General Election Party - Saturday 15th May 2010

I attended the General Election party held at Cllr Hilary Saunders house in Wolverton Dr Phyllis Starkey and Hugh Starkey along with Andrew Pakes were in attendance with Pete Marland his partner Ellie, Pauliune Wallis and her partner Cllrs Janet Irons Norman and Helen Miles, John Pinkerton, Brian White, Paul Stanyer, Martin Patchey, Nigel and Sue Long, Alan Williams and his partner, Kevin and Pam Wilson were not there as I was told they were visiting their new grand child in Manchester, plus quite a few party members I had not seen before, the weather was very sunny with plenty of food and drink.
I had a nice chat with Phyllis talking about Milton Keynes Council and the new leader of the Council Cllr Cec Tallack she said she had not had much rest as over the weekend as she was clearing out her Westminster Office she also said she had damaged her leg during the campaign and was having xrays and planned to go on holiday to Boston in the USA to see her daughter, I had asked her how she felt about losing but she replied she had thought she may have lost after the boundary changes so it was no great shock but there were times during the campaign that she felt she might of won, Veronica Belcher said she was doing the same clearing out the office at the Labour Hall.
Pete Marland made the comment that was their a seat that I had not stood for election yet good point!
As I was walking in the garden towards the end of the event Phyllis said goodbye and I wondered if I would ever see her again an end of an era after 15 years as a candidate and MP!

Milton Keynes Council Election Results - Thursday 6th May 2010

Milton Keynes Local Election Results – Thursday 6th May 2010

Newport Pagnell North
Brian Barton (Labour) 525
Derek Eastman (Lib Dem) 1,854
Jeannette Green (Conservative) 1,300
Trevor Kirby (UKIP) 213
Turnout was 67.4 per cent

General Election Results

Here are the results for the Milton Keynes South and Milton Keynes North seats in the General Election held on Thursday 6th May 2010:

Milton Keynes South
There was a 6.2% swing from Labour to Conservative

STEWART, Iain Aitken The Conservative Party Candidate 23,034 Elected
STARKEY, Phyllis Margaret The Labour Party Candidate 17,833
JONES, Peter Maxwell Liberal Democrats 9,787
PINTO, Joseph Francis Anthony Philip UK Independence Party (UKIP) 2,074
TAIT, Matthew Robert James British National Party 1,502
DEACON, Katrina Jean The Green Party 774
NTI, Suzanne Maria Christian Peoples Alliance 245
WORTH, Jonathan Paul Nationwide Reform Party 84

Milton Keynes North
There was a 9.2% swing from Labour to Conservative

LANCASTER, John Mark The Conservative Party Candidate 23419 Elected
PAKES, Andrew Elliot The Labour Party Candidate 14458
HOPE, Jill Susan Liberal Democrats 11894
PHILLIPS, Michael Sheridan UK Independence Party (UKIP) 1771
HAMILTON, Richard James Munro British National Party 1154
FRANCIS, Alan Herbert Green Party 733
LENNON, John Francis Christian Peoples Alliance 206
FENSOME, Matthew Monster Raving Loony William Hill Party 157
VYAS, Anant Manishanker Independent 95

General Election Day - Thursday 6th May 2010

The weather was very sunny and warm which was a good omen I noticed in the morning a group of young Liberal Democrats leafleting in my street surprisingly I did not get one as the Vote Labour posters must of given it away although it has not stopped me getting Tory and Lib Dem leaflets in the election campaign perhaps they did not look up far enough to see them in my bedroom window.
I also recieved various text messages from the Labour Party HQ which read as follows:

Message 1:
"Want to know how you can help Labour 2moro? Give us ur details at labour.org.uk now and we'll call u back later today to tell u the best place to go" (Wednesday 5th May 2010)

Message 2:
"This is a word of mouth election. So please talk to everyone you know today. Tell them why you're Labour & why they should vote for us. U can make the difference." (Thursday 6th May 2010)

Here are all my tweets throughout the election night and morning:

God the exit poll has unnerved me can it be even romotely right?

Wow hearing people were queuing up to vote at the polling station including in Milton Keynes

Can my nerves stand waiting for the first results we so need a Labour Governments in these differcult times

Good result in Sunderland very young and attractive new Labour MP too (Bridget Phillipson 26)

Seems there is polling station chaos with voters not being able to vote as they shut at 10:00pm as per the law

In my birth place of Lewisham Nick Robinson says rumour that a polling station stayed open to 10:30pm feel court cases coming on

I agree with David Dimbleby disgrace that huge crowds in places like Leeds could not vote as he said its like a 3rd world Country election

Also I'll back David's campaign for an enquiry and that polling stations should be better prepared and ignored the law and stayed open

Wished I was at the BBC party with the stars one day i'll be on the A List lol

Oh God Esther Rantzen on my TV don't have any thing to throw at it the smug woman

Oh dear think Electoral Officers are gonna get it in the neck no bonuses for them

One polling station sensibly said if the doors aren't shut they will allow voting to continue no consistency according to Nick Robinson

Some voters have staged a sit in at a polling station way to go

Another Labour victory in Washington (UK of course) Barack Obama don't worry keep them coming

Sunderland Central Labour hold and the Tories thought they snatched it ha ha

Good Electoral Commission will be making an enquiry and apologises

Yes we Khan holds Tooting

Gordon Brown had a victory extra 5,000 Majority in Kilcady and Cowdenbeath

David Blunkett claims that the Labour Party has lost the General Election

What a tribute to the late Micheal Foot gaining Bleanu Gwent

Ben Bradshaw holds Exeter he attended Milton Keynes Election rally

Shame Phil Sawford did not gain Kettering for the Labour Party

Alistair Darling Holds his seat along with Ed, David Miliband and Peter Hain

Great Labour holds Luton North Kelvin Hopkins came to a campaign meeting in Great Linford and was a good speaker

Looks like Gillan Duffy's vote wasn't needed as Labour has gained Rochdale BigotGate helped lol

Tony Blair's favourite News Interviewer Gloria Di Pero has held Ashfield for Labour

Labour has gained Tony Benn's old seat of Chesterfield our second gain

Congrats To Labour's Gavin Shukler holding Luton South hope it banishes the shame to the party of Margaret Moran

Jackie Smith former Home Secretary loses Redditch to the Tories

Shalik Malik Local Goverment Minister loses in Dewsbury to the Tories

Ed Balls Schools Minister holds Morley and Outwood for Labour no Portillio moment for the Tories

Charles Clarke former Labour Home Secretary loses Norwich South to the Tories bet he blames Gordon Brown

Other Ministers lose their seats Phil Hope (Corby) Bill Rammel (Harlow) Angela Smith (Basildon) Vera Baird (Redcar) and Mike O'Brien

Hazel Blears holds Salford and Eccles for Labour

The count has just begun at Stadium:MK. Turn out for MK North was 65.8% Turn out for MK South was 64.2%

Giesla Stuart holds Birmingham Edgebaston for Labour another Tory miss good news

David Bunkett former Home Secretary holds Sheffield Brightside for Labour

Labour has a lower vote share than Micheal Foot in the 1983 General Election

BBC predict a Hung Parliament Tories 306 Labour 262 and Lib Dems 57

Jim Knight Labour Schools Minister has lost Dorset South to the Tories

Meg Hiller Labour Minister has held her seat in Sheffield Heeley

The cocky smles and characters of Tory Zac Goldsmith's team show you all you need to know why a tory victory is bad for this Country

Caroline Lucas Green candidate has won Brighton Pavillion sad for Labours Nancy Platts

Dr Richard Taylor Independent lose Wyre Forest to the Tories

Thank god Labours Margaret Hodge has beaten BNP's Nick Griffin into 3rd place shows the residents of Barking has sent those thugs packing

Good news Labour's Jon Cruddas retains Dagenham and Rainham

Tony McNulty former Labour Employment Minister loses Harrow East to the Tories

Labour's Gerald Kaufman has been re-elected in Manchester Gorton

Tories have asked for a recount in Labours Glenda Jackson Hampstead seat

Sad to hear that Labour's Dr Phyllis Starkey has lost to the Tory Iain Stewart in Milton Keynes South

Hearing that Andrew Pakes Labour's PPC in MK North has lost to the Tory Mark Lancaster

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has held the Dulwich seat for Labour

It is confirmed that Labour's PPC Andrew Pakes in MK North has lost to the Tory Mark Lancaster

Labour's Glenda Jackson has held on in Hempstead

Labour's Chris Mole former Transport Manager has lost Ipswich to the Tories

Just want to thank the 525 residents of Newport Pagnall North who had voted for me today

Its a shame that Labour's Dawn Butler lost to the Lib Dems Sarah teather

Sad to hear that Labours Jonathan Shaw has also lost his seat

It would also seem that Milton Keynes was not immune from the polling fiasco Wyvern School polling station in Wolverton and in Newport Pagnall had very long queues and the worry was would everyone get to vote (which I believe they managed too)

Also 200 voters in Newport Pagnall voted in the wrong ward and about 150 voters were contacted to ask to go to the polling station and vote again as the polling station had the wrong voting slips.

About 200 postal votes ended up in Coventry and a Milton Keynes Council employee had to go there and collect them and take them back to Milton Keynes.

I believe the Returning Officer John Moffott is having to write a report to the Electoral Commission to explain what happened.

Well thats my potted history of the General Election and the campaign as it unfolded.

I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have but I will continue blogging but now as the mood takes me on the local politics scene and developments in Milton Keynes it has been a challenge blogging on a regular basis during the campaign but due to work pressures as I say it will not now be on such a regular basis.

Leafleting on Heelands - Wednesday 5th May 2010

Today was leafleting the eve of polls on The Dales section of Heelands, it brought it home to me that the election is finally here after months and months of leafleting, using my annual leave and my weekends, looking forward though to a relaxing weekend and to get my life back, and re-evaluate what I want to achieve out of life, especially that two friends of mine have annouced their engagements it has given me food for thought, I will of course still be involved in the party but need to get a balance anyway I digress.
Again all was quiet until there was two workmen on industrial mowers which were a monster size and looked like something out of Doctor Who racing down the road.
I was also leafleting alongside a PCSO who was leafleting about Bradwell Neighbourhood Police Team public "Have Your Say" meetings (I only know this as I had the same leaflet through my door when I got home.)
It took me the same amout of time to deliver as yesterday, but this included driving time to an address in Arncliffe Drive, Gisburn Close and Bransgill Court why I had those to do I do not know.
When I got home I had my own personalised letter to open and read which I did and at the top of the letter from Andrew Pakes was a series of photographs of past campaigns and the first one was a picture of me with Peter Skinner MEP and Andrew Pakes holding signs saying "Tesco stock the choc" which was a campaign asking Tesco to stock Fair Trade chocolate, in the background you can also see my car it did my ego a world of good.
Postscript - Did not check my emails until late and saw messages from Pete Marland telling me that I had been selected to have a ticket to be an observer for the General Election Count, and to attend a candidates meeting tonight at the Labour Hall at 8:30pm to explain the election organisation for tommorrow but I did not read the email until 9:00pm whoops sorry Pete hope i'm forgiven?
Still must get to bed ready for a really long day tommorrow.

Leafleting Heelands - Tuesday 4th May 2010

Yesterday I got a text message out of the blue from Andrew Pakes asking if I could do some leafleting including the eve of polls on The Dales section on Heelands which I replied I was more than happy to do.
Andrew arrived on the doorstep with a cupboard box full of leaflets which included post card sized leaflets of Ross Kemp (former Eastenders actor who played Grant Mitchell and now war Documentary maker on Sky) and Jo Brand (Comedienne) on why people should vote for the Labour Party.
I started to put the leaflets in order as they were a bit jumpled up the next day, it was lovely sunny weather, the area was very quiet, when I turned in to the East Dales there was a large gang of landscapers spraying around the trees killing the weeds as none of them were wearing masks I thought it was safe to walk through them.
It took me about an hour to deliver the personalised mail shots.

Election Meeting with Ed Miliband - Friday 30th April 2010

I recieved a phone call a couple of days ago at work from Veronica Belcher inviting me to attend a meeting with Ed Miliband Energy and Climate Change Minister at the National Energy Centre on Davy Avenue, Knowlhill for 3:45pm for a 4:00pm start.
I arranged with my work colleague Tracy Peters to leave the office early I was running late as I had to get the agenda and supporting papers out for the Annual Meeting and had still not finished but I was not worried as these meetings never start on time, as it proved to be.
I managed to find the Centre ok but the parking was dreadful and had to park quite away behind as it turned out behind Veronica's car, it was a showery day but managed to miss it walking to the centre.
I was welcomed in and offered tea or coffee and luckily there was nibbles on various tables as I was very hungray.
It was very crowded and spotted Victoria Whalley with her son and daughter and stood next to her for a chat but was in front of the toilets and had to keep moving out the way.
I also saw Pete Marland, Veronica Belcher, Dr Phyllis Starkey, Andrew Pakes, Brian White (who is Chair of the National Energy Centre), Cllr Janet Richardson, John Pinkerton and various attractive young ladies sporting Labour rosettes.
We were called in and took our seats I sat next to Pete's partner Ellie who had told me she had driven all the way from work in Northampton to attend.
A guy called Brian from the Energy Centre was chairing the event and told us that Ed Miliband was stuck in traffic (it would appear that he was travelling from Oxford after coming from Swindon), and would be quarter of an hour late so Dr Phyllis Starkey and Andrew Pakes were asked to fill in and make a short speech and answer questions from the floor.
The questions were very technical as members of the energy world were also invited to attend and they used a lot of jargon so it went very much over my head.
It what seemed an eternity Ed Milliband eventually arrived (and kissed Phyllis on both cheeks) with Franny Armstrong from a group called the Age of Stupid which I believe is encouraging ministers and members of the public to pledge to cut their carbon emissions on their website by ten per cent she had been following Ed Miliband at the two other meetings and was also asking him questions.
She looked very hippy in appearance and spoke really fast and just plonked herself on the desk feet and all and every now and then butted in with questions to Ed.
There was an awful racket and was informed that that was the roof windows closing as it started raining.
One questioner was from Domino's Pizza and Ed said he was hungray and could to with a pizza and mentioned it again later!
Another questioner was from Buildings Magazine who was seated near to me.
The whole event we were told later was being shown live on the Labour Party and Guardian websites.
I left the building and spoke briefly to Cllr Janet Richardson and went to my car and drove back to the office and finish colating my Annual Meeting papers and finish outstanding bits and pieces as I had booked the next week off for the election campaign.

Using my Postal Vote - Tuesday 27th April 2010

I recieved my postal votes for the Milton Keynes local Council elections and General Election, earlier in the week and got down today to signing and putting my date of birth on the separate form to ensure my vote will not be invalid and put my cross on the voting forms (not sure if it is legal on a blog to say who I voted for as do not want to do a Kathy McCarthy, but I am sure you can guess how I did vote dear Blog reader.)
I walked in lovely sunshine to the post box at the end of my road and it reminded me of walking to the polling station in elections past and I proud to do my duty.

Placing My First Bet on the General Election - Thursday 22nd April 2010

I have always wanted to place a bet on the General Election and this time I was detirminded to do so, as I have never placed a bet before in my life.
In my childhood the local betting shop had blacked out windows with drunk men spilling out and the old fashioned (now) multi coloured fly trap in the door way plus my parents aversion to betting always stopped me betting which is no bad thing I have never even played the fruit machines in pubs, so grateful I have never taken up this vice.
I asked my work colleague Nicky Fulton to help me to the place the bet as I did not have a clue what to do.
So we arranged to go at lunch time to the Corals Betting shop at the Netherfield Local Centre, inside it was quite pleasant full of men filling in their betting slips with a number of TV sets on the wall with various matches and races on, I got myself and wrote out two betting slips with Nicky Fulton coaching me on what to right down, for five pounds each for a win for Dr Phyllis Starkey in Milton Keynes South and Andrew Pakes for Milton Keynes North.
Once I got to the cashier she looked through her screen which also had a screen on the wall in her booth which showed what she was looking through for the betting odds for both constituencies, only Milton Keynes North came up so could only bet on Andrew a guy was impatient with me holding things up so he asked if he could quickly place his bet which I was happy to oblige.
I thought she gave the impression that she could not be bothered to try and get Milton Keynes South up on the screen but later on I was proved wrong.
Nicky rang her partner as he is a Manager for Coral's in Bletchley to find out why I could not bet on Phyllis, he told her that due to the tightening of the polls all bets were off until Coral's could decide what odds to put on.
Still glad to have got round to placing my first bet in this General Election.