Up early this morning for a TV interview. The foyer was strangely silent at 6.45 am. Only a few hours earlier it would have throbbed to the beat of the ambitious and chatter of the inebriated.
I took time out this morning to spend an hour at the Bournemouth Social Action Challenge. I avoided assembling flat packed furniture well beyond the scope of many MPs and stuck to painting! This was a good example of teamwork in a good cause, leaving a legacy and showing we don't just talk, we do!
Spoke at two fringes at lunchtime. The first was the launch of BlueList.org reaching out to a new generation of young professionbals. Then on to the Electoral Commision to talk about reengaging voters in the democratic process. It was good to see the room full showing that people are worried about falling turnout and the cynicism about politics today. Lots of ideas came up. Best line was Armando Ianucci's that we still have gramaphone politics in an iPod generation.
Best picture of the day was Ann Widdecombe's face when she learnt that the party chairman was going on stage wearing paint spattered T shirt and jeans fresh from the Bournemouth Challenge. Some things never change!
Whizzed round the exhibition stands. More exhibitors this year. Good to see causes like UNHCR and Coalition against Malaria here. Oh and by the way the NUT told me that they had seen a lot of people on their stand as there was a genuine interest in education among the delegates.
Main topic among journalists tonight was George Osborne's speech and the mood was positive. He showed that the new direction for the party clearly led from our past achievements and was not in contrast to them. Be interesting to see how they write this up.
There is a real sense here at last that the party is moving forward and is not afraid to look ahead rather than back. But there is still much more to do...!
BlueList, another elitist tool to stick a couple of fingers up to the rest...thanks Teresa! Its exactly the same sort of thing as the By Election Campaign Task Farce. We want the very best, the rest can just find their own way...
Posted by: James Maskell | October 04, 2006 at 09:34 AM
Unfortunately, you're evidently wasting your time, James. Ms. May shows no awareness of yesterday's response to her fatuous Blog and just ploughs on regardless.
"" But there is still much more to do...!"' - who needs leadership when there's a bottomless pit of cliches at Bournemouth? Add that to William Hague's "Our place is to be in Europe and not run by it." and I can hear my brain shrivelling.
Posted by: John Coles | October 04, 2006 at 10:52 AM
"Best picture of the day was Ann Widdecombe's face when she learnt that the party chairman was going on stage wearing paint spattered T shirt and jeans fresh from the Bournemouth Challenge. Some things never change!"
How dare she mock a senior member of our Party. Ann Widdecombe is worth 10 of May.
Posted by: Alison Anne Smith | October 04, 2006 at 11:07 AM
How about a bit more respect for a Member of Parliament?
Posted by: EML | October 04, 2006 at 04:51 PM
Like we had to pay respect to Stewart Jackson MP who slagged off us traditionalists on this very site a couple of days ago? He was hardly diplomatic about it.
Posted by: James Maskell | October 04, 2006 at 05:54 PM
Hear hear EML.The manners of some people on this site are pretty non existant.
Posted by: malcolm | October 04, 2006 at 10:06 PM
I would remind you all that Mrs. May called us all, collectively, nasty. She deserves all the negative comments she deserves from hardworking activists whose only crime it was to work hard, night and day, to get her into parliament and government.
Posted by: Tim Aker | October 05, 2006 at 12:09 AM
Edit: I would remind you all that Mrs. May called us all, collectively, nasty. She deserves all the negative comments she gets from hardworking activists whose only crime it was to work hard, night and day, to get her into parliament and government.
Posted by: Tim Aker | October 05, 2006 at 12:11 AM