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A morning sharing time with Daniella and organising my election campaign by preparing and delivering new press releases and noting that the Tory canvassers are at last delivering leaflets and canvassing but the weather has turned cold and uncomfortable now and they have missed the best of it! Some canvassing with Marion Woodbridge this afternoon and then me to Southoe this evening. The pre-summit Shultz/Gorbachev talks are looking poor at the prospect of achieving a new arms control treaty in May and the P&O seamen are to continue their strike.
Awoken quite early at 6.30am by Daniella and we cuddled in bed for a while. Then showered and shaved for breakfast. I am tired from a series of late nights and early mornings and did not sleep terrifically well due to the concern about the myriad of parish problems voiced last night and seemingly hopeless task of solving them. Phoned Michael Pope and Moira Biggins and tried to discuss priorities, then rang John Matthewman and found that my printing will not be ready until Saturday, which is a shame. Miss Jeanette Green was not at the meeting last night and some boys had started delivering her first leaflet door to door. One of my canvassers ‘liberated’ a couple of them as samples and playfully sent a deliverer the wrong way by saying that one street had already been done! I wrote up my journal this morning for yesterday. The rain poured down before lunch, preventing Pete from cutting the lawn and it was just as well I did not want to canvass.
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Another active day of canvassing and electioneering and then to attend a frustratingly-long and depressing Parish Meeting this evening which made me late for my campaign meeting. The Government’s agreement to fund an average 15.3% pay increase for nurses pay, which is a sharp turn round on previous policies and is welcome
This morning I dressed in canvassing clothes again and had breakfast a little late, after a slow start. Then to my canvass cards, where I updated the uncanvassed elector totals and sorted out some of them for tackling this morning. Before long, Marion Woodbridge had arrived and we set off in different directions to see the people concerned. My visits went well, but very slowly, as I find that even staunch Tories are amenable to my message of local representation, but it does take a deal of time and measure of conversation to persuade them. I had toured the flag board sites this morning and they were still, thankfully, intact, as I have demonstrated my determination to the yobbish opposition.
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More canvassing today and evidence that the Tories were out again but without leaflets and organisation, they continue to struggle against our excellent campaign. The end of the Kuwaiti aircraft hijack drama, as the passengers are released, but the hijackers go free. Labour MP Ron Brown is being voted out of the Labour Party for throwing the House of Commons Mace to the ground in the Chamber
Slept quite well after a warm start to the night and awoke to a much fresher and less humid day, but bright and warm with the spring sunshine. Showered, shaved and dressed for breakfast and then caught up on my journal. I did my morning round, by Range Rover, through the main streets of Little Paxton and all was well. To my office, where I went through the canvass cards and ringed the voters unaccounted for to give some priority to the work in this latter part of the campaign. Then Paul Salvadori arrived to look at the pool and Marion Woodbridge in his wake and so I sent her off canvassing on her own whilst I got ready. This morning we canvassed some of Little Paxton that remained undone, then went off to Diddington for a run through the village, before finishing off at Southoe. Let Marion go and came home to lunch. Rested this afternoon, quite tired, but later regained enough energy to cut the games lawn, which I now cut and roll twice a week. Now there are noticeable depressions where the drainage pipes have been laid and only several seasons of top dressing will counteract that. Tea and then out canvassing again this evening, with me concentrating on Lakefield Avenue and Michael Pope doing the roads in the south west of the village. Saw more evidence of Tory canvassing again, but the good news is that it seems to have little effect, being without leaflets and sandwiched by my own leaflets and canvassing and organised publicity.
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Another day campaigning and putting up more flagboards after making some more with Debbie and Della’s help, after they had returned from Wickstead Park, replacing those that had been damaged, and hearing of the Tories having done their first canvassing but our statistics have us 200 votes ahead of them. Teacher’s pay is being capped as the House of Lords hears calls to moderate the new Education Reform Bill
Slept well enough and took my time showering and shaving this morning, so that I was late down to my breakfast of boiled duck egg. Started writing up my journal after, but was soon out of time! I had to rush over to Little Paxton Lane and replace one of my flag boards that had been topped. Then I gave up the car to Di and soon Marion Woodbridge arrived to help me canvass this morning. We went to Manor Close, Meadow Close and some of Grove Road, also managing those that were in in Bloomfield Close. A mixed bag this morning. Jeanette Green and some helpers have now been cold canvassing without leaflets and many of the electors are genuinely undecided. At 12.00 midday we were all set to call a halt, when I spotted Mr & Mrs Mason of Wantage Gardens in on the prime junction corner of Gordon Road with the High Street. We spent the best part of an hour chatting to them in order to get to know them and get permission for our boards!! Made my own salad lunch and, once Di had returned from taking the girls to Wickstead Park, I used the car to go to St Neots.