Campaigning in Chadsmead

11.26.00pm GMT Sun 11th Dec 2005

Today I went over to help in this coming Thursday's by-election in Chadsmead in Lichfield. I don't really enjoy knocking on doors on a Sunday but it was actually okay - apart from the large number of 'outs' we had a really good response, it helps that the candidate Marion Bland is extremely well known. My gut feeling is Thursday will be close but there is a distinct possible we could upset the odds on this one.

Afterwards I had dinner with Phil and Penny Bennion, well Penny cooked Phil and I dinner to be slightly more accurate. I first met Phil almost ten years ago at the South East Staffordshire/Tamworth by-election, both Phil and Penny have sat on the Regional Executive with me and Phil on the ELDR Council with me and of course both have campaigned around the Region.

It is always good to see them both, I remember Phil's 50th birthday with some amusement where Jenny Pinkett and I were accused of being communists! Hopefully Phil wasn't accused of anything at my recent 30th birthday. This visit I bonded most with their dog Bobby who decided I was his new best friend!