An Audience With Emily

Friday 23rd November 2012

Went to see Emily Darlington at her inlaws house in Ashlands, I wanted to know a bit more about her as I was undecided who to vote for.

One the one hand I liked Rebakah Perterson's working class background as a Train Driver and that she was fairly local living in Leighton Buzzard, that is not to say that Emily had no local connections obviously her family lives in Milton Keynes and that she has a base here.

I just was fed up with candidates that went from University became Special Advisers and then through knowing the inner circle of the Labour leadership get the connections to go on to better things, I do not doubt for one minute that such indivduals are not hard working and often not on great salaries, perhaps I'm just bitter that I never went to University and had to work hard at every job not achieving a lot, with sometimes having to sign on or do dead end jobs before getting a decent one.

As we were both about to sit down with a cup of tea to get to know each other a bit more her Father In Law went out the door to drive her work colleague back to Milton Keynes Central (they had both been campaigning in Olney where Emily had rushed back from there to meet me). However Emily realised that he had not left her with any keys so we were both locked in the house I did say I had been left in worse places it was afterall a very gorgeous house and I am sure there was plenty to eat and drink, Emily was frantically banging the window and waving to her colleague, who was waving back thinking no doubt shes was being very friendly seeing her off, of course it did not make the slightest difference as they drove off.

Still we got down to business Emily started talking about her background her family came from Wales her Father had a job which sent them to Canada and she came back to the UK to look after her Grandmother after her Grandfather had died and had to support herself working in pubs (so unlike my perception of her was completely wrong that she had a gilded life) until she found a job working for the GMB Union then as a Special Advisor to Alistair Darling MP Chancellor of the Exchequer in the last Labour Government, and how her career had suffered as she refused to take positions on the ongoing Tony Blair/Gordon Brown infighting (which endeared me to her even more) and therefore was not included in either inner circle.

She had recently starting up her own business and has loyal members of staff out campaigning for her and the Milton Keynes Labour Party.

She then told me how she gave birth to her daughter on an Accident and Emergency corridor on a trolley rushed there in pain in a back of a taxi all because the Hospital had a lack of Mid Wives so she uses the NHS as well another plus point in her favour!

We talked about the enonomy and homelessnes she said how she interviewd homeless people here in the UK and Canada for a piece of work she was doing and what came out clearly was how hopeless they felt and how little ambition they had as they did not want to be disappointed if their dreams did not come true it was all very sad to hear.

I did advise her that she should tell more party members about her back story as I got the feeling I was not alone in thinking that she had a privledged and well connected background, it was interesting how she felt that the other candidate had a better operation because of union backing, funny as I told her I felt she had good support by MP's and former Government Ministers!

I was quite amazed how our conversation was not rushed and that we covered a lot of ground I think all in all we spent three hours chatting quite a feat.

I felt comfortable enougth to say I was happy to giver her my first preference vote, Emily asked me if I was happy to make a written endorsement which I consented to.

I did say if she needed any advice or help to let me know (not that I am sure I could give her any) for which she said she would.

Oh and in case you were wondering Emily's Father In Law did eventually return in the middle of our conversation so I was safe in the knowledge I could get home and not have to spend the night in Ashlands lovely though the place is!