Sebastian Salek Labour and Co-operative Candidate in Waltham Forest 4th April 2022 Blog Communities, Housing & Local Government Share Tweet Thursday 5 May. The date could not be more clearly etched onto my brain. Having only been selected in February, time is an especially valuable commodity in our campaign. Fortunately, the best thing about Waltham Forest is the people, which is lucky because being a candidate involves speaking to as many of them as possible. Starting to build relationships with the residents I’m hoping to serve over the next four years has been an unfettered joy. I’m really proud to tell people that I’m standing on a joint Labour and Co-operative ticket. They’ve been curious to learn about the relationship between the two parties, as well as our belief in shared wealth and power. There have also been lots of opportunities to meet other candidates in the borough – such as our training day, campaign launch, and fundraising dinner – which has allowed us to think about ways to reflect our co-operative values in future policy making. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from the campaign so far, it’s that politics is a team sport. Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy and Waltham Forest Council leader Grace Williams – both fellow co-operators – have been generous with their time and come out campaigning in St James. We’re also making sure to help out in more marginal wards, which has been a great excuse to spend lots of time in lovely Chingford and Highams Park. As well as support from the Labour Group, I’ve been touched by the number of friends who have mentioned, with varying levels of commitment, that they’ll come and join the campaign. Little do they know that I’m keeping a careful record of every person who’s offered, and will be relentlessly calling in every possible favour between now and 5 May. After that, the drinks are on me.