Birmingham Party Central

Thanks to everyone who has read this or voted for the Green Party. It has been an honour. Special thanks to the wonderful teams who are Dudley Green Party and WMGP.

We've got our first MP!
Well done Caroline Lucas

I got up at 6:15 as usual this morning, then went up to the school I used to teach at and voted for myself!
That's one for the mental scrap book.
Please vote. We need to reclaim democracy.

This is the last real day of campaigning. Thanks if anyone has read this. A last bit of work today and we are doing the unthinkable and going into Birmingham to see 'The Infidel' at the 'Electric Cinema' this afternoon.
The house is a tip, the washing is piled up and my allotment is further behind than the Spring. I can hardly keep my eyes open and it's fish and chips for tea tonight from our excellent local chippy. I've got to bake some bread today so that I've got something to make Vicky's packed lunch tomorrow. I'm so glad we 'freecycled' the bread maker. it is so much more therapeutic doing it by hand.
Keep it Green!

It was a hard day out on the road today, but we managed to get a good number of leaflets given out. We'll be out meeting people again tomorrow and then visit some of the polling stations on Thursday. I'm pretty sure that I know who will win in Stourbridge, but the overall result is more difficult to call.
The amount of money the two biggest parties are spending is quite frightening. How many of us ignore the real policies and vote for the party that has sent out most leaflets and bought most space in the papers and posters? It pays to advertise I suppose..

Sorry about the cloudy weather Maddy, it wasn't a Green Party plot to hide your banner. We do have a huge job to pay off the debt, but we are no where near as bad as Greece. Hot on the trail again today after a lazy start. Another lot of leaflets to get out and then it is just a matter of trying to talk to as many people as possible. If you are still undecided I would urge you to try the 'vote for policies' web site as it gives a good range of parties and describes their policies honestly.
I really think that we need to do something serious about our electoral system as the party with the most personable leader can only be beaten by one with more money. Let us all please vote for the Party we believe offers the best policies and has a record of honesty. If you can't find one then join the Green Party like I did.

Sorry about the cloudy weather Maddy, it wasn't a Green Party plot to hide your banner. We do have a huge job to pay off the debt, but we are no where near as bad as Greece. Hot on the trail again today after a lazy start. Another lot of leaflets to get out and then it is just a matter of trying to talk to as many people as possible. If you are still undecided I would urge you to try the 'vote for policies' web site as it gives a good range of parties and describes their policies honestly.
I really think that we need to do something serious about our electoral system as the party with the most personable leader can only be beaten by one with more money. Let us all please vote for the Party we believe offers the best policies and has a record of honesty. If you can't find one then join the Green Party like I did.

Thank goodness for a bit of rain, but does it have to be at the week end? My allotment really needed it! The potatoes are coming through and the asparagus is thriving. Everything is beginning to really shoot up, unfortunately it is mainly the weeds as I've been so busy doing this politics stuff
I'm catching up with e-mail enquiries today while Vicky (my lovely wife) continues preparing her lessons; a seemingly never ending task. I'm also getting some housework done and the meals prepared as usual. We managed to get out together for about an hour this morning walking the dog. We also had a visit from my son Will who wanted advice on who to vote for as the Greens haven't been able to field a candidate in his constituency.
Back on the campaign trail again tomorrow with help from fellow Green Party members and supporters. We've got lots more leaflets to deliver.
I've got another dozen e-mails to deal with, so I'd better do that and then get the washing up done. A househusband's work is never done.

I have had a complaint that I haven't responded to a question. I was, of course, very grateful for the compliment that I was a 'skilled politician'. It was the first time that I had ever been called a politician and it is a bit of a shock.

I'm sorry, there seems to be some problem with the messages as the site tells me that nobody has even viewed my blogg (which my wife promises isn't true as she looks at them). If you want to ask me anything then my e-mail is wjduckworth@hotmail.co.uk.

I had a lovely time on 'The Bridge' radio station this morning. I did get on my soapbox a little and the listeners had to suffer a few rants. I was with two other candidates and we had some heated discussions. It was however interesting to see the areas we agreed on: Help for small businesses, electoral reform and the need to take care of our resources for instance (I don't think I'm misrepresenting them). It showed me that if we do end up with 'no overall control', as we do in many councils across the country, It will not be a disaster. I find it quite interesting that we have a party promoting less government interference, also complaining that a hung parliament won't be able to do much.

I was almost on the panel on Midlands Today with some real 'big hitters' from the three largest parties and the deputy leader from the BNP. They gave me a good chance to get the Green Party message across.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00s8yll/Election_2010_The_Midlands_Today_Debate/

I also had a great time at the 'Churches together' hustings last night and was told that i came across as a 'skilled politician' I don't want to be a 'skilled politician'. I just want people to know and understand our policies and those of all the parties and then vote for what they believe in. Maybe I am just a hopeless idealist.