Wanstead Tristram Hunt fans miss out (again)

It must have seemed like a great idea for TV historian Tristram Hunt to plan to give a talk in the Redbridge Book and Media Festival at Wanstead Library. He was, after all, talked about as a possible prospective Labour party candidate in the very safe Labour Leyton and Wanstead seat. And the event was planned for just days before the expected date of the general election – a perfect opportunity to speak to prospective constituents about the life of Friedrich Engels,  the subject of his latest book.

Things didn’t turn out quite like that – John Cryer won the nomination, and Mr Hunt instead turned his ambitions towards Stoke on Trent, where he is hoping to succeed former Labour minister Mark Fisher.

The posters advertising the event at Wanstead Library now have “CANCELLED” across them.

Wanstead’s latest election posters

Here is the latest crop of Leyton and Wanstead election leaflets, as produced by John Cryer for Labour and Ed Northover for the Conservatives. No sign yet of leaflets for the Lib Dems, Greens, UKIPs or other parties yet, but they will be added here as they arrive. (CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

John Cryer, Labour leaflet

John Cryer, Labour
Ed Northover Conservative leaflet
Ed Northover leaflet

Wanstead candidates out in force

Saturday morning campaigning in Wanstead High StreetIn what will probably become a fixture of Wanstead High Street in coming weeks, both Labour and Conservative prospective parliamentary candidates spent their Saturday mornings with trestle tables and volunteers within feet of each other handing out leaflets. Below are the leaflets they were distributing.

Wanstead general election leaflets, pt 1

Wansteadium is launching its collection of general election leaflets. As with other local news websites around the country, we will attempt to upload images of all general election leaflets distributed between now and the expected polling day of 6 May. You can see other leaflets from around the country on the website The Straight Choice, a non-party live election leaflet monitoring project.

First up, Labour’s John Cryer, delivered in Snaresbrook ward on 23 March.

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(Please feel free to let us know of any others you have delivered if you live in the constituency of Leyton and Wanstead, either via comments or to wansteadium-at-googlemail.com.)

Wanstead news roundup, 5.03.10; The Larder, the bookies and more on Susan Boyle’s cat

The Larder has been ranked by the Independent as the 12th best coffee shop in the country.

A licensed café and very tempting deli, the owners of the World’s Larder work with small, artisan producers for everything from their delicious coffee to their daily bread (delivered each morning from French bakery Boulangerie Jade). Alan calls it a ‘great little star in the east and brilliant all-rounder’.

(Well spotted, I Heart Wanstead.)
Meanwhile bookies Jenningsbet, which became the High Street’s third bookmakers when it opened in the former Woolwich Building Society office, has ceased trading at Wanstead.
A sign on the shutters refers customers to its branches elsewhere. Jenningsbet was the subject of a Wanstead Society campaign when it opened with an illuminated sign; planning permission was later refused for it. One tweeter believes it’s going to become a cafe.

Much to-ing and fro-ing in Labour party circles has resulted in former MP and union official John Cryer being selected as the candidate to follow Harry Cohen as Leyton and Wanstead MP. TV historian Tristram Hunt was one of the losing hopefuls.

And Wanstead’s most notorious feline resident, Pebbles, better known as Susan Boyle’s cat, seems to be on her way west. The Sun has reported that SuBo is leaving Lothian to buy a flat in Chelsea, meaning cat and owner can be reunited.