European Selection Diary: Day 3 - introducing Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band...

So, who are these terribly important people who will be responsible for producing a shortlist of candidates for the delectation and delight of Liberal Democrat members in the East of England? And who made us king, anyway?

Like so many areas of the Party's bureaucracy, it comes down to those mad enough to volunteer, and those too slow to hide when a 'volunteer' was sought or, in particularly unfortunate instances, the person volunteered in their absence (and let that be a warning to you!). 

So, let me introduce the East of England Selection Committee, in no particular order;

Jon Whitehouse - Epping Forest Local Party, trained Returning Officer, councillor for Epping Hemnall ward on Epping Forest District Council, and a fantastic campaign organiser. I've worked with him in the past in London, and know that he knows his stuff.

Barbara Rix - Broadland Local Party, another trained Returning Officer, councillor for Buxton ward on Broadland District Council, where she won in a glorious by-election in 2009 and was re-elected last year. Some of you will know her as one of the stewards at Federal Conference. Impossible not to like.

Henry Vann - Bedford Local Party, our Parliamentary candidate for Bedford and Kempston in 2010, councillor for De Parys ward on Bedford Borough Council, active in Liberal Youth not so long ago.

Rupert Moss-Eccardt - Cambridge Local Party, known to some as 'that guy that explains Connect', active at Regional Party level.

Kate Sayer - South West Norfolk Local Party, Regional Candidates Chair, East of England, another trained Returning Officer. The person who appointed me as Chair - either a move of genius or insanity, we are yet to discover which.

We also have two reserves, Catherine Smart, the former Regional Candidates Chair, and Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne, who fought Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in 2010, so the substitute bench is a strong one.

And finally, me. I've done this before, as Returning Officer for South East England in 1997, 2002 and 2007, and as a member of London's Selection Committee in 2007. I understand the Rules, the process and the psychology of a European Selection. If it does go horribly wrong, I'll at least know why...

We also have a Returning Officer, whose job it is to manage the candidates and to ensure that we, the Selection Committee, fulfil our obligations. But more about him another day, I think...