We are now only 4 and a half days away from election day, and the last full week of campaigning has been very interesting.
On Wednesday, there was major embarrassment for Gordon Brown and the Labour Party, when a comment made by the prime minister in his car was caught by a microphone he was still wearing!
The PM had to apologize after he called a life-long Labour supporter a ‘bigot’, shortly after she quizzed him on his party’s policies. The irony is that, had his comments not been picked up, his answers would have been seen to do him and the party some credit.
I quite liked what BBC political editor, Nick Robinson, said of the event:
For those of us who have known Gordon Brown for many years, what we have seen is no huge surprise. He has got better and better at handling himself in public, but quite often he flares up in private, expresses frustration.
Nick Robinson
Quoted from BBC News
You can read more on Nick Robinson’s blog.
On Thursday, we had the 3rd and final prime ministerial debate of this election campaign. This time, it was hosted by the BBC.
Most polls after the debate showed David Cameron in first place, Nick Clegg in second place and Gordon Brown in last place. One showed a tie between Cameron and Clegg in first place, and one showed Brown in second place and Clegg in third.
You can read more about all three debates on Wikipedia.
Meanwhile, here in the constituency of the Cotswolds, I went in to Cirencester on Friday to see what the local candidates were doing whilst out and about, campaigning and fighting for votes from the locals.
Former MP for Yeovil and Liberal Democrat leader, Paddy Ashdown (or in full, the Rt. Hon The Lord Ashdown of Norton-Sub-Hamdon GCMG KBE PC), visited Cirencester and made a speech in the town center with local candidate Mike Collins and the Cotswold Liberal Democrats. You can see a full video of this on the Cotswold Cut website.
Independant candidate Alex Steel was also looking for support in Cirencester on Friday, announcing that he would only take £9000 per annum if he were to become MP. Steel’s leaflet which came through the post the other day says that he is is an anti-corruption and low-income candidate who will stand for just one term to avoid becoming a ‘career MP’.
The full list (in alphabetical order by surname) of candidates here in the Cotswolds is:
- Adrian Blake, 54 (The United Kingdom Independance Party).
- Geofferey Clifton-Brown, 57 (The Conservatives).
- Mike Collins, 46 (Liberal Democrats).
- Mark Dempsey, 34 (The Labour Party).
- Kevin Lister, 47 (The Green Party).
- Alex Steel, 53 (Independant).
You can read more about their opinions on local and national issues on the Wilts & Glos Standard website.
So, into the final few days before the election…
