This is what I am doing

Some readers of this blog may be wondering what I and my helpers are doing when I/we go round Ely and Soham and the villages - some large, some small - of South East Cambridgeshire, my home area and my prospective constituency. On a good day, I make a point of doing the opposite of what politicians are supposed to do, which is to kiss babies and shake hands with the mothers. When I can and when I dare, I kiss the mothers and shake hands with the babies. I always enjoyed electioneering, even back in the 1960s when I went round with the late Lord Pym (then Mr Francis Pym, M.P,).

What I am also doing is distributing what is called my 'introductory leaflet,' which is intended for use as an introduction for those who don't know me already. Incidentally, I am amazed by the numbers of people who either know me or know of me already. I told an interviewer a few months back that I thought that I would have no 'name recognition' problem and so it transpires. And I am finding lots of solid support for my independent line.

What I am also amazed by is the apparent apathy and lack of enthusiasm on the part of supposed Conservative supporters. Unlike when Sue and I were active in the Party (before 1999, when I resigned from it), there are very few active Conservative branches and, it seems, very few active Conservatives. They are in for a shock come polling day. I wonder if it's the same all over the country. If so, Mr Cameron is also in for a shock.

Anyway, here is a scan of the leaflet that I used in Soham on Saturday. It is, of course, specifically for Soham. Part of the text is altered if I/we are somewhere else. For example, today I plan to visit Bartlow, Linton (again), Weston Colville, West Wickham, West Wratting, etc., and the leaflet will be worded appropriately for each village. For those who don't know the constituency like I do, I should explain that today's villages are on the higher ground that the old people used to describe as 'the woodlands.' This, of course, stems from the middle ages when much of the higher ground of the County was heavily wooded.

Click on the image of the leaflet to enlarge it and to read it.