Fri, 27 June The
following morning, it was down to Budmouth Technology College in
Weymouth, to participate in the Sixth Form's citizenship day. And what
a fun day it turned out to be. In the morning it was the student's turn
to be put on the spot. They were divided into groups and given one
topic each to prepare a three minute presentation on. They were also
told they had to pursue a particular line of argument. Each group did a
brilliant job and the students quite clearly enjoyed their various
challenges.
Then, after lunch, it was our turn. There were two other guests, a Lib
Dem parliamentary candidate and a Baptist minister. An aspiring Labour
MEP didn't turn up, so she was replaced by a college teacher. The panel
was asked a number of probing questions for an hour. It was an
interesting debate, with many views being expressed. There's no doubt
we all enjoyed ourselves and perhaps politics got a brief and temporary
lull from the criticism it normally receives.
Thu, 26 June What a lovely evening we had with the Whites, who live near Corfe Castle. The mood was buoyant and the evening sun shone. It is so kind of people to open their homes for fundraising dos, and everyone much enjoyed the stunning venue and delicious eats. There was a real feeling that our time has come and that New Labour, Old Labour - whatever it wants to call itself now - is finished. Come the election, and hopefully our victory, I think the whole country will breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Wed, 25 June There was something symbolic about all the barriers going up along Whitehall and outside No 10 when we handed in our petition for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty at 4pm. I almost felt the workmen were barricading Gordon Brown and his Chancellor in, rather than keeping terrorists out.
Be that as it may, I was accompanied by Olive Carroll, our deputy chairman, and our agent, Tom Cunningham. Poole's MP Robert Syms was also there, handing in his own petition on the same subject.
Over a short period of time we'd gathered nearly 800 signatures from Weymouth, Portland, Swanage, Lulworth, Crossways, Wool and Corfe Castle. The view was virtually unanimous - we want a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty as Labour - and I include South Dorset's MP - had promised us in 2005. But that's turned out to be a lie, as all now know, because Labour knows the outcome of such a referendum, and where would Mr Brown go for dinner then?
But we did our duty as the opposition and passed on our prospective constituents' views to the Prime Minister himself. Interestingly, as were knocking on the door of No 10, Chancellor Alistair Darling swept up in his car and walked into No 11. I don't think he'll be making that journey for much longer, do you?
Fri, 20 June Lulworth Cove is always a beautiful place to spend one's time, so it was with a spring in my step that I drove down there to meet one of the area's most well known fisherman, Joe Miller, early this morning. His family have fished the waters off the Jurassic Coast for generations. But he and all the other fishermen in the South are worried men. With fuel prices and the cost of their equipment spiralling, and fish prices remaining static, they're not optimistic about the long term future.
Add to this a Government which seems not to care about the state of our fishing industry, or its future, and you've got grounds for a lot of ill feeling. And now there's the Marine Bill to worry about. There are many proposals in there which the fishermen oppose. They're concerned that the Bill's been hijacked by environmentalists and bureaucrats, who don't have a clue how local families have fished sustainably for years and years.
One way of protecting our waters would be to take control of them again. All boats, especially those from abroad, would fish under licence and that way we could protect our fish stocks and our fishing industry, which was sold out to Europe as part of this ludicrous dream to create a superstate.
Thu, 19 June It was a glorious sunny evening, as I sped down to Poole Quay on my motorbike, to join the fishermen from Poole and Swanage, who were protesting about rising fuel prices. There was a good turnout, not least from the media! I would say there were about 40 boats of varying sizes, some festooned with banners.
But while the boats may have varied, the cause did not. The fishermen want financial help from this Government and a promise to freeze any planned rise on fuel duty. The alternative, they told me, was boats would go out of business, and an integral part of our local community would die.
The fisheries' minister Jonathan Shaw has already told the fishermen they won't get a penny. And on BBC Radio Solent, I and many fishermen I spoke to thought he was pretty dismissive of their problems. The point is it's not just the fuel price which is rising, but the cost of their equipment. And with fish prices remaining static, there's little light at the end of the tunnel.
Poole's MP Robert Syms was there, so too was my colleague Nick King, who will be fighting the Lib Dem, Annette Brook, at the next election. And county councillor Malcolm Shakesby was also present. He'd done a lot to advise the fishermen.
It was a successful evening, in the sense the protest received good coverage and the points were made. Whether this Government will listen is quite another matter. I don't hold out much hope.
Tue, 17 June A visit to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is always a pleasure. The day was sunny, but windy. In fact the conditions were absolutely perfect for sailing. The Academy's chief executive, Mark Stubbings, showed me to his office, which has the most stunning view over the harbour. We chatted for some time about sailing, the Olympics and Mark's aim for the place in the years ahead. He is a determined and ambitious man, not for himself, but for the people of Weymouth and Portland, which the Academy serves.
Being such a pleasant day, Mark could not resist a small boat trip around the harbour. We were joined by Guy Lavender, who's the South West England director for the 2012 Games. He's also a former officer in the Parachute Regiment, so the chat quickly turned to military matters and the current situation in Afghanistan, which Guy has experienced for himself.
We were soon aboard Mark's boat and off out into the harbour, where we munched on a delicious crab and avocado bap and put the world to rights, as you do on a boat. I enjoyed our meeting very much. Both men were determined to do their bit for South Dorset and I felt confident that both would achieve their various aims. I made a mental note that perhaps more meetings should be at sea!
Fri, 13 June I was inspired this morning during a visit to Corfe Castle First School. The reason was the new head Nigel Beckett and his team of teachers. Nigel gave off an aura of 'can-do' and his enthusiasm for his new job was truly infectious. Clearly his staff feel the same and the atmosphere in this cosy village school was electric. The children were all visibly enjoying themselves and quite clearly they are in good hands.
In addition to educating his young charges as best as he and his staff are able, Nigel intends to fight for his school and its future. A review of education provision in Dorset is under way and Nigel's aware that with falling school rolls each school will have to justify its existence.
As I said at the start of this diary note, Nigel impressed me enormously and I can only wish him, his staff and the children well for the future. I much look forward to returning for another visit in the future.
Wed, 11 June Never underestimate a man who can build a working steam engine in his backyard. The model was perfect in every way, and all built by former engineer Brian Parfitt from bits here and there. Brian's had a long and distinguished career in the field of engineering, ending his time at Winfrith, appropriately.
He'd asked to see me as his prospective MP because he wanted to express a few opinions and hear mine on a whole range of issues. After his delightful wife Patricia had made the coffee, we sat in the morning sun and chatted. I listened - alot. Clearly this was a man with a lot of experience and strong convictions. His main concern was education. Who was teaching the next generation of engineers and craftsmen that this country so sorely needs? And more to the point, how were they being taught?
Brian believes - as I do - that apprenticeships are the key for so many of our young people today. His was five years long and it set him up for life. But where has our manufacturing base gone, I ask. We've sold the family silver to foreign nations, who are now selling it back to us, with interest of course.
Education is the key and this is where another generation is being betrayed by Labour. Brian has no doubt about that. He wants to return to the days when children were taught to read, write and add up. Oh, how I agree. The wheel does not need re-inventing. And it is there, still, to be grabbed with both hands if only we had the common sense to do it.
Tue, 10 June I went to see a prospective supporter, let's call him, this morning. His name is unimportant, but he's a farmer. He's got a close family and has worked hard all his life, as has his wife. He described himself as 'middle England', that significant part of the country which Labour has milked to pay for its socialist dreams. This man was angry; angry at just about everything that is currently going on in this country. He points the finger firmly at Labour, but is not convinced that David Cameron has the backbone to tackle the really big issues, as he sees them, should he become Prime Minister.
I found myself disagreeing with little the farmer said, although I do have confidence in our leader. But what saddened me most, I suppose, is that the farmer's views are repeated across the constituency and I suspect the country. There is a suppressed anger, which is beginning to bubble over now that Labour has lost the plot. And like a pack of hyenas, 'middle England' is now preparing to tear the Labour carcass to pieces. I can only say to this farmer, come and join us because we feel like you. I and millions of others want their country back, and we shall achieve that aim at the next general election. Don't lose heart. Sun, 8 June What a fabulous evening Andrew and Gay Corran laid on for us all. And we could not have had such a scenic and stunning venue had we tried. The evening sun shone, the wine flowed and some very talented musicians entertained us before dinner was served. The view from the Corran's garden across to Portland and Weymouth was breathtaking and served as a most exquisite backdrop to a wonderful evening. It is very kind of people to open their homes on occasions like this and that kindness was appreciated by all who were lucky enough to attend.
Fri, 6 June What a fascinating talk by the adventurer John Blashford-Snell. The Colonel was addressing volunteers at the mental health charity Cherry Tree Nursery in Bournemouth. He'd come kindly at my invitation because I am one of the charity's patrons and know John after accompanying him on one of his trips to South America when I was working for the BBC.
The link between the charity and John was South America. The volunteers and others have raised more than £10,000 to help bring fresh and clean drinking water to more than 500 people living in three remote villages in Bolivia. John has extensive knowledge of this part of the world and brought the charity's fundraising to life with his illustrated talk.
The audience of about 40 listened intently to every word, and after the one hour presentation asked many questions. John is a truly remarkable man and is still leading expeditions around the world. He told us he loved the jungle environment as there was so much to see and experience there. He's had a few hairy moments, too. Not least nearly dying in a bus crash on his last trip when a bottle got stuck under the brake pedal as the vehicle lurched down a dangerous single track road with a 500 foot drop on one side. Fortunately the bus crashed into the hillside rather than plummeting over the cliff. The joys of adventure!
I cannot mention the nursery without praising its manager Jessica Davies. What a remarkable lady she is. So much of the success of the charity is down to her. She won't like me for saying this because 'humble' is her second name. Nevertheless, it needs saying and when you meet people like Jess, you want to tell the whole world about them. Tue, 27 May I was asked to a briefing at the Weymouth College. Arriving there, I met Cllr Mike Goodman, who's recently been chosen to lead the Conservative group. We were both ushered to the office of the deputy principal, Paul Lonsdale. He explained his "vision", which would involved a new building programme costing somewhere in the region of £60 million. Inevitably there are problems, not least the proposal to build on some existing football fields. But those issues will be tackled no doubt by the planners as the process proceeds. Like all visions, those who see them are passionate about their cause. And Paul and his team were no exception. I can only wish them luck, as I welcome any new money which South Dorset can attract, especially for education. As the saying goes, time will tell whether they are successful or not.
Bank Holiday weekend I spent the weekend north of the border near Aberdeen. I was attending the wedding of an old friend of mine. During the three days, I met and talked to several local people, all of whom were charming. During the course of several conversations the matter of the union came up. The general view was unanimous - the union should remain. No one wanted independence and most realised that without England Scotland would not be able to finance itself. The straw poll was minuscule, but I suspect representative. Together we stand, divided we fall. It's as simple as that, in my view.
Fri, 16 May Southwell Business Park is the most impressive place, tucked away at the back of Portland. Today I was meeting Gary Fooks, who's in charge of the 2012 Olympic legacy. Quite a daunting task, I thought, as I sauntered into the vast, former MOD building. I was shown to Gary's office by the park's charming chief executive Roy Haywood. He picked me up near the front hall and without a moment's hesitation offered to lead the way. I duly followed, glancing in awe at all the work in progress.
A short time later, we entered Gary's office, which looks out on to a building site - soon to be a hotel. Roy bid his farewells and Gary and I were left to chat for some two hours about his new role. He gave me a short presentation on his laptop, and I was impressed. In a very short time, Gary's managed to inject a lot of Olympic enthusiasm into many organisations, both on and off the island.
He sees 2012 and the lead up to it as a once in a lifetime opportunity for Weymouth and Portland to really benefit, especially the next generation. He's surprised by the number of people and companies who haven't really thought the Olympics through. But he's working on them and making headway.
Gary's enthusiasm was infectious and if anyone can make this whole work, he can. Wed, 14 May It was back to school
today; in fact five schools, and all on Portland. I was in the hands of
Jane Fooks, who's driving forward a proposal to establish a 0-19
Academy system on the island. It's a multi-million pound "vision" which
will see huge benefits for youngsters on the island. New school
buildings, sports facilities and playing fields are just three.
Our first stop was Underhill Junior School. We were met by the head,
Alan McKechan, a charming man, who enthusiastically supports the
Academy idea.Today
was warm and sunny, but he assured me that when a severe westerly blew,
the wind roared over the buildings like an express train.
Then we moved next door to Brackenbury Infant School, which is forming
a federation with its neighbour. The head's enthusiasm was infectious.
Zoe Green knows where she's going and what's in the best interest of
her young charges. And there's no doubt in her mind that an Academy
is the way forward.
Keeping to our strict timetable, we then drove to Southwell Primary
School, where we met head Stuart McLeod. He 's lucky as his school has
a grass playing area, which the children were clearly enjoying.
Stuart's also keen on the Academy idea, which he sees as being
regenerative as well as providing better educational facilities for the
youngsters.
Saying our farewells, we then drove to the Grove Infant School, which
is adjacent to the Young Offenders' Institution. Head Jane Hurdiss had
organised a healthy eating day, which the parents attended, too. The
whole ground floor had been turned into a massive restaurant, with
families all tucking into raw carrots, caulifower and salads of various
descriptions. I've never seen so many happy faces and the atmosphere in
the school was wonderful.
Finally, we moved on to the Royal Manor for lunch, where we met up with
all the heads again. My thanks to head Paul Green, who'd organised some
delicious sandwiches. I was struck not only by the dedication and
professionalism of all those I met, but by their determination not to
waste this opportunity. They're calling it an olympic legacy. And I
would agree with that. What better way for this new generation to
remember 2012, than to recall that was the year their educational hopes
and aspirations were met.
And, finally, I can only thank Jane and those I met for their time. It was a most interesting, fun and informative morning. Mon, 12 May It was a pleasure to welcome the Shadow Minister for Justice,
Edward Garnier, down to Dorset. He came to visit both the Portland
Young Offenders' Institution (YOI) and HMP The Verne. It was another
beautiful, sunny day as we drove down to Portland from Poole. Edward
told me he'd visited more than 40 prisons across the UK. Many shocked
him. He felt Labour had virtually abdicated all responsibility for the
prisons.
First stop was the YOI. The governor, Steve Holland, could not have
been more courteous and after a chat he showed us around. Edward and I
were most impressed by the new rugby pitch that's being built. Steve
had to fight to get it, but he stuck to his guns, believing that young
men should have an outlet for all their energy.
Then we shared some sandwiches with members of the Prison Officers'
Association (POA). Their concerns clearly indicated a problem with
morale. Officers feel forgotten and neglected.
Finally, we visited HMP The Verne. Again, the governor, Denise Hodder,
could not have been kinder. We exchanged some views and encouraged her
to read the Party's green paper on proposals for the future should we
win the election. As we drove back to the train, Edward said the
prison service desperately needed a Conservative government. I agree,
naturally. And with MPs like Edward, who's also a QC, I'm sure we can
mend fences and restore confidence in a system which is nearly at
breaking point.
Wed, 7 May The sun shone, for once. And the 60-odd youngsters thoroughly enjoyed their day on the farm. The 10-12 year olds, from Stoborough First School, St George's Primary, Portland, and Haymoor Middle and Hillbourne School, both from Poole, rotated around a number of stands. They included farming, forestry, the environment and the park deer. Dorset Wildlife Trust also had a stand. This is the third time we've run a day like this and they're proving a great success. It's so important, in my view, for youngsters to understand their rural surroundings. I also hope the word will spread and that more schools will come next time. We can't educate enough on this subject.
Thu, 1 May By
the early hours of Friday morning, the sheer scale of Labour's
humiliation was apparent. And there's no doubt that had this been the
general election, South Dorset would once again be in Conservative
hands. Sadly, we're probably going to have to wait two long years for
the chance to take the seat back as Labour holds on to the reins of
power. But what's good news is that the horse has bolted and all Labour
can do is cling on for their lives. What damage this runaway horse can
do in the interim is anyone's guess. Judging from the reaction of
Labour cabinet ministers, many of them have gone into denial. In
Weymouth and Portland, the evening was a success for us, winning two
more seats, one of them on Portland. The councillor there, Amanda
Alsop, is young, intelligent and local. And in Weymouth, former local
businessman Grant Leighton became a councillor after an outstanding
campaign. The sting in the tale was losing our leader, Nigel Reed.
The Lib Dems toppled him after a disingenuous, single-issue campaign on
the Pavilion development. In time, the electorate will realise what a
class act they've thrown away.
Tue, 29 Apr After a meeting on Portland in the morning, the rain began to fall. The
wind was strong, too, and I suppose the combination of both, plus the
fact I wanted to revisit the watch-keepers at the coastguard station,
drew me to Portland Bill. After a welcome cup of coffee in the
watch-tower, I drove down to the cottages on the Bill. And as I walked
past what looked like a garage, I peered inside. There were three men,
quite clearly fishermen, repairing their equipment.
The oldest had a shock of white hair and piercing blue eyes. The next,
aged about 50-odd, was enormous in every sense, powerfully built and
very strong. He, too, had blue eyes, but they weren't quite so
dominant in his broad, weatherbeaten face. The third man was younger,
tall - about 6'6" - with a long angular face and again blue eyes.
After introducing ourselves, we began to chat. And I soon found myself
totally enthralled by these three men. I can't quite put my finger on
it, but I realised I was in the presence of three extraordinary
people, united by a love of the sea. And, yes, you've guessed it.
They were family: grandfather, father and son, working together, as
their forebears once did hundreds of years before them.
They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. And peering into theirs,
I saw a contentment and happiness which any amount of wealth could
never buy. After 15 minutes or so, I said my goodbyes and walked back
out into the rain, feeling inspired. These men, this family, embody all
that is good in our great country. And one of the many reasons I have
stuck my head above the political parapet is to fight for and safeguard
the values and traditions this family exemplifies.
Fri, 25 Apr There's
nothing like canvassing to find out what people's views are. I think if
there were a general election now, Labour would sink beneath the waves,
no doubt with a resounding cheer. All I can say to the thousands out
there who want to see the end of this awful Government, is hang on.
Your time is coming and this great country of ours can breathe a
collective sigh of relief. In the meantime, it is vital that everyone
votes in these local elections on Thursday. All our candidates are
working hard to meet you all and to get their message across. You can
trust the Conservatives and it is only our Party which can make the
tough decisions and fight Labour for a fairer share of national funding.
Thu, 24 Apr Our
supper club was lucky enough to be addressed by the Rt Hon Stephen
Dorrell MP. He told the audience, during a 20 minute speech, that he
was pleased by the way the Party was heading. He accused Labour of
being incompetent, which everyone agreed with. Mr Dorrell's a busy man,
and we were all grateful for his time and encouraging words.
Wed, 23 Apr What a pleasure it was to host Theresa May MP, as she kindly came down to visit us here in South Dorset. We started the day outside Debenhams in Weymouth, where she met a number of councillors and candidates. All of us then chatted to residents as they filtered past on their various shopping errands. Then, as time was short, on we drove to Swanage, where again Theresa met some more aspiring local politicians and visited the day care centre, which has been the focus of so much attention recently. There was an impromptu opening ceremony, as the lovely garden at the back has never been formally opened. Then, after a short drive to Purbeck District Council, we handed Theresa over to Nick King, my colleague in Poole. However, we met again later that afternoon with more than fifty local people, all campaigning to stop a new town being built at Lytchett. Theresa voiced everyone's concerns when she said the proper democratic process had been totally ignored by this Government, which is trying to impose thousands of houses on us in the Purbecks. Theresa was wearing her customary and very stylish shoes, but somehow they complimented this highly talented lady and reminded us all that colour is so important in politics, where drudge and dreariness so often lurk openly in the park.
