Purgatory might resemble of meeting of the London Leaseholders’ Association. Every minute of its three hours seems to last for a thousand years but when it’s over you realise that everything is transformed.

Roughly 300 leaseholders attended its AGM at York Hall last night. After the routine business Respect, Labour, the Greens, Lib Dems and Tories give short speeches and there were questions from the floor.

George Galloway spoke first and was superb. He focussed on council corruption, high bills and stock transfer. The audience was overwhelmingly white, working class, well informed on housing issues and older. He got strong applause and a very positive response. Only Simon Hughes from the Lib Dems matched his reception but he lost the audience when he wasn’t able to defend what his party had done in Islington.

The Labour chair of housing maintained the evolving tradition of being jeered and slow handclapped by what should have been his core support. There was a visceral hatred for Labour in the hall.

I was on the Respect stall for much of the evening and dozens of people took the full range of leaflets. This was more than a straw in the wind. Here was a working class audience jeering at New Labour and applauding Respect because Respect is defending these working class gains. It’s foolish to make predictions but last night, my estate meeting and canvassing are starting make me think Respect could be the largest group on the council or even….

Respect is facing three BNP candidates in my ward. Between now and May 4th is not a time for abstentionism. We can smash them on what they used to think was their turf. Anyone reading this who wants to help do that should get in touch with me or the Respect office. To make it even better you’ll be helping smash New Labour too.