Normal bureaucratic service is resumed

After a bit of a low day yesterday, normal service appears to be resumed. I've spent the day being annoyed by my computer, which seems to want to block my AOL connection, and delivering our latest leaflet in East Dulwich.

One of the big issues in the area is the ongoing saga of the new federated academy school, whose boys section (the existing school is for girls only) was originally intended to open next Autumn in temporary premises pending the construction of new buildings to be opened in Autumn 2009.

Whilst the academy structure is less than ideal, the pragmatic stance is to focus on what is best for the children and parents of this part of Southwark, and so our gallant Council Group have pushed hard to get a new secondary school for the East Dulwich and Peckham Rye area.

But recently, it seemed that barriers were being placed in the way of the project. The temporary site decided upon was apparently less than ideal, although it was never quite clear who thought so. The local police deny objecting on security grounds, the Department of Education and Skills deny that finance is an issue, and our non-resident MP indicates from her Kentish Town (that's north of the river, in Camden) home that she is keen for the project to progress.

So, the administration looked for other venues, met with the minister, Lord Adonis, to attempt to break the logjam and generally encouraged progress. There is no doubt that a new school is needed, and the sooner the better.

Alas, politics reared its ugly head. The Labour Party's desperate attempts to discredit local Liberal Democrats has led them to pull the plug on the project, and attempt to blame us for its failure. This is despite the planned temporary site being approved by the Academy Project Board and the Government, despite provision of a dedicated planning consultant. Claims that a risk assessment showed the site to be unsafe ran counter to the Borough Commander's advice that no such assessment had been made or cleared by the police chain of command.

Best of all, they claim that the decision was taken by the Project Board. Curiously, whilst that meeting was taking place, the Minister called our Group Leader to tell him that the decision to pull the plug had been taken. Anyone would think that voting in Liberal Democrat councillors was an excuse for Labour ministers to shaft the 'offending' residents... but politics is about making lives better, not hanging on to power for the sake of it, isn't it?

And to think I had thought they couldn't get worse!

Alright, the lies and the attempts to scare little old ladies were bad, and it is 'unfortunate' that Charles Clarke has released more than a thousand foreign criminals onto our streets as part of his 'tough on crime' strategy, but I never thought that Labour would stoop to personal attacks on one of our candidates.

Banging on about the fact that your candidates are local is one thing (and I'm so pleased that you mentioned it, given the home address of our own dear MP - remember, Tessa Jowell lives in Kentish Town, some considerable distance outside of Dulwich and West Norwood), but attacking one of our candidates for moving ward is quite outrageous, especially given the facts.

Richard Thomas's first ward (Abbey) was abolished in the last round of boundary changes and he moved on to fight, and win, Chaucer in 2002. Since then, he's got married to Julia and has a new daughter, Megan, born last year, so they needed a larger place, so they moved to East Dulwich. As a result, he's given up his safe seat to fight something a bit tougher and, more importantly, close to his home (if his house was on the other side of the street, he'd live in East Dulwich ward).

And so, I have only this to say... Charlie Smith, Les Alden and Helen Morrissey, you are slime, and your agent, Jeremy Frazer, should hang his head in shame (look the word up, Jeremy, there's a good chap...). You have finally debased the political process to the point where you have nothing to offer other than to cast slurs upon someone who wants to serve his community and actually believes in putting something back into it. Are you proud of yourselves? Because if you are, you have disbarred yourselves from any respect from me, now and forever. Oh, and Helen, you should spend more time in church on a Sunday reflecting on whether your campaigning reflects a Catholic ethos. To save you having to think about that though, I'll tell you, it doesn't. Hypocrite!

You have one chance to redeem yourselves in my eyes, and that is to offer a full and public apology, but I suspect that you haven't got the moral or ethical guts to do so. Normally, I make a point of not making personal attacks on my political opponents, a standard which the four of you might well aim to aspire towards. Of course, you probably can't spell ethics, so I'm undoubtedly wasting my time, aren't I?

A Kiwi on the doorstep

Another day of delivering, this time our blue envelopes. The organisation is so good now that the ward can be delivered in one day and today, I had the pleasure of a guest deliverer.

We've had visits from the Party Leader, from the Chair of the Parliamentary Party, from the Party President and from our Home Affairs spokesperson but, better than all of those, was the visit from my cousin Kim, all the way from Wellington, New Zealand (although she's staying with my parents in North London at the moment).

And of course, as I had deliveries to make, I got her to join in. In a spirit of reciprocity, I did make dinner for the two of us, grilled salmon with a creamy lemon and dill sauce, potatoes, green beans and a bottle of wine, with strawberries and cream for dessert. Yes, I can cook (a bit). Now if I could only master housework...

Meanwhile, back on the campaign trail...

I'm hosting the campaign HQ here in East Dulwich which means, and I have mixed feelings about this, that I'm obliged to stay at home whilst we're open. So, what to do?

Ironically, the solution I've found is to tidy the house, which is beginning to have an impact. The kitchen looks like you might be able to prepare food without the risk of getting food poisoning (alright, I exaggerate how bad it was somewhat, but you know where I'm coming from), and even the living room looks vaguely acceptable.

When the campaign day comes to an end, I am able to get out and deliver my rounds. It was nice to get out in the sunshine and meet a few voters, most of whom were at least friendly and some of whom were very supportive. I even found time to do some vital food shopping (cats have to eat, you know!).

Meantime, it would appear that the mystery of the missing Green candidates has been solved. Apparently, there was some sort of cock-up with their nominations. Whilst I regret that they haven't been able to take part - they were a pleasure to work alongside at the General Election count (Kim Humphries take note...) - it does take some of the complications out of our campaign. At least, from the perspective of Green voters, our team of candidates are genuinely committed to environmental issues, and have a track record of achievement, especially Richard Thomas.

More developments as they occur...

Another day on the doorstep

So, having survived my first day of canvassing in far too many years, and invigorated by our glorious win in Dunfermline and West Fife, I spent another session out on the stump.

I have to admit that it was more fun this time, and my canvassing technique is getting better (slowly). Get their preference and get on, don't argue, don't get into a debate. I even persuaded someone to take a poster!

So, who are the two gentlemen in the picture? On the left, Jonathan Mitchell, on the right, James Barber. Jonathan was our Parliamentary candidate last May, achieving a glorious second place with more than 24% of the vote (and I was his agent!). They are the people I canvass with, as they are two of the three members of our Focus Team. The third is Richard Thomas, strategist, Focus designer, and a sitting councillor (plus, most importantly of all, Southwark's Executive Member for the Environment).

If the efforts of Belinda, our ward organiser, myself as Local Party Chair, and the cast of characters who have delivered, canvassed and encouraged are a success, our eventual candidates will get elected and I can bask in the warm glow of voting for the first winning candidates at any level other than Regional List. And believe me, will I bask...