London - vibrant, liberal, awesome and needs Paddick for Mayor

I wasn't feeling too well this morning but knew I really needed to go into work, even if it was only for a short while.

The last 2 weeks have been stressful with nominations - and thanks to all those who helped, especially Sarah Morris, Chris Leaman and Ashley Lumsden. Those people who have never had to deal with such things don't usually understand!

So, left work after doing a load of diary stuff to help Oz out, walked through St James's Park where I saw the pair of black swans with their two cygnets - see picture.

Then walked up to Piccadilly Square and watched hundreds of people roller skate past - see second picture!

London is just so diverse and fun on one hand and then there all these tragic teenage murders on the other. London needs Brian Paddick today!
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The other side of Heathrow!

Forget the headlines about Heathrow Terminal 5 - what a farce it is now to get Terminal 4 on the Heathrow Express.

Saturday morning I head off to Paddington from Cowley Street, get my return ticket for standard class travel on the Heathrow Express.

Now, I've called ahead to see which Terminal I need to go to - so the train pulls into Terminals 1, 2 and 3 I then have to change onto a slow train which isn't due for 15 minutes.

Into the arrivals hall I go and after about 10 minutes the flight disappears off the screen and I'm told to head off to Terminal 5!!!

So back down to the slow train to go one stop then change again to get to T5 - from the Heathrow Express platform I went up two escalators in a mass wasted space up to the arrivals hall - BUT I never saw one security guard or policeman in my short visit to T5 - and then I had to go all the way back to T4 as BA had messed up!

Forget the baggage - BA and BAA and now Heathrow Express are just a nightmare.

Rock on City Airport, Luton and even Gatwick!
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Deep clean of hospitals

I was watching the story on the BBC about deep clean of hospitals and the fact a lot will miss their targets.

After spending a lot of time in the PFI funded Darenth Valley Hospital I can agree that the hospital was filthy!

Skid marks on the chair next to the bed until we washed it, the day room has never been hoovered in months and was stacked high with spare tvs and equipment, the ward and corridors were generally grubby.

The doctors were all in civvies which just seems the most backward way of keeping hygiene a priority.

Nurses were overstretched and there were patients there that should have been in a care home not a hospital ward!

The Labour government has run our NHS into the ground - an absolute disgrace!
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All 26 candidates nominated

My stress levels are somewhat reduced now.

Brian Paddick http://www.brianpaddick.org the 11 candidates for the GLA list and all 14 GLA constituency candidates were all nominated successfully yesterday.

Bring on May 1st
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Conference challenge!

While in Liverpool Chris Jennings - another fat friend - who is also our Chief Steward and I set ourselves a challenge.

We would both lose a substantial amount of weight by the first day of Federal Conference in September!

www.chrisjennings.me.uk

So Jennings - our starting weight is 18 stone each! Let's prove everyone wrong!
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Policing tonight in London

Okay - what's happened, or what's happening - there are coppers absolutely everywhere, including 8 just in Charing Cross Station.

But, the one thing I do really think the Met Police are great at is the moving road block, witnessed this evening as President Sarkozy was whisked from Buckingham Palace to somewhere or other.
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Puddles in Parliament Square

There's been a leak in Parliament Square at the Whitehall end for weeks now - I telephoned Thames Water just now and they didn't appear to give a toss! Shame on them.
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The Green Puppets

I'm somewhat surprised a small party like the Green Party is being hoodwinked by the London Labour party in the way it is.

Trying to drive a wedge between Brian Paddick and the Party is basically quite cheap and pathetic.

Brian Paddick has been a Lib Dem for some time despite what Labours Ken Livingstone may suggest.

The Lib Dem Group on the London Assembly - Mike Tuffrey, Dee Doocey, Geoff Pope, Sally Hamwee and Graham Tope - are the greenest group, yes greener than the Greens.

So, my message to Ken Livingstone, Jenny Jones and Darren Johnson is simple - campaign on your own messages, campaign on your own record as Brian Paddick and the Liberal Democrats are - who are the only party trying to get knives and guns off Londons streets - making London safer and offering serious solutions for London.

Ken, Jenny and Darren - who is in who's pocket?
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Tories on another planet

I still have google alerts for all my previous bosses including the top blogger Lynne Featherstone MP.

Imagine my shock this morning once the old blackberry had warmed up and I got this one through

"By Lynne Featherstone MP (Lynne Featherstone MP) Appalling, quite appalling:. A Tory councillor has claimed that there should be compulsory sterilisation for parents on benefits ... Mr Ward, who has sat on Medway Council in Kent for eight years"

I live in Kent so I've seen their right wing views firsthand for some time - let's not forget Kent County Council introduced their own version of Section 28 - remember that little gem, Boris voted for the original one!

So go on to Lynne's blog and check this utterley appalling story out!

http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2008/03/appalling-insult-to-mothers-and-fathers.htm

Stories like this I hope make people realise that all this cuddliness the Tories try to create is a load of bull.
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Boris behind in Wimbledon

I've just spent the morning with Brian Paddick in Wimbledon collecting signatures against Labour's proposals to close local Post Offices.

There was a huge team of local Lib Dem volunteers out with Brian and the local paper turned out too.

Then as we were preparing to leave a team from the Tories turned up getting in everyones way and trying to box us in - how grown up!
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On a cold Spring morning

I hadn't expected sleet showers this morning!

Yet another short 4 carriage train from Southeastern trains - why?

Come on you silly people, every train so far this Easter weekend I've caught has only been 4 carriasges and packed like a cattle truck - this isn't what I expect for a ticket price of £2200+ each year - why don't the Executives of Southeastern try travelling on their dirty short trains?

Too scared?

I'm en-route to the office to pick up some paperwork and leaflets before meeting Brian Paddick in Wimbledon.

The passport file breach story in the States is yet another reason to support the argument against Labour's plans here to introduce ID cards.

Blair, Brown etc just don't get it - they keep using the argument that ID cards will prevent more terrorist attacks - well it didn't prevent the tragic Madrid bombings so how the hell will it stop one here in the UK?
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Hail, thunder and lightning

Left work and ambled down Whitehall spotted the air ambulance helicopter in Trafalgar Square then the hail started! Lovely day.
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Fare evaders and ripping off fare payers!

I'm angry this morning!

Arrive at Dartford Station to find bedlum - police, ticket inspectors and south eastern staff trying to restrain a guy who allegedly didn't have a ticket!

So, who am I angry at?

The fare dodger? Yes, the tickets are so expensive because there are so many fare dodgers and the obvious need for all the ticket inspectors to catch them!

South Eastern? Also yes, it is a bank holiday, half the country has gone abroad and yet the ticket price is still a standard pre-9.30am over priced rip off ticket.

Stop ripping off passengers on holidays - you reduce the number of coaches, you reduce the service but still charge for a standard day.

Who says Dick Turpins dead?

Not me, he's alive and well and works for the train operating companies!
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More musings from DA1

So much exciting news on Brian's campaign, no one expected us to get anyone from Clinton's campaign team!

Well, Rick is here and the team expands next week - can't wait to see those developments!

Met a great team of guys from Brighton today including Jamie and Lance - can't wait to work with Jamie on this exciting project - look out on BBC1 and ITV.

I know there's a lot of "can't wait" but watch this space........and www.brianpaddick.org obviously.

Brian is at the launch of his fantastic book "Line of Fire" - I can't make it, too busy, but hope it goes well Brian.

Tomorrow I'm off to Vassell ward to do Good Morning leaflets with Caroline Pidgeon then onto the office to load the next batch of fantastic tabloids onto the van to send out to seats across London.

Forget the You Gov poll - since September last year the votes in the Council by-elections across London go like this - Ken's Labour 8,315, Boris's Tories 10,367 and Brian Paddick's Lib Dems 13,006 - that's real votes in real ballot boxes!

More soon
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Saturday morning

Five am, time to get up, no weekends off now until after May!

Its nomination time now so a busy week ahead but it is so satisfying getting it all done.

Nice piece in the Indy about Brian Paddick - a week in his life - and nice to see so many fans on his facebook page - http://www.brianfacebook.notlong.com

Keep your eye on his website too, fun is coming soon http://www.brianpaddick.org

Anyhow, back to the grindstone....
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Conference

What a great weekend in Liverpool.

I've never been to Liverpool before, and was amazed how much the Lib Dem Council are doing - I'm not just saying that - the city is going through a major transformation.

Once the conference centre is completed, it will be amazing, and Albert Dock was beautiful.

The negative point was the catering at the conference centre - overpriced, big time!

Apart from that, an amazing weekend.
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Blog

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Oh dear - where have I been

Blimey - it has been a while.

Well, I am now working on the paddick campaign with many colleagues and in fact had a great weekend in Aviemore this weekend - see the news tomorrow for the reason why........

Brian is doing really well, and the website is picking up supporters all the time www.brianpaddick.org

Brian's Facebook page is too, come and join the fun www.brianfacebook.notlong.com

Anyway, just been to Fat Club aka Weightwatchers, I lost 10.5 pounds last week, none this week, but at least I didn't put any on, which is good.

Anyhow, signing off for now, go Hillary!!