Have made frontpages in both the EDP and the Evening News over the issue of Speed cameras in Norfolk. I am surprised by the findings of the report but we must have faith that the police and the county council have it right. It is so important that people have faith in speed cameras as life saving devises, not cash cows.

With all their gloating about being the most "wired" (not to be confused with "weird", I'm sure) party, isn't it strange that leading LibDem blogger Jody Dunn has fallen silent since her crushing in Hartlepool, with noted Tory blogger's from Norwich, North Norfolk (Iain Dale) and Kingston (Kevin Davis) entertain and inform rather more often?

Despite all the rushing around this weekend has felt really relaxed. On Saturday we had a really big action day out in New Costessey. For some reason, this rather nice suburban area of Norwich has become known as a LibDem stronghold, but it certainly didn’t live up to that reputation! We had 12 people out canvassing and covered some big areas. Interestingly enough, as we get nearer the election the Labour vote seems to be hardening up again, with the LibDems suffering. Worryingly there were a large number of “won’t votes” out there too. Got a few more poster sites and deliverers so came back feeling tired but happy!

Sunday has so far been dominated by “shoe shopping” (an experience I endure roughly twice a year and hate on each occasion) and marking yet more GCSE coursework. It is starting to ruin my life!

Interest poll in most of today’s papers says that two thirds of people expect tax to rise under Labour. I’m just surprised it’s not nearer to 99%…

p.s. Now getting really angry with gamecube

Gamecube watch: I've been playing Lord of the Rings now for 4 days as a serious new hobby and have so far failed to win or achieve anything.

School went ok-ish today - had a potential trainee teacher in with me, all good fun. After school there was a very long Pastoral Board meeting, which was thankfully made all the better by the existence of tea and cake. This evening we're off to see friends who have just returned from India.

I am afraid that this week has so far been dominated by some very, very, VERY boring things. That includes moving house stuff, attempting buy Christmas presents, a draft budget for the General Election, details to do with the website design, a last minute cover (thank you, Mrs Paton), lots of meetings and my desire to actually finish one of my gamecube games.

However, I fully intend to use this very public medium to set out my stall on the key national issue of Morrisons.

Now, they say that a dissatisfied customers tells 9 others ... get ready you nine.

We usually shop at Sainsbury's in New Costessey. However, we thought that we would give Morrisons a go. Everything fine up until now. Then, having paid and left (all okay so far), we discovered that our tub of low fat tomato and something-cheese flavoured sauce had exploded. So, off marches our Tory hero to the customer services desk. Only to find one very under siege young lady with 5 angry looking customers waiting. Fearing leaving my heavily pregnant wife standing in the car park for too long, I asked the lady on the kiosk if she could call anybody else to help on customer services given the queue. "No," replied the ever-so-helpful young lady, "that's not my job, I'm in charge of the kiosk." I could see that, I replied, but all she had to do was call for somebody else to come and help. Still getting nowhere, I endeavoured to find a service manager. Ah, there's one by the lettuces! So off I go - could she help me? "No," replied the even-younger-young-lady "you have to deal with customer services." In desperation I go back to customer services where the still same 5 people were still waiting in the queue. Finally I dumped the exploded pot of sauce and purchased a whole new one myself.

So, which one of Morrisons 100 reasons to shop there was the friendly customer services...

Am using this blog as an excuse not to carry on marking my GCSE coursework. The last two Sunday’s have been spent almost exclusively doing this – and I never feel as if I am getting anywhere! I have been following the debate about the ethical stance of banks and of the service gap in the High Street names with care – a subject many of the Sunday papers are returning to. It was interesting therefore to see where the cheques that we received this week came from. We sent out an appeal to party members and supporters last week and have had a phenomenal response. However (apart from people’s magnificent generosity) it was clear that people are moving towards ethical banks, on-line banks and (most notably) NatWest – who put the “most” effort into customer service. Is it getting across to people – and with the lumbering giants of the banking world take notice? Hint, hint…

Financial matters very much in the forefront of my mind at the moment, particularly the hideous task of trying to move houses. We were two days away from exchange recently when the man we were buying from dropped out, landing us with a £3,000 bill and nowhere to move to. We’ve since found another house, but have been played around there too. Naturally we are much more reluctant to part with £500 to get a survey done without any guarantee the move might or might not go ahead. The law really must be changed here; I believe to land the seller with the responsibility of providing sale information. Only when we start to switch systems can people buy with confidence.

Talking of which I am glad to see Oliver Letwin, the shadow chancellor, on the BBC today saying that the Conservatives will raise the threshold of stamp duty and give first time buyers stamp duty exemotion. Great stuff!

Oh, and I went to the hairdressers to find former LibDem Transport Chief Gordon Dean in the chair next to me. Wise man, Mr Dean. Always had time for him – makes some sense. Had long conversation about why nobody believes LibDem plans for pensions!

I have just had the first figures back from the hits on www.norwichconservatives.com – my new campaigning website – and it looks very, very good. A very positive piece in yesterday’s Evening News has clearly helped, plus a giant e-mail out to supporters too!

I am afraid that campaigning is getting the boot for tonight – am absolutely shattered despite is only being around 4pm and need to go home, crawl up and sleep for hours on end. Coming down with something too!

To keep you up-to-date, I went to a governors meeting last night, but spent a slightly more dull couple of hours monitoring the traffic in Norwich to see if the changes had made a difference to the late-night-shopping chaos. Pleasingly it clearly had! Though I’m sure nobody will thank the County Council for seeing a problem and acting quickly.

Wednesday I went to the Bowthorpe Community Partnership. Always a fun evening because (apart from the people who go) it is always a chance for some honest, robust debate about where the community is going. Despite pushing and pushing for action on the roads in Three Score, the police are still concerned that nothing will be achieved. When visiting a friend in Tizzick Close, Three Score, we went for a walk to find road blockage points – points where either the road is too narrow or cars are parked so that, say, ambulances and fire engines couldn’t get through. Around just the new section of Bowthorpe we found six blocks! Why is nothing being done?!?

So, home to a rather warm duvet…

Conservatives drive for NDR questionnaires to be returned

Go on! What are you waiting for...

Norwich Conservatives are using their organisation to push for local people to return their questionnaire on the Northern Distributor Route (NDR).

Thousands of questionnaires landed on doormats today, aiming to find out which route was most popular. Last time 78% of people said they wanted the NDR but were split on where to site it.

Conservative Spokesman Antony Little is leading the drive, which will see an e-mail and web campaign – plus leaflets – to encourage a high return rate. Antony said: “It is vital that people return this questionnaire. This could have far reaching affects on our City, especially areas such as Thorpe Hamlet and New Costessey.”

“Only with a high return rate can this massive consultation exercise mean anything.”

Sorry for the long delay in posting, and thank you to all those who check regularly! It would take a heck of a long post to explain why - house moving crisis! Still, to keep you going, a press release from today:

Conservatives drive for NDR questionnaires to be returned

Norwich Conservatives are using their organisation to push for local people to return their questionnaire on the Northern Distributor Route (NDR).

Thousands of questionnaires landed on doormats today, aiming to find out which route was most popular. Last time 78% of people said they wanted the NDR but were split on where to site it.

Conservative Spokesman Antony Little is leading the drive, which will see an e-mail and web campaign – plus leaflets – top encourage a high return rate. Antony said: “It is vital that people return this questionnaire. This could have far reaching affects on our City, especially areas such as Thorpe Hamlet and New Costessey.”

“Only with a high return rate can this massive consultation exercise mean anything.”