Kick off with an Election Rally

Yesterday was the Milton Keynes Labour Party General Election rally at the Stadium MK in the Clydesdale Suite with Dr Phyllis Starkey MP, Andrew Pakes PPC for Milton Keynes North and Cllr Norman Miles Leader of the Labour Group on Milton Keynes Council with Cllr Kevin Wilson chairing the proceedings, the guest speaker was the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports Ben Bradshaw MP for Exeter, kick off was 7:30pm.
Luckily I had to clerk a Community Development Committee meeting with a very short agenda which finished at aroundabout 6:50pm and so hot footed it to pick up Cllr Janet Richardson on Netherfield.
Oh and before I go on earlier in the day I had a phone call from a nice lady called Kate a Researcher from Vera Productions on Channel Four, it would seem she had come across my blog and wanted to know more about the campaigning I am involved in there's me thinking no one read it and was just doing this for a bit of fun don't think i'll ever get to the status of Iain Dale or Will Straw though! but it was nice to be complimented, it would appear that she is going to run a programme on people like me in marginal seats campaigning rather than the candidates during the General Election, she asked me if I would find out the areas the Labour Party will be campaigning in and the level of activity that will be taking place to see if it was worth taking it further, which I agreed I would do and ring her back tommorrow.
Now returning to the Stadium MK Rally we had to go through the Hilton Doubletree Hotel which had recently opened all very plush and with a really deep red carpets and seating but who am I to complain.
Once I got to the the top of the stairs Pete Marland slapped a sticker on me saying "A Future Fair for All Vote Labour 2010" in red of course!
In the conference suite Andrew Pakes must of seen me holding my camera as I was going to take photographs of the event for the Milton Keynes Labour Party Facebook Group page which I administer, he asked if I would be the official photographer for the night and produced a monster camera as I am only used to simple shoot and go digital camera's.
I sat in the front row with Cllr Richardson and Cllr Kevin Wilson sat at the top table waiting for everyone to arrive he noticed the camera and said that I would be needed to take a photograph with the Minister Phyllis, Andrew and Norman Miles separately my heart sank this could be a disaster when Andrew earlier gave me a crash course in using the camera it was fine when I tried on my own I said to Janet sitting next to me how come I cannot see through the view finder she said laughing helps if you take the cap off DOH!
Brian White was with a steward who opened the balcony doors on to the viewing stand looking on to the football pitch and the huge MKDons sign in the background I tried to look confident in front of them all and had to try at different angles to get them all in and get this MK Dons sign in too a nightmare but I got there and everyone seemed quite happy with the results.
I could relax when Andrew said there was no need to take any of the speechs so thankfully I could go back to using my trusty digital camera.
Cllr Kevin Wilson brought the proceedings to order and introduced Cllr Brian White who had to leave shortly to attend a Council Scrutiny meeting, it must of been a bitter sweet moment for the former MP but he made a good point that if Andrew is elected he would be the first MP to have been born and grown up in the area.
Ben Bradshaw MP made a very inspiring speech and answered questions afterwards as he too had to rush off to do some more campaigning.
Both Dr Phyllis Starkey MP and Andrew Pakes made very good rousing speeches all good anti Tory stuff to get the blood pumping.
Poor Cllr Norman Miles needed to remind everyone we also had a Labour Party local Election Manifesto to launch amid the fury of a General Election he said the Manifesto will concentrate on good quality housing tackling anti social behaviour etc.
After the speeches I asked Phyllis if I could have a photograph taken with her as after 13 years taking photographs with her at different functions I had never had my photograph taken with her I also had a photograph taken with Andrew Pakes.
Pete Marland approached me to ask if I would sign Andrew's nomination paper which I duly did.
All in all a great venue a great rally to get us all off on to a flying start and great as well to catch up with some good friends in the Labour family.