Each week a different PPC provides us with an insight into life as a candidate and gives us a flavour of their own campaign and interests. If you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email Jonathan Isaby.
This week’s diary is written by Claire Perry, who was selected at the beginning of November for Devizes in Wiltshire, where Michael Ancram is standing down at the general election, bequeathing a notional majority of 12,259. Claire is married with three children and prior to her selection worked in the office of George Osborne, developing policy on jobs and value for money for the taxpayer. She says that the selection six weeks ago now seems "like a lifetime ago" and maintains it is a complete honour to have been chosen as Conservative candidate for "the most wonderful seat in Britain".
Monday 7th December
Drive up to Pewsey from South Wiltshire for my regular weekly meeting with Michael Ancram where he passes on as much information as he can and we plan our campaigns on local issues. A big local problem is the lack of a primary care centre in Devizes (which was promised when the local hospital was partially closed) and I went to a very unsatisfactory “public consultation” on a proposed new site last Friday, so there much to discuss. Set up three walkabouts for early in the New Year. Michael has a huge personal following here and I am so fortunate to be working with him
I then head over to Chippenham to campaign for Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones whom I met last week. To form a government we must win Chippenham and other marginals across the country and Wilfred is a fantastic candidate. Deliver letters in the pouring rain with other stalwarts from my Association until it gets dark and then back to Devizes. There is a public display of the Wiltshire Area plan in the Corn Exchange and I want to talk about the traffic and spatial impact of the new PCC in Devizes with the council bods – most unsatisfactory answers. This new location is being rammed through and while it might make financial sense, there is no clarity on the numbers.
Meet up with local councillors there (Cllr Mayes is in the photo with me here) and review the plans together. I’m still in my wet weather campaigning gear and feel distinctly underdressed. Rapid change in the loo of the Bear Hotel and then off to Marlborough for an evening meeting of the Marlborough Area Board, which is a brilliant forum for understanding the local issues, meeting local activists and being seen. Drive up to London at 10pm, M4 shut so it takes hours. Dog tired tonight.
Tuesday 8th December
Based in London today. Write a letter to the local paper for Devizes called “Give us the Facts”. The consultation over the location of a new Devizes Primary Care Centre is marked by a complete absence of facts and figures and is very reminiscent of what happened when NHS Wiltshire shut down the minor injuries unit at Savernake Hospital in Marlborough. NHS Wilts, like most quangos, acts in a completely unaccountable manner and takes the public for fools. Pick up the children from school which is sadly a very rare event. Eliza announces that she needs 45 Christmas goodie bags for Holly House at school (of which she is Captain). I respond that surely we should use the money to give an Oxfam goat called Holly to Africa and she gives me a withering look. Dash out, cursing, to get sweets, cellophane and ribbon and organise a bag-making party. Take five calls from candidates interested in Salisbury.
Wednesday 9th December - PBR DAY I left my official post with the Shadow Treasury team after my selection as Devizes is a huge and active constituency and I have to get my local profile up quickly. However, I am still involved with the team whenever they need me so I head in early to see what is happening in the markets ahead of the PBR. Tied to my Bloomberg during the statements (net result is that not much happens as the borrowing expectations surprise on the upside) and then join the team in the Shadow Cabinet room to help on the official response. George’s speech is superb - right tone, great attack facts.
In a week with very nervous markets crying out for credible economic policies for deficit reduction, all we get from Labour is class war, increased public spending and employment tax increases for anyone earning over £14,000. The ladies in my favourite Marlborough sandwich shop say that they are voting Conservative for the first time “because George Osborne tells us the truth about how bad it is and what we need to do”. Amen to that. Take several more phone calls from candidates interested in Salisbury and field emails from former business colleagues disgusted with an increased tax on employment. Never have the threadbare economic credentials of this Government been so exposed.
Thursday 10th December
Today is dominated by end-of-term concerts and over-excited children. Nothing officially booked but keep an eye on the markets. There is a bear raid building in the gilt markets – the PBR is unravelling before our eyes and the market knows it. Call around some gilt desks to judge the mood. It is only going to take one sterling event or more high profile corporate departures and then I think the gloves come off.
I get an email from a local Wiltshire head teacher I met recently who is giving up after 18 years at the head of a superb village primary school due to constant government meddling and a draconian box-ticking OFSTED regime. Forward email on to Michael Gove’s team. Do some phone coaching for a woman about to go through a PAB.
Friday 11th December Coffee with the local Conservative Councillor for Tidworth, the third largest town in the constituency, with a largely military population. Then on to the Tidworth Area Partnership. Here, the local issues are business growth, housing, and traffic. A very productive morning. Drop into the Association Offices in Marlborough for a quick catch-up with my brilliant agent, Ian Ramsey (pictured here). The all Haribo and Espresso diet is catching up with me. Discuss the General Election campaign for which all the literature has been ordered. Then on to Michael Ancram’s house for a further meeting on local healthcare issues and finally home to Salisbury. Quick turnaround and off to Worton for that branch’s Christmas drinks. I’ve heard grumblings that I am using the same stump speech so vary it a bit tonight but end with the usual “the future is ours” rallying call. Meet some more activists and a new CF rep who wants to get involved with a new MyConservatives forum and an on-line branch. He will be a huge help.
Saturday 12th December My friend Matt Hancock is staying with us, with a view to applying for Salisbury. Bacon sandwiches all round (bacon from Bromham in the new constituency which is quite simply the best in the world) and then we head off early to take photos and meet as many people as possible with the children in tow as Clayton is busy. We stop for a shot in the Close and the Cathedral is stunning in the winter sunlight. I wonder for a moment if I would have been better off waiting and applying for Salisbury? But there is no guarantee that I would have won “at home” (and evidence suggests that it is much harder to win in your own patch) and losing locally would have been a crushing rejection. Plus, I am euphoric about Devizes. Look at the view from Hackpen Hill! (see above left). And Avebury beats Stonehenge hands down.
Discuss PBR details, polls and policy plans for the New Year. Hector in the back of the car is totally fed up with politics (he is only 7) and has to be heavily bribed. Nothing else officially booked today so catch up with family. Make first meal for about a week and then go to a play at Sophie’s school in Calne which is currently in the constituency but will go to North Wiltshire with the boundary changes.
Sunday 13th December
Get up early with children and attempt organisation of domestic life. Have a quick read of policy announcements and a speedy catch up on the latest PBR attack. Wheels are coming off the announcements all over the place - even in the Indy which I read (always good to know what the left is thinking).
Have my weekly call with my Association Chairman to discuss polls and make plans for week. Next big event for me is a speech and prizegiving at the newly rebuilt local Comprehensive school in Marlborough where I will launch our “Campaign Intern” programme. As a former comprehensive school pupil I am really looking forward to the evening. Set off for another Christmas drinks event, this time with the Burbage branch. The traditional Tory raffle is much enlivened by the prize of a well-hung brace of pheasant which greet all arrivals and prove, once and for all, what a brilliant and deeply rural constituency this is. Michael Ancram and I do our double header speech which goes down well. Clayton does sterling work as the Candidate’s Husband and now knows to buy the raffle tickets. He is the most brilliant political asset and everyone loves that Kiwi accent.
On for lunch with the President of the Association where we meet new supporters and are made very welcome in the Constituency. Then home, to sort out Christmas tree and watch the final of The X Factor. We voted for Joe!
Last week's Diary was written by Jackie Doyle-Price, PPC for Thurrock