Birmingham Party Central - Green Party

That's it!

2010-05-07T10:18:40Z

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

Vote!

2010-05-06T06:44:44Z

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.

One last push!

2010-05-05T08:45:34Z

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!

One last push

2010-05-04T18:39:24Z

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..

Should be a really good day today.

2010-05-04T08:51:00Z

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.

Should be a really good day today.

2010-05-04T08:51:00Z

Rain at last

2010-05-02T14:34:10Z

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.

Sorry

2010-05-01T15:04:21Z

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.

Ranting on the radio.

2010-05-01T14:10:15Z

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.

Am I a politician and can I sue?

2010-04-29T08:49:11Z

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.

Yuck

2010-04-27T09:34:07Z

Got up at 6:20 today to get breakfast for Vicky and see her off to work. Unfortunately that's about all I can manage as I feel rotten. I've been to bed for a while and feel a little better, but still rather dizzy and have a nasty headache. I need to feel better for tonight and the BBC.

TV again!

2010-04-26T21:30:09Z

I had a lovely time this morning at the Elmfield School, What lovely people!

Tomorrow it's serious with BBC1 filming for the election debate, which will be shown from 10:50 to 11:30 tomorrow evening.

I'm trying to get the seed beds prepared on the allotment in the morning. I wonder how many other candidates are worrying about getting their food grown for the rest of the year.

Was that it?

2010-04-25T15:52:29Z

Well; after half an hour of interview they showed 14 seconds of me talking about the difference between the Green Party and the Lib Dems. It will do nothing to dispell the idea that we are a single issue party even though I spent most of the time talking about how we will find and spend £44,000,000,000 on creating jobs in the construction industry along with transport and health.

Politics Show

2010-04-25T12:20:42Z

I'm getting nervous now. I should be appearing on the BBC1 Politics Show today. Starts at 2pm today because of the London marathon. This will be available on replay so I can be tortured with it in the future.
It is so hard to get our message across and there are still lots of people who think we are just a single issue party. The single issue we have been pushing most is JOBS. We almost assume that people who understand and care about the environment will look carfully at our policies and the 'big three' and realise that we are the only party that 'gets it'.

Bridge Radio

2010-04-24T11:57:32Z

Another lovely day! I've just taken Poppy and Flynn out for a walk in the park with my wife Vicky. I've done a telephone interview on The Bridge radio station and am in the middle of answering lots of e-mail questions from voters (wjduckworth@hotmail.co.uk). I really think that the internet gives us a real chance to connect with the people who want to represent us. Unfortunately the more successful the politicians are the less likely they are to even answer their own e-mail questions. I have had offers from Green Party members to help me out, but I will never let anyone pretend to be me in that way. The internet and sites like http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/ can be used to help us make decisions about how we vote.