Only 3 Weeks to Go

Here is a picture of my house in Hamilton Road, decked out for the elections.

After a couple of days in Berlin, doing research, it was good to get back to the campaign. We have been all over the Ward in the last few days talking to residents and asking them about their concerns and worries.

It is great to see the positive reaction the Labour team is getting on the doorstep. Infact as I was putting up these signs someone stopped the car to tell me their concerns and asking me my opinion on the issues that concern them.

On the doorstop residents are still concerned about the Maiden Erlegh issue and worried by Wokingham's attempts to stop Park Children going there. I am very worried by it too and have promised to get my Party to persue what legal action is possible if we take power in May. Many residents were also concerned to hear that the Conservatives had welcomed Wokingham's plans.  To see a copy of the Tories letter click the link here .

Residents are also saying that they cannot believe the vicious cuts that the Conservative and Liberal Democrats are forcing through the Council. It was good to be able to tell them that the way to get rid of the Council is vote Labour on the 5th May. Basically no other vote will bring the Conservatives down, even staying at home is effectively a vote for the Conservatives.

Walking around the streets of Newtown it is great to find people I have worked with, I have studied with and go to church with all stopping to chat. All in all a sunny week, all in all an encouraging week and now there is only 3 weeks to go and then we will know the answer to the question, who will be the next Park Ward Council and which Party will be in control after 5th May.

Only 1 Weekend to go

Only one more weekend to go and we will know what the result of the election is.

So still lots and lots to play for. Been doing a lot of canvassing, good results. Although all this walking has been doing strange things to my knee. Whereas 2 weeks ago after the op my knee did not hurt much is is incredibly painful now. After a day of campaigning on Saturday I went to a party at my uncle's house in South London and had to come home pretty quickly as the pain in my knee was almost unbearable.

But that said, canvassing during the week has added to the street surgeries that I have been doing over the last year and has bult on alot of pre existing contacts. As a break from canvassing I visited the Alfred Sutton car boot sale. I got talking to a friend about his new VW combi. I even got a guided tour of it. I wish I had taken my camera as it was great and I am hugely jealous. Well done for the PTA for organising....

Finished the weekend giving a talk to a church group. I seem to have cornered the market in speaking to faith groups. The picture is of me speaking at a meeting held at Anderson Baptist Church, in Amhurst Road. The meeting wasn't a husting, but they wanted to know how a person could be a Christian and a Politician. The meeting was quite a challenge because the questions were very searching and some of them very difficult to answer.

Learn to Cross Your Legs Properly

No photo today. Sorry. This week has been very very encouraging. I have had a couple of people stop me in the street to talk to me about the campaign-this is just what we should be seeing at this point in the campaign.

This week saw us doing our traditional knocking on people's doors.I have always thought that the UK is a great country where you can knock on someone's door and ask them who they are going to vote for. I have only hardly ever had a few people slam the door on me. It was very nice canvassing on Thursday as I got invited in for a glass of wine. The resident is a friend of mine, who I had decided not to knock on her door as it is a bit nervy making asking friends for their voting intention. Not only did I get a glass of wine she said that she would vote for me, as would her family. Nice one.

So where do the knees come in to it. Oh yes I was at the Gudwara meeting residents from the Indian community. I had to sit down with the worshipers and I had been told to cross my legs. Easy enough you might think. But my leg has been quite sore after the Op. Not sure why it has been fine for the last 2 weeks but it has been sorer than a very sore thing. So I sat down but couldn't cross my legs properly for the lie of me. It was like something on a black and white film every time I pushed one leg down to cross them the other one popped up.

The members of the Gudwara were very forgiving and I had some very useful discussions with the members so it was a useful afternoon all round.

So only 2 and a bit weeks to go before the election. Can't wait.