- Details
Preparing for Debbie’s birthday party on a blissfully warm and dry day by collecting the Bouncy Castle from Biggeswade to erect it with John Law and then rushing off to St Ives for a Town Crier interview and back for a St Neots Riverside Restaurant lunch before the 25 party guests arrived at 3pm which I videoed. A Priory Doom meeting and then relaxed after a tense ad exhausting week. The ACAS ferry talks fail, a gun battle in South Beirut with 65 dead and no news of Terry Waite and John McCarthy, the missing Britons even though three French hostages are released
After another late night, I was slowly up and dressed in sports trousers, blazer and tie for the day’s work. Wondered around a little this morning and then was sent to St Neots Tool Hire to pick up a ‘bouncy castle’ for Debbie's party. The Biggleswade branch had forgotten to bring it there and so I had to take the Range Rover down to Biggleswade to collect it. John Law helped me assemble and inflate it and it was quite a sight. Had to rush off to St Ives after, to be interviewed by Julie Hamilton of The Town Crier newspaper. We drove to Huntingdon and then Little Paxton to get some photographs and Julie also promised me a front page spot for next week on the strength of it all. I had to take the Rolls Royce, as Di was using the Range Rover for last minute shopping for the party. I came home in time to take Diana’s sister, Sue, and the rest of my family to the St Neots Riverside Restaurant for lunch. Back after and the final preparations for the party before the guests started arriving at 3.00pm. The boat moorings cars had parked in the turning bay and so we moved one before the 25 party guests started arriving. I stayed to help with their reception and to take a video film of the start of the party and then went to Priory Hill to attend a meeting of Priory Doom, which was quite good.
- Details
Basking in the warm sunny weather and the successful aftermath of my election campaign as I took a walk around the village and accepted the many and varied expressions of joy and congratulation. Several press interviews in person and by radio live but my victory is the only one for my party on the Huntingdonshire District Council and nationally we just polled 20%. The ferry dispute still carries on with ACAS talks now the key
I had omitted to mention that yesterday’s weather had been beautifully fine and warm and today started out the same. My phone continued ringing and I fielded calls from Radio Cambridgeshire again and many well-wishers. I decided to go into St Neots with Diana and we went to the Riverside Park in the sunshine, but the refreshment booth was not open. We sat in the warm sunshine and then returned to the town centre for coffee there. I took Daniella and visited the newspaper offices. In particular, the HCN Express (Trader) were interested in my performance and plans and interviewed me at length on the thing until little Daniella forced things to a close!
- Details
A full day and night of managing my polling day; delivering early morning ‘Please vote Today’ slips, knocking up supporters and telling their numbers at the polling stations, attending the count and noting my famous victory emerging (by 1141 to 434) and then publicising my victory to the press and upon supporters flag-boards. I did well but other results were mixed.
An early start to the day. Up at 5.30am, after Di brought me some tea and then quickly dressed and showered to find Michael Pope arrived at 6.00m. I stayed behind, whilst Mike leafleted Southoe and I put out a table with the other batches of ‘Please vote today’ slips, pre-arranged in walk order for our definite and probable supporters only. Then arrived Francis and Rob Williams, Pete While, Stuart Aldridge and Joe Wilcox, who took a round each as I waited and vacuumed out the swimming pool at the same time. We all repaired to the Little Chef for breakfast (where we shared the cost) and then came back to start the knocking up process – gently at first and then with increased persuasiveness as the day progressed. From the canvassed list of definites and probables, lists of voters were created and their names crossed off by number taking outside the polling station. The turnout was high and there were scenes of congestion outside the Paxton polling booth and long queues. More and more urgency and near panic as the last hour was upon us – with 5 cars back and fro, knocking up a reducing number of supporters, until the booth closed. Then we mustered to watch the count.
- Details
My final election efforts prior to Polling Day as we set up my office as the Committee Room with the poll computer and deliver our final reminder leaflets. The news is full of the IRA security scares, after the car bomb in Germany. The ferry war goes on, with the NUS’s funds sequestrated and the sailors fighting on regardless. Russell Harty is fighting for his life and unconscious with Hepatitis and liver failure
Slept on a bit this morning and then came down to breakfast in my pyjamas, so as to eat with the children. After my normal routine, I rushed out at 8.50am to catch the Grove Court apartments open on the service time and dropped off my latest leaflet – one to each of the addresses there. I went on to deliver more to Southoe Rectory Lane addresses, left out by my foot deliverer and then came back to give Di and Della a lift to St Neots. This morning, I re-canvassed Lakefield Close and carried on after lunch as well. The weather was quite unsuitable today – breezy and showery – but I still got round many addresses in St James’s Road. This evening, I put up my last six flag boards in key polling station positions and then did my final canvassing in Park Drive. I found that the Tories were delivering a second leaflet all about the local issues that I had raised, without being a match for my own A3 blockbuster. I expect they too will have an ace polling day organisation and it is down to us to get our vote out tomorrow.