With such a resounding NO vote in the AV referendum I'm sure there will be no post-mortem by the NO campaign group. And those campaigning for a YES vote may well just take some comfort in deciding that the NO side "played dirty".
Alternatively, and more sensibly, they may decide to take a closer look at how their side ran their campaign. I've found a very well written analysis prepared on how the YES campaign was run. You can find it here.
Don't ask me how I came to be reading a "Liberal Vision" website - the beauty of the world wide web is that it can take you, link-by-link, to all sorts of places.
Monday, 9 May 2011
Friday, 6 May 2011
THE COUNT.....THE RESULT
I arrived at the counting centre at a quarter past ten and was followed into the hall by Kevin, the Conservative candidate from the neighbouring ward. It was Kevin's first time as a candidate and it took me back to 2009 where I was in a similar position in the County elections. The morning was just being used for ballot box verification (which I assume means checking that the number of ballot papers in the box equals the number issued). Also all the referendum ballot papers were being sorted, but not counted.
There were very few other candidates present so Kevin and I took a long walk down into Stowmarket and had an enjoyable cup of coffee in the outside courtyard of a cafe. Later after a brief look into the counting hall, I went home for lunch.
Arrived back just after two O'clock and the counting had begun. As there were two seats being contested, many ballot papers had two crosses on them. It was therefore quite a complex collation of various combinations to add all the various votes together. Although complex, it was well organised. However because of the complexity, it was very difficult to judge how the votes were stacking up. The count took a long, nervous (for me) 80 minutes. As it progressed I learnt that Kevin had not been successful although he had moved the Conservative votes in his ward up from fourth place to third. But with only two seats up for grabs, he had missed out.
Then came my result. And here it is:
Britt (Conservative) 469
Fairburn (Suffolk Together) 250
Penny (Green) 139
Redbond (LibDem) 502
Touman (LibDem) 296
Whitehead (Conservative) 573
Wilson J (Labour) 251
Wilson T (Labour) 233
I'd come first! And the two seats are split between the Conservatives and the LibDems which I think does accurately reflect the ward's political make-up with the hard-working LibDem deservedly retaining his seat. I've just realised that I got more votes than the combined independent candidates and more votes than the combined Labour candidates. So too did the second placed candidate. I think we can both be proud of that fact.
Overall our council has 21* Conservative councillors out of a total of 40. Gaining my seat therefore takes them past the 50% mark and gives them control. I suppose any Conservative councillor could make the same claim but as a "seat-gainer" I'll happy claim the role. [*Late amendment : the 21 figure should actually be 22 - it was an error on the MSDC website].
I only had a small band of helpers to whom I'm indebted for their support and encouragement. That includes our association secretary, the election agent, my local MP and his assistants/friends, our association President and his wife (my fellow candidate). Also the 10 locals who readily agreed to sign my nomination forms. Last but not least - my wife and young son for their support and help with leaflet distribution.
There were very few other candidates present so Kevin and I took a long walk down into Stowmarket and had an enjoyable cup of coffee in the outside courtyard of a cafe. Later after a brief look into the counting hall, I went home for lunch.
Arrived back just after two O'clock and the counting had begun. As there were two seats being contested, many ballot papers had two crosses on them. It was therefore quite a complex collation of various combinations to add all the various votes together. Although complex, it was well organised. However because of the complexity, it was very difficult to judge how the votes were stacking up. The count took a long, nervous (for me) 80 minutes. As it progressed I learnt that Kevin had not been successful although he had moved the Conservative votes in his ward up from fourth place to third. But with only two seats up for grabs, he had missed out.
Then came my result. And here it is:
Britt (Conservative) 469
Fairburn (Suffolk Together) 250
Penny (Green) 139
Redbond (LibDem) 502
Touman (LibDem) 296
Whitehead (Conservative) 573
Wilson J (Labour) 251
Wilson T (Labour) 233
I'd come first! And the two seats are split between the Conservatives and the LibDems which I think does accurately reflect the ward's political make-up with the hard-working LibDem deservedly retaining his seat. I've just realised that I got more votes than the combined independent candidates and more votes than the combined Labour candidates. So too did the second placed candidate. I think we can both be proud of that fact.
Overall our council has 21* Conservative councillors out of a total of 40. Gaining my seat therefore takes them past the 50% mark and gives them control. I suppose any Conservative councillor could make the same claim but as a "seat-gainer" I'll happy claim the role. [*Late amendment : the 21 figure should actually be 22 - it was an error on the MSDC website].
I only had a small band of helpers to whom I'm indebted for their support and encouragement. That includes our association secretary, the election agent, my local MP and his assistants/friends, our association President and his wife (my fellow candidate). Also the 10 locals who readily agreed to sign my nomination forms. Last but not least - my wife and young son for their support and help with leaflet distribution.
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
"I THOUGHT IT WAS CATS THAT WENT MISSING........"
Oh my feet are so painful! I don't think I have ever before walked in 9 hours even 25% of the distance I have walked today.
At the end of my last posting I was asking whether any one would be coming to my rescue to help get these second leaflets out. The fact is that I was actually expecting three people to call by during the morning and had lined up three distribution routes [about 600 leaflets] for them along with carefully drawn maps. The three were actually my local MP and two of his friends and they were due at 9am for a 90 minute slot. At 9.10am one person turned up and informed me that our MP had been held up at Westminster until 4am on a three-line whip. He would need to rest before being fit to drive out to Suffolk. That would be later in the day's timetable than my bit! So three became one and the mountains of leaflets suddenly seemed overwhelming. The two of us took a round each and got those out by 10.45am at which point I bade a thanks and farewell to my helper. I then got on with another round before lunch. I met up with my wife after she had finished work at 2pm for an 'all day breakfast' at a great cafe by a local fishing lake. I needed a big calorie input. Then whilst she went to collect our son from school I went off to blitz Henley and then Barham Green. Later whilst our son was having his football training we both put in a further hour's stint each and got a load more leaflets out.
Basically I just kept going through the pain barrier. My legs became so weary and my feet stung. But I found an almost evangelical zeal giving out these second leaflets. Someone I knew shouted across to me "I loved your leaflet!" and someone told my wife when she collected our son from school that "John's leaflet was really good". After football training this evening a parent told me "your leaflet was fantastic". Its not very often that political leaflets are described in such terms! But then it was a bit different to your typical leaflet.
The most surreal comment though came yesterday. A lady had just finished puting her child into her car seat as I walked up her drive and handed her my leaflet. She looked at it, exclaimed "Missing?!?!?" - a combination of exclamation and question marks in her voice before uttering the memorable phrase "I thought it was cats that went missing, not councillors". Priceless! The bold heading across the top of the leaflet was "MISSING!!" and it was a joy to hand it to people with a teasing "you'll find some interesting information in there!"
But there are no prizes for leaflets. Its the vote tomorrow that counts. And I really don't know how to call it. The Conservatives came bottom - fourth out of four last time (2007). This time there are eight candidates chasing two seats. The local pressure group "Suffolk Together" that took Tory votes back in the 2009 County elections have a candidate standing in this election and that is not at all helpful to my cause - although this time everyone has two votes (for the two seats).
Well I've given it my best shot. I learnt a lot standing in the 2009 County election which meant I hit the ground running this time. Short of having more helpers with canvassing and the fact I lost two days to illness, I'm not sure what more I could have done.
My house is being used as a "Area Headquarters" on polling day. That will be a whole new experience for me (and the family). I may blog about that tomorrow otherwise I'll be back with the result on Friday afternoon.
PS: This evening after football practice, one parent saw my 'No to AV' sticker and asked "What is AV?"
At the end of my last posting I was asking whether any one would be coming to my rescue to help get these second leaflets out. The fact is that I was actually expecting three people to call by during the morning and had lined up three distribution routes [about 600 leaflets] for them along with carefully drawn maps. The three were actually my local MP and two of his friends and they were due at 9am for a 90 minute slot. At 9.10am one person turned up and informed me that our MP had been held up at Westminster until 4am on a three-line whip. He would need to rest before being fit to drive out to Suffolk. That would be later in the day's timetable than my bit! So three became one and the mountains of leaflets suddenly seemed overwhelming. The two of us took a round each and got those out by 10.45am at which point I bade a thanks and farewell to my helper. I then got on with another round before lunch. I met up with my wife after she had finished work at 2pm for an 'all day breakfast' at a great cafe by a local fishing lake. I needed a big calorie input. Then whilst she went to collect our son from school I went off to blitz Henley and then Barham Green. Later whilst our son was having his football training we both put in a further hour's stint each and got a load more leaflets out.
Basically I just kept going through the pain barrier. My legs became so weary and my feet stung. But I found an almost evangelical zeal giving out these second leaflets. Someone I knew shouted across to me "I loved your leaflet!" and someone told my wife when she collected our son from school that "John's leaflet was really good". After football training this evening a parent told me "your leaflet was fantastic". Its not very often that political leaflets are described in such terms! But then it was a bit different to your typical leaflet.
The most surreal comment though came yesterday. A lady had just finished puting her child into her car seat as I walked up her drive and handed her my leaflet. She looked at it, exclaimed "Missing?!?!?" - a combination of exclamation and question marks in her voice before uttering the memorable phrase "I thought it was cats that went missing, not councillors". Priceless! The bold heading across the top of the leaflet was "MISSING!!" and it was a joy to hand it to people with a teasing "you'll find some interesting information in there!"
But there are no prizes for leaflets. Its the vote tomorrow that counts. And I really don't know how to call it. The Conservatives came bottom - fourth out of four last time (2007). This time there are eight candidates chasing two seats. The local pressure group "Suffolk Together" that took Tory votes back in the 2009 County elections have a candidate standing in this election and that is not at all helpful to my cause - although this time everyone has two votes (for the two seats).
Well I've given it my best shot. I learnt a lot standing in the 2009 County election which meant I hit the ground running this time. Short of having more helpers with canvassing and the fact I lost two days to illness, I'm not sure what more I could have done.
My house is being used as a "Area Headquarters" on polling day. That will be a whole new experience for me (and the family). I may blog about that tomorrow otherwise I'll be back with the result on Friday afternoon.
PS: This evening after football practice, one parent saw my 'No to AV' sticker and asked "What is AV?"
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
HUMOUR AND IRONY
Some on the left of politics jumped on a bandwagon last week after David Cameron's tongue-in-cheek "Calm down , dear!" to the faux hysterical reaction to one of his PMQ answers by one of the women on the opposition front bench. Cameron's later observation that they seem to take out the humour out when they put the socialism into these people was, in my view, spot on.
Whilst the socialists have had their humour removed, I'm pleased to see that the LibDems have firmly kept hold of their sense of irony. I received a leaflet of theirs through my door at the weekend with a catch-phrase logo "Working All Year Round" and which included the phrase "we need to make sure that you are properly represented". Difficult to argue with, surely? Yet I find both their catch-phrase logo and this particular statement both quite ironic. And why? The leaflet is co-authored by one of their candidates who has attended only 12 out of a possible 35 Full Council Meetings in the last four years. In my maths that's a 34% record. One year it was only 2 out of a possible 10 meetings [20%]. Here is that figure on the MSDC website:-
Its the line second from bottom in the photo. The worst attendance record out of all the councillors.
Perhaps we have different definitions of "working all year round" and "properly represented"? I feel most strongly (even passionately!) that the electors of Claydon & Barham Ward DESERVE BETTER than a councillor who frequently does not even bother to turn up to represent them yet still asks them to give him a second term of office! My second leaflet gives the electorate the opportunity to ponder this important issue whilst putting myself forward to fill this void. Democracy in action!
The only downside is that as of Tuesday evening, with 35 hours until polls open, I still have a phenomenal number of second leaflets still to deliver. Here's a photo of my campaign headquarters with a table still full of leaflets.
Will anyone be coming to my rescue? I'll never get all these out on my own tomorrow! Come back tomorrow evening for an update.
Whilst the socialists have had their humour removed, I'm pleased to see that the LibDems have firmly kept hold of their sense of irony. I received a leaflet of theirs through my door at the weekend with a catch-phrase logo "Working All Year Round" and which included the phrase "we need to make sure that you are properly represented". Difficult to argue with, surely? Yet I find both their catch-phrase logo and this particular statement both quite ironic. And why? The leaflet is co-authored by one of their candidates who has attended only 12 out of a possible 35 Full Council Meetings in the last four years. In my maths that's a 34% record. One year it was only 2 out of a possible 10 meetings [20%]. Here is that figure on the MSDC website:-
Its the line second from bottom in the photo. The worst attendance record out of all the councillors.
Perhaps we have different definitions of "working all year round" and "properly represented"? I feel most strongly (even passionately!) that the electors of Claydon & Barham Ward DESERVE BETTER than a councillor who frequently does not even bother to turn up to represent them yet still asks them to give him a second term of office! My second leaflet gives the electorate the opportunity to ponder this important issue whilst putting myself forward to fill this void. Democracy in action!
The only downside is that as of Tuesday evening, with 35 hours until polls open, I still have a phenomenal number of second leaflets still to deliver. Here's a photo of my campaign headquarters with a table still full of leaflets.
Will anyone be coming to my rescue? I'll never get all these out on my own tomorrow! Come back tomorrow evening for an update.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
HOW BEST TO SUM UP AV?
I've been laid low with a nasty bug for two days but thankfully I'm better now. My son was quite ill starting Tuesday morning and that continued until late Wednesday afternoon. Then both my wife and I came down with it in the early hours of Thusday morning. I had another canvassing session scheduled with our MP which had to be cancelled and overall lost two days from the campaign trail.
But now I'm okay and we've delivered the first batch of our second leaflets today. The initial reaction when field testing these leaflets has been very favourable. Now we've got to spread that message between now and Wednesday evening. The people of Claydon & Barham Ward deserve better! The full story will be revealed on my next posting.
Meanwhile, here's an amusing ditty from Youtube which sums up the AV system. If you want the supporters of extreme parties and joke candidates -those who's votes don't presently determine the outcome at Westminster - to have a bearing on the outcome, then you'll support AV. If not, you'll vote NO on Thursday. The choice is your's - but first, enjoy this song.......
But now I'm okay and we've delivered the first batch of our second leaflets today. The initial reaction when field testing these leaflets has been very favourable. Now we've got to spread that message between now and Wednesday evening. The people of Claydon & Barham Ward deserve better! The full story will be revealed on my next posting.
Meanwhile, here's an amusing ditty from Youtube which sums up the AV system. If you want the supporters of extreme parties and joke candidates -those who's votes don't presently determine the outcome at Westminster - to have a bearing on the outcome, then you'll support AV. If not, you'll vote NO on Thursday. The choice is your's - but first, enjoy this song.......
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
LESS THAN 10 DAYS TO GO NOW!
It seems only a blink of an eye ago that it was St Patrick's Day and still seven weeks to go to the election. Now we are in the last ten days - where has the time gone? Virtually every house has now received my first leaflet with the last few to be delivered tomorrow morning. I've been hampered a bit these last few days by my son's reluctance (ie. obstinate refusal) to come leafleting with me in the hot weather so I've been restricted to the late afternoon and early evening after my wife has got home from work. Now with the return to school on Wednesday I'll have the freedom to get out more.
However I've now convinced myself that the best time to deliver is when everyone is returning from work or have had their suppers. I imagine a family sitting in front of their TV when they hear the rattle of the letterbox. One of them retrieves our leaflet and then the family take turns to read it and then together discuss its merit before resolving to vote Conservative. Perhaps just in my dreams?
When knocking on doors it has surprised (and depressed) me how many people seem proud to tell us that they don't bother to vote. One woman said "I've never voted since I was 18 and now I'm 34 and not going to start". Others are very coy about their voting intentions. What makes it worthwhile is being greeted on a doorstep with "Good luck! You've got our vote" whilst being given a smile and the thumbs up. It does happen!
As well as the leafleting and canvassing I've actually spent a considerable amount of time working on my second leaflet for final week distribution. The concept for this second leaflet has been in my mind now for over two years, ever since my wife responded back in 2009 with "Everyone should be made aware of that" after I had made her aware of "it". But what is this "It"? Well, I'm obviously hoping it will give me the edge but I'll wait to reveal what's missing in a few days time! Suffice to say that working with the basic concept has seen the leaflet go through about 10 draft stages trying to pitch the wording just right. I'm very excited about it! I suppose its the accountant in me that likes presenting people with facts and data.
However I've now convinced myself that the best time to deliver is when everyone is returning from work or have had their suppers. I imagine a family sitting in front of their TV when they hear the rattle of the letterbox. One of them retrieves our leaflet and then the family take turns to read it and then together discuss its merit before resolving to vote Conservative. Perhaps just in my dreams?
When knocking on doors it has surprised (and depressed) me how many people seem proud to tell us that they don't bother to vote. One woman said "I've never voted since I was 18 and now I'm 34 and not going to start". Others are very coy about their voting intentions. What makes it worthwhile is being greeted on a doorstep with "Good luck! You've got our vote" whilst being given a smile and the thumbs up. It does happen!
As well as the leafleting and canvassing I've actually spent a considerable amount of time working on my second leaflet for final week distribution. The concept for this second leaflet has been in my mind now for over two years, ever since my wife responded back in 2009 with "Everyone should be made aware of that" after I had made her aware of "it". But what is this "It"? Well, I'm obviously hoping it will give me the edge but I'll wait to reveal what's missing in a few days time! Suffice to say that working with the basic concept has seen the leaflet go through about 10 draft stages trying to pitch the wording just right. I'm very excited about it! I suppose its the accountant in me that likes presenting people with facts and data.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
WHAT GLORIOUS WEATHER FOR POUNDING THE PAVEMENTS
I can't believe how the wonderful the weather has been over these last few days. Given how thin my hair is on top, I should really be wearing a hat when out delivering the leaflets. Normally I'd wear a baseball cap if I was out in the midday sun on holiday but I don't want to have a "William Hague Moment" on the streets of the Claydon & Barham Ward. And introducing myself as the Conservative candidate then doing a Benny Hill salute would hardly be a vote winner, would it?!?
Today I had to take my son up to Debenham Leisure Centre as he was booked on a four hour badminton course but having dropped him off, I was able to get away for a couple of hours and deliver leaflets in the peaceful village of Hemingstone. It was just like a perfect midsummer's day and it was a delight to walk around the village. I'm always a bit wary of dogs when out in the more rural parts of the ward but today there were no problems.
Later, as a family, we delivered in Claydon village. Just as we were finishing, my wife waved to a passing car. I'd been deep in thought and hadn't noticed who it was - but my wife recognised the car as belonging to my LibDem opponent. Glorious driving weather too!
Today I had to take my son up to Debenham Leisure Centre as he was booked on a four hour badminton course but having dropped him off, I was able to get away for a couple of hours and deliver leaflets in the peaceful village of Hemingstone. It was just like a perfect midsummer's day and it was a delight to walk around the village. I'm always a bit wary of dogs when out in the more rural parts of the ward but today there were no problems.
Later, as a family, we delivered in Claydon village. Just as we were finishing, my wife waved to a passing car. I'd been deep in thought and hadn't noticed who it was - but my wife recognised the car as belonging to my LibDem opponent. Glorious driving weather too!
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