Despite the festive season coming thick and fast nothing seems to be slowing down! Following last week’s dental disaster I was back at school on Friday to “enjoy” the Sixth Form Panto, which seems to have become an excuse for smut and sexual innuendo – quite good, really! Even got a mention or two in the play – apparently you can’t mention the s-word around future Tory MPs!

Saturday morning I was out with my team in Town Close and we got a really good reception. I have to say that the last time I canvassed that particular area it was 2001 and I was the County Council candidate. Then we were struggling but today people had so much more time for us. In fact it took ages to canvass just two roads because of the number of people who wanted to talk. Sadly the Labour vote seems to be up, but more at the expense of the LibDems. A couple of Labour switchers to us, but far more LibDems saying that they are ready to vote Conservative again. A rather charming gentleman, ex-RAF, told me about his fears for the future of the armed forces if Labour wins again. Ironically he voted for Blair in ’97, then didn’t vote in ’01 but will now vote Conservative. I was recognised (hurrah!) – a grandmother of one of my year group, saying I’ll definitely have her vote. However I spent most time with a lady who works for the N&N, filling me in on some of the ways in which the NHS works at the highest levels that would scare the public if they knew. I said I wouldn’t give out details, so I won’t, but they certainly match experiences that my wife told me about from her time in the NHS.

Following canvassing I fought my way through Norwich, spent enough money to start a small inflationary boom and then came home for Christmas card writing and the X Factor final. Does that make me a nerd? Yes. Clearly. But I did make up for it for going to see Phantom at the UCI Riverside last night. Fantastic, fantastic fantastic! Highly recommended night out. Tomorrow I am leafleting in Bowthorpe then off to the in-laws for Sunday Lunch.