|
|
| Article | Read Full Article |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
