This morning we published the latest three reports from our panel of candidates on how the second week of the campaign had gone. Here are the other three...
John Lamont - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk The campaign continues to go well, despite the volcanic ash cloud preventing Ken Clarke from getting to Hawick!
I'm not sure what it is, but this campaign feels very different to any other that I have been involved in during the last 15 years. Perhaps it is the huge number of people who are volunteering to help, or maybe it is the massive demand for field posters and window posters, or it could be the positive response on the doorsteps. I'm not sure but something is different and it feels exciting.
The opposition is clearly worried about what is happening and is putting in huge resources to defend what was once one of their safest seats. The Lib Dems clearly still have a lot of money to spend and much of it seems to be coming into their campaign in the Borders. However, I'm not sure that their money will be able to stop people voting for the change that our country needs. Voters are fearful that the Lib Dems will put Gordon Brown back into Downing Street. I believe that they understand that they need to vote Conservative to bring about the real change that our country needs.
Stuart Andrew - Pudsey Another busy week in Pudsey started with a visit by Theresa Villiers. We used the visit to meet local residents who highlighted to her the major congestion issues we face locally with all the new developments and the expansion of the airport. It is clear that people feel a real sense of frustration at the total lack of control they have to deal with issues in their area and the localism agenda is one that is resonating well here.
Out on the doorstep and there are a wide variety of reactions. Lots wanted to talk about the Leadership debate with many commenting that they felt David Cameron had done better than the media might suggest. However, the economy remains the main issue by far with voters.
The media interest in the seat is clearly increasing with Channel 4 appearing over the weekend and the local BBC have challenged me and my opponents to prove how much we know about the constituency with a Mastermind style quiz... watch this space to find out who came out on top! They have also followed us around for a "day in the life of a campaign" which I think surprised them by the sheer amount of work involved.
Louise Bagshawe - Corby
Another
incredibly busy week. Took Charles Hendry, the Shadow Energy Minister
who is seeking re-election as MP for Wealden (where I grew up), along
with Brian Binley, to an innovative waste-to-energy plant at Orchard
Foods in Corby. It uses a proprietary technique that cleans water and
throws off energy far faster than normal methods. Groundbreaking
technology tried for the first time in our patch. Then an interview
with Anglia TV back at the office. Lots of media bids, we are sticking
to local TV and press for the most part. Turned down Channel Four and
the Sunday Express to complaints from the latter that I am "hiding
away".
Next a visit to the Corby Steel Pensioners' group at the Silver Band
Club. For this, I missed the regional launch of the manifesto with Eric
Pickles, but this is an incredibly important group in Corby, with its
great steel heritage. Our local paper and Anglia TV attended this, and
we got the best coverage of the campaign so far - stuff about how Corby
proper always voted Labour and no more so than amongst the former
steelworkers, so here was a Tory going into the lions' den, etc. I got
a good reception and my view is people hate politicians assuming they
know how they're going to vote. You lay out your policy, you ask for
their vote. Although I concentrated on pensions, I got questions on
everything from Afghanistan to the Human Rights Act.
Next a lot of emails from voters - and an AGM of our local hunt supporters, where I was able to read out an odd letter sent to me by Phil Hope, my Labour opponent, Minister for the East Midlands, not on the NHS, the economy, our troops or immigration, but on hunting - an issue raised on the doorstep by voters with me a grand total of zero times in four years. Still, I appreciated Phil kindly writing my speech for me for the occasion. It proved inspirational to the volunteers. Add in three separate coffee mornings to large crowds of voters from Tansor to Irthlingborough, and a great visit by Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps condemning the "North Londonshire" campaign, and it was another great week. We now have over 130 large roadside posters up over the seat, and our fighting fund appeal letter has raised record amounts for this constituency. Roll on May 6th.