To 'new Teversham' - the housing estate that the major political parties don't want to know

There is a large housing estate that is (mostly) in the South East Cambridgeshire parish of Teversham. It is separated from 'old Teversham' village by half a mile or so of open land and is actually closer to Cherry Hinton which, in turn, is part of the Cambridge constituency. The estate started life as the Foxgloves estate but I tend to title it 'new Teversham' and that is where I was today, in an area where there dwell more than one thousand electors of South East Cambridgeshire. And what did I find? Why, large-scale support for me as an independent yet again and a general distaste - nay, disgust - in the attitudes of the people that I met towards the major parties.

This wasn't always for the reasons that I have recently become accustomed to but it was genuine, nevertheless and, perhaps for an even more disturbing reason. It appears that nobody from the major political parties has bothered to visit this estate, not just during the lead-up to this General Election which is now only weeks away, but for years. One lady said that she hadn't seen a party politician of any sort for about ten years; another lady confirmed the information. So much for the major parties' much-vaunted 'election machines' and so much for their 'caring' and 'inclusive' policies and posturings. A party (or some parties) that don't want to know the opinions of more than one thousand electors doesn't deserve to win anywhere.

The Foxgloves estate (or 'new Teversham') comprises the delightfully-named Antelope Way, Buffalo Way, Caribou Way, Dolphin Close, Eland Way, Fennec Close, Impala Drive, Lemur Drive, Loris Court, Mandrill Close, Panther Way, Roedeer Close, Sable Close, Speedwell Close, Tamarin Gardens, The Lynx, etc. I say 'etc.' because I may have missed one or two closes or drives and I apologise for so doing if I have.

If my readers pick up the impression that I enjoyed the day and found it rewarding, they are right. The day, though cold again, was most enjoyable and very rewarding. My picture shows a cheerful chappie on the General Election trail. It was taken by a young and busy Lithuanian gentleman, to whom I said, 'Thank you, and welcome!'