Campaigning for the local elections

Telephone campaigning for Woking was a difficult evening, as it is a very marginal seat. Then an interesting visit to Kingston & Surbiton Campaign dinner to meet their prospective Parliamentary candidates, and hear Steve Norris give an excellent speech reminding us of the importance of doing well in these May elections, to beat the Lib Dem challenge.

Saturday was spent canvassing and delivering in Woking - again fighting the Lib Dems. The big issue was crime - just like London - lots of petty crime and how to get young poeple off the streets and feeling they have something positive to do, rather than be vandals and terrorize people in their homes.

I was also amazed at the "land grab" several houses where residents had sold off part of the garden to develop their land, leading to lots of small houses on small plots of land. Other residents of course complaining about this distruption to their neighbourhood.

Conservatives are campaigning to reduce the council tax which has risen steeply here - in comparison to neighbouring Runnymede which is Conservative controlled and has a far lower council tax.