…AND OTHERS
by
Julie Wassmer and Aram Rawf
Julie Wassmer writes:
Early in July, my friend, Aram Rawf asked if I would sign a copy of my most recent Whitstable Pearl crime novel as a present for Jeremy Corbyn.
I explained that I’d be more than happy to do this but asked why he thought Jeremy might like a copy. Aram replied “Because Jeremy is an allotment holder, as am I, and your new book is called Murder at the Allotment. On polling day I’m heading to London to help canvass for Jeremy and I thought it would be a nice good luck gift.”
I had forgotten that Jeremy has an allotment but I should have remembered because for some time Aram has kept chickens on his own allotment, one of whom he had named Jeremy Corbyn in honour and defence of the former Labour leader after a jibe from Boris Johnson.
On the morning of July 4, Aram headed off to London with my book, two postcards and a signed message to Jeremy which read as follows:
In the early hours of the morning on July 5, word came through that Jeremy Corbyn had been elected as the Independent MP for Islington North, the constituency he had served as Labour MP since 1983 until he was blocked from standing for Labour in May 2024, shortly after the general election had been called. When Jeremy announced he would then stand as an Independent, he was expelled from Labour.
For me, there was always a double joy in the news that Aram would be helping Jeremy’s campaign because Aram himself had been a hardworking popular Labour councillor in Kent, until he was expelled during the Labour Party’s heinous “Witch Hunt” like so many other good Labour Party members and campaigners, as documented in this film:
Aram came to this country in 1999 as a terrified 17 year-old Kurdish refugee seeking asylum from Iraq. After a government U-turn following one of the longest asylum cases ever to run in the UK, he was finally granted indefinite leave to stay and became a British citizen in 2011.
During and since that time, Aram put himself through college, became assistant manager of a large hotel and was elected as a Thanet district and Broadstairs town councillor as well as becoming a trained volunteer with the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. Aram has dedicated himself to public service and has always said:
“I just want to do my best to live like an ordinary person and to contribute to the community. If we all do one thing for the community we can make lives better.”
Now, Aram was off to London to join an even larger community of people who were dedicated to ensure that Jeremy Corbyn would continue to serve his constituents in Islington North – this time as an Independent MP.
To that end, I wished Aram the very best of luck and waited for more news from him.
Aram Rawf writes:
Jeremy Corbyn is not the same man as described by some media outlets.
I consider myself lucky to have met him and to recognise the work he has done for many people on a humanitarian basis. On a personal level, Jeremy Corbyn has always spoken up for the Kurdish people against the genocide they face.
When I was detained by Immigration back in 2006 and was facing the threat of being sent back to Iraq, someone from my area in Thanet, Kent, wrote to Jeremy on my behalf as did someone else from north Islington. Jeremy Corbyn didn’t know me and had never met me, but straight away he made time to read about my case and he then wrote to the Home Office asking them to release me from the detention centre in which I was being held, and to review their decision. In no time, more than twelve MPs joined Jeremy in writing letters to the Home Office about my case.
Since 2015, Jeremy has been down to Thanet to campaign for Labour candidates in many elections. While he was leader of the Labour Party, Boris Johnson called him a “chicken”, and as my own chicken adopted a chick at that time, I called the chick “Jeremy Corbyn” and wrote an article about how this particular chicken was clever and as friendly as any domestic pet and how wrong it is to try and insult anyone by calling them “chicken” because chickens are actually “bright and fearless.” My comments appeared in the media at that time.
Jeremy Corbyn was forced to stand as an Independent candidate in his own constituency because the Labour Party replaced him undemocratically. I told myself; this man has done so much for so many people it is now time for me to go and help his campaign as a Thank You for all he has done – not just for me but for humanity.
On the morning of July 4, I voted early in my own Broadstairs constituency then I set off for London, taking with me the signed book Julie had sent me which I planned to give to Jeremy. It was lucky that I had just recovered from a short illness because I didn’t sleep for the next thirty hours.
Arriving in Islington North, I found there were people who had come from all over the country and from different parts of the world to help Jeremy’s re-election as MP to the constituency. Committee rooms were set up in houses that had been offered by residents to help the campaign. Food had been kindly laid on for us, and though I usually find it hard to refuse hospitality, I did so because I was there to win an election, for Jeremy.
I have fifteen years of canvassing experience and I used that to talk to all those I met that day in the constituency. Spending hours on doorsteps across north Islington I would say: “I’m from the JC team just checking you managed to go out and vote?”
Here are just some of the replies I got from residents that day:
“Of course. When I wrote to Jeremy Corbyn about my family, not only did he reply, he came to see me in person.”
“Of course. When Jeremy Corbyn found out that my husband had died, he came to see me and had a cuppa with me.”
“Of course. Jeremy Corbyn helped me with the paperwork to bring my wife.”
“Of course. Jeremy is one of us and he is a big part of our community.”
“Of course. When we had problems with water in our road, I wrote to him. He not only followed this up, he did not stop until it was fixed and he came personally to see me and my family.”
“Of course. He is like our granddad.”
“Of course. Jeremy appears everywhere and is very visible in our community.”
“Of course. He listens to everyone, he talks to everyone and he takes our voice to Parliament.”
“Of course I have voted for him. He is our man.”
“Of course. He’s carried everyone’s pain. Now we carry him back to the parliament.”
When I shared those comments with Julie, she was moved to tears.
Jeremy was duly “carried back to parliament” by the 24,120 constituents who voted for him on July 4.
The Labour candidate put in place by the Labour Party under Keir Starmer polled only 16,873 votes.
After I gave Jeremy the signed copy of Julie’s book, he carefully read the messages, the book’s title and the blurb on the back which explains that it’s a murder mystery about a group of Whitstable allotment holders, he commented wryly, “Allotment committees can be very funny, you know.”
“By the strength of our own common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, and we do it for the Many, and not the Few.” Jeremy Corbyn.
Julie Wassmer:
Julie Wassmer is a Whitstable-based author, TV writer and environmental campaigner.
She has successfully fought a number of environmental issues, including fracking in Kent and tree clearances by Network Rail. Her Whitstable Pearl crime novels are now a major TV series, starring Kerry Godliman.
Aram Rawf:
Aram Rawf fled Iraq as a 17-year old Kurdish refugee and became a British citizen in 2011. He has dedicated his life to helping others and has served as a Thanet district and Broadstairs town councillor. He is also a trained volunteer with the St John’s Ambulance Brigade and now works as Community Inclusion Officer at Samphire Project, a Dover-based charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees in Dover and beyond.
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