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Andrew Bingham's Blog

Welcome to my blog. The blog has been running for some time, but now I have been elected as the High Peak MP I will use it to try and convey what its like during the frenetic few days and weeks ahead as I start learning what being the MP is like. The updates may be a bit erratic but I will do them as and when I get the opportunity.

Andrew Bingham 

ANDREW BINGHAM MP

We won ! Seem to have been on the go ever since the result was announced. We won with a majority ofover 4000 ! I am still in a state of shock, but feel unbelievably proud to have been elected as the MP for the High Peak after all these years. The blog may not get updated as regularly over the next few days as there are so many things I need  to attend to. I will report back though whenever I can.

ELECTION DAY

Today's the day. Visit as many polling stations as possible, make sure we get our supporters through the polling stations too - it will be a very late night tonight !

DAY 30

The final day of campaigning. Catching up with the last few emails queries, returning the dozens of phone calls received and visiting people who requested that I visit them personally. Preparing our plans and organisation for the big day tomorrow. Sitting here at nearly 10pm I am overwhelmed at the number of good luck messages coming through. Some from old school friends I have seen for years. Lots of good luck cards too. The whole  adventure has been unforgettable and the final chapter has yet to be written !! If you are reading this I hope you have found it interesting and whilst I would have liked tohave written more on each day its difficult due to pressures of time. As I have often said, I wish someone woudlinvent a microwave bed - 8 hours  sleep in 20 minutes. In the words of  the film - 'tomorrow is another day'.

DAY 29

The campaign continues ! Seven years work and effort and we are nearly at the moment of truth. In the morning it is a visit to the coffee morning in Tintwistle and a good chat with the residents. Then afterwards we canvass on, looking for those extra Conservatives who may well make the difference to the result  in just a few days time. Simmondley today and people are still incredibly  appreciative when I as the candidate knock on their door. The opinion polls are still showing it to be quite close but as I rarely get a minute for newspapers or television now,many ofthem are passing me by. As I have said and keep saying - there is only one poll that really counts and that is on Thursday.

DAY 28

Entering the final week now. Back on the canvassing trail this morning with my friend David Kerr who has come over from America for  the final week of the campaign. David has boundless enthusiasm and energy and is a real filip at just the right time. Following a morning on the doors we head ofto the Mayday celebrations in Chapel where David sees a traditionalvillage event,  including morris dancing. Then its back inot Buxton for more canvassing. Finish the day by checking preparations in the office for the actual day itself.

Apparently one ofthe other candidates has accused us of disturbing the bank holiday with a loudspeaker - this is not true. We only have one megaphone which is in the office,  so  unless one of the team have been out with it,  which I doubt, then its a mix up somewhere on her part.

DAY 27

Sunday today, so no canvassing, but there's still lots to do. Our posters which have attracted a lot of attention and comment are being vandalised with alarming regularity so they need some attention today. We travel from one  end of the constituency to the other reparing and replacing broken and damaged ones. Those that have personal comments about me we remove. After that its back to the emails to try and keep up with the huge amount that keep on coming. I think I am actually up to date when I fall into bed. (I have to admit though I do nipto the pub tonight as some friends are embarking on a trip to John O'Groats in a three wheeler for charity. They are due to set off on Thursday - so I fdid remind them to vote first !!)

DAY 26

Late last night I got a phone call from George Osborne offering to come over and help with the campaign. We meet George in Glossop and walk through the town talking to shopkeepers and traders. The resounding message we get is to stop the Labour job tax which coud cause job losses in the High Peak. We meet an elderly couple who will be voting Conservative for the first time after a lifetime of voting Labour.  

DAY 25

More doors, more canvassing. We are relentless in our canvassing and the troops are now beginning to look weary. I am overwhelmed by the amount of people joining the campaign and the effort everyone is putting in. I am lucky in that I can get by with little sleep so I start every morning at about 6am and finish around 10pm, but the hours others are putting in are astounding. My phone never stops this morning with text messages following last nights High Peak Radio show - people I know from up and down the country were listening on the internet - its amazing and demonstrates the power of the media to communicate. David did well in last nights TV debate too.

DAY 24

As the canvas programm continues, I can now say that we have canvassed in every single Ward across the High Peak.  Tonight however its the High Peak answer to the leaders debate as the Candidates from the three main parties go live on High Peak Radio to answer listeners questions. Its interesting that the questions are very different from those asked at the public hustings orgnaised by the churches. We  deal with issues such as the economy, immigration, public spending. WHilst it is nerve wracking being on the radio live, in some ways its easier to relax as we arent on show visually. After the show the three of us all adjourn to a neighboruing pub for a drink. When we walked in it caused a few raised eyebrows to see the thre main party candidates having a drink together.

DAY 23

Canvassing in Buxton again today as the team moves into Temple Ward. It seems as though the campaign has been running forever and Flagg Races on Day 1 seems like a lifetime ago. However I continue to lose weight, and the sunny weather means that people are now asking me if I have been on holiday because I am so brown.

DAY 22

Todaty its the turn of Chinley and Buxworth for the canvass team. Yet again the weather holds fair, incredible to think that we havent had a single session rained off yet !! In the evening its hustings number 7 ! Tonights it's in New Mills and again there is a good attendance. 6 of the 7 candidates are there which is the most we've had. A good 2 hour session but with 7 representatives on the stage we probably dont get through as many questions as the audience would have liked. There was concern that we were given advance notice of the questions. Whilst this is helpful to us as candidates, I would have been happy to answer them without prior knowledge if people had preferred.

DAY 21

Back on the streets of Glossop, this time in Tintwistle. The visit to the village once again brings a stark reminder of how badly the village needs a bypass.

Meanwhile in Fairfield there has been a tragic fire where lives have been lost. This puts everything into perspective. I have told our canvas and delivery teams to pull out of Fairfield immediately as a mark of respect. Our Royal Mail Election Address is in mid delvery and we cant change that but other plans for the Fairfield area have been stopped.

DAY 20

Start the day out delivering letters to people before meeting upwith East Midlands MEP. Emma McClarkin who has arrived in High Peak to help out. We have delivery teams working flat out across the High Peak. In the evening its another set of hustings, this time in Glossop. A big public hustings which again attracts a big crowd. It is really gratifying to see the interest that people  have in this election. As candidates we all agree on this.

DAY 19

The first really big public hustings are being held today in St. Johns church, Buxton. I estimate over 100 people pack the church as we all answer questions on a wide range of subjects. We only  have 1 minute to give our answers which makes it really difficult to get everything you want into the answer. Following the hustings, I am  on a street stall in Buxton. There is a similar stall in Glossop too where we have Edwina Currie helping out. After the street stall  its back out on the doors, this time in Hayfield. In the evening I call into the Conservative Club in Chinley.  

DAY 18

Back into Glossop area today and a night of the hustings. Two in the last two days and two in the next two days, with none today. We canvass in Charlesworth first of all. Then its a quick lunch - I have found that the Wren Nest Pub does a carvery for £3.59 which is proving a god send at the moment as all meals tend to be rushed affairs. I spent the first few days of the campaign living off all day breakfasts ! In the afternoon we canvass in Gamesley. I have always been determined to canvass in every single ward across the High Peak and we are well on the way to achieving that. 

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