A full day of election meetings, organisation and canvassing securing great support from almost all of the people we visited with press publicity forthcoming as Israel forestall annual ‘Land day’ demonstrations by Palestinians deprived of their seized land and the RCN reaffirm (by a 4 to 1 majority) their non-striking policy, which is a tribute to their moderation after being so provoked.
Awoke very early with my mind full of the arrangements for the first day’s canvassing. Went downstairs early and in my pyjamas to write up my letter of objection to the proposed development of Little Paxton, which I typed on two pages of A4. Then a quick shower and over to Michael Pope’s by car to drop off this draft for him to look at. A brief breakfast and then I carried on getting the room ready and was working on the final press release drafts when the door bell went and Frances and another canvasser arrived. Sat with them for 15 mins drinking coffee and briefing them on the canvassing arrangements and then I bid them goodbye and set off in the Range Rover with the family on board. Daniel to Southoe to deliver leaflets there, then the girls to St Neots to do their shopping. I then returned to complete my press releases and rushed off to St Neots to deliver them, posting the one for the Town Crier as they had no local office.
I then caught up with Daniel at Southoe and we delivered Diddington by car and then covered all of the outlying farms and remote addresses, bumping along tracks and splashing through puddles and fords in the process! Back in time to greet my canvassers back, who had a good morning in terms of securing support. Then lunch and after, I went out canvassing with Frances Williams myself and found the same support. Nearly all were for me, or undecided, with only a couple dead against. Home to return a few phone calls and take others. My copier cartridge is now on the way and the rest of my canvas cards and brochures are in hand. I also spoke to the owner of Godmanchester bookshop about the playground and then took a call from a Hunts Post journalist, who interviewed me on the subject and may well write it up in next week’s edition. Out to mow my games lawn before tea, but it made me late and I hardly had time to eat a quick meal before Michael Pope arrived and Moira Biggins. We discussed the press and election campaigns and I then enticed him out for a half hours evening in Mill Lane, where we had instant success with many of the homeowners. In particular, the man who had bought the old buildings from Trimmings Cricket Bat Factory showed me a lot of old papers he had found and then lent them to me! Used all of Mike’s 30 mins and then more and I bid him farewell and then canvassed until dusk. Back to Moira, who worked on my software and eventually arranged things so that the cut-sheet feeder could print out individual letters from a file of names and addresses. Getting late by this time and it was time for bed. Unfortunately, Rob Williams could not come tonight, as he had hurt his back and so this evening’s canvassing was not very extensive. News today is of a draconian step by Israel in its occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. They are to be ‘closed’ for 3 days to forestall violent demonstrations that would have commemorated ‘Land Day’ when residents land had been seized. Nurses in the Royal College of Nursing have reaffirmed (by a 4 to 1 majority) their non-striking policy, which is a tribute to their moderation after being so provoked. The latest macabre massacre was by a man who planned to kill his ex-fiancé, but ended up killing his mother and another man instead. He appeared to model his plans on the Hungerford massacre.