Dalbeath Post Office

Now I'm in Edinburgh, and started my new job I want to get into the thick of it as quick as possible so what better way to spend a nice hot sunny Saturday morning than delivering leaflets.

So, up to Waverley rail station and off to Cowdenbeath to meet Caron, Elspeth and Willie Rennie MP.

Cowdenbeath itself is actually in Prime Minister Gordon Browns constituency, but we were heading to Dalbeath where the Post Office is under threat of closure by the Labour Government.

Willie Rennie is working hard to save this Post Office and we were delivering the pictured leaflet.
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A stressful morning

Today Rog was off for tests in hospital as I was preparing to depart for Scotland, as I'm chasing up people to sort out all the London election expenses, as we are selling our flat in Kent as I'm trying to furnish the new flat in Edinburgh.

Now he's back out I can relax a little.

Don't forget to sign up to twitter and you can receive short text messages (free) as I tour round Scotland.

Send follow andyreeves to 07624 801 423 you have to reply to a couple of texts then its fun and free.
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The final countdown

Well, this is it, no going back now lol.

I'm on my last commute from the office, bought my last coffee and cherry muffin (no smutty jokes) from Cafe Concerto at Dartford Station this morning for the commute in..

For the cosmopolitan readers, its the other half of the Cafe Concerto at Sidcup Station, but the big difference is Tracy and Ann are a fantastic laugh and brighten up our mornings.

Why did I go in so early on my last day I hear you all scream? To see Fatima and Mary, the Cowley Street cleaners - who often get forgotten - but they are as much of the team as anyone else.

Today has been a bit of an emotional roller-coaster for me, I've made a lot of friends in London over the years and especially in Cowley Street.

I shall miss them all (well, almost all lol) but from Monday its onto pastures new at Clifton Terrace and I'm really looking forward to it, there's a great team there - Martin, Charlie, Suzette, Charles and Graeme.

I move up tomorrow so Edinburgh here I come.
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10k run on Monday

Well, what with the election and the new job, house selling and hunting I have done no training for the 10k run I'm doing for Crusaid on Monday!

Its for a good cause so oh to the hell with it, I will pace myself and be sensible.
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Edinburgh - one week to go

Well, I now have the empty flat in Edinburgh, its in New Town - so thanks to Gregor at D J Alexander for all his help, and to Angie my friend who has been keeping an eye out for me and pointing me in the right direction.

A huge thank you to my friend Jamie at work to - the map with crosses on was a major help - he knows what I mean.

So, a week today I will be on the train to our new home with Rog, Zen and all our stuff following on once we've sold the flat in Dartford.

We had the valuation done yesterday and its right at the top end which is fantastic.

So, this weekend is 3 solid days of decorating and "dressing" the flat for the viewings, we've looked after the flat over the years so hopefully we will sell quickly.

I've been to Argos now off to Pet Store, Homebase, ASDA and B&Q for more supplies!
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Scotland on Sunday

There's a great piece on the front page of the Scotland on Sunday today by Eddie Barnes, the political editor.

Its questioning whether a batch of MSPs should have won as their majority is in fact less than the number of spoilt ballot papers for the particular seat.

It then goes on to list the MSPs in questions but misses one very important one out - the First Minister, Alex Salmond.

I was heavily involved in Nora Radcliffes campaign last year, Nora was the sitting MSP for Gordon that Alex Salmond decided he would take on for the election, part of the Gordon seat took in a tiny piece of Alex's Westminster seat.

I recall on the night of the count in Aberdeen that his majority of 2000+ was far outweighed by the 3000+ spoilt papers and the Returning Officer flatly refused to allow us to go through them by hand, although the electoral guidelines clearly stated this was allowed.

I will have to see what the figures are that have only just been released, one year later - unlike London Elects, who have already released all of the figures from this months Mayoral and GLA elections - but based on the figures on the night he was not set in concrete.

The Scotland on Sunday queries why none of the major parties queried the figures at the time, as showed above, we did for the Gordon seat, but were told no manual checks were to be done.

Was Nora Radcliffe of an incredible victory against Alex Salmond?

I know what I think!
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What a weekend!

Missing Rog loads whilst experiencing lots of different emotions!

Missing being in the by-elections, its the first ones I've missed for ten years.

I'm now fed up looking at flats, although the views over the Firth of Forth from the one in Granton I saw this morning are just awesome and breathtaking.

I've another one to see in a minute then its decision time - scary and then its all dependent on getting the rent and deposit together.

I sat in on the Scottish Party Executive this morning, I have so much to do and get my teeth into come June when I start.

I cannot wait.

TTFN
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Hogwarts Express

I'm about to go to Edinburgh on Hogwarts Express - seriously
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Weather

Typical bloody Brits;

For the last week most people have been moaning its too hot.

Now its wet and miserable again, they're still moaning.

You have to laugh!
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An open letter to Sir Ian Blair and Mayor of London Boris Johnson

9 stabbings since polling day - Not even two weeks.

Okay, not all of them fatal, thank goodness and my sympathies to the families of all 9.

The response yesterday from the Mayor and the police was swift, sounded hard hitting and effective.

However, when you scaped away the headline and soundbites its a short term response to a major long term problem.

27 young people died last year and 14 already this year - yes that's a problem!

And all Ian Blair and Boris Johnson did was to commit 10 stop and search teams for 10 days across 10 London Boroughs.

So, what happens on day 11 in those 10 Boroughs?

What happens if you live in London Boroughs 11 to 33?

Nothing - hang on in there.

Come on people, let's take the knives and guns off Londons streets - let us all look and listen and if you hear or see anything - report it, don't turn a blind eye or a deaf ear and hope someone else will do it instead.

To Boris Johnson and Ian Blair - we need long term solutions for all of London not headlines and soundbites for part of London.
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An open letter to Sir Ian Blair and Mayor of London Boris Johnson

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Running for Crusaid on Monday 26th May

Now the London election is out of the way I can start training for the London 10k run on Bank Holiday Monday, 26th May - the week before I leave for Scotland - for Crusaid.

If you can spare a few pounds to sponsor me, both I and Crusaid will greatly appreciate it.

If not, but you are in London on the 26th please do come along and give me a cheer.

http://www.justgiving.com/andrewreevesrunsforcrusaid

Teenage murders in London

This weekend saw a fatal stabbing of a teenager in South East London, the 13th young person this year to tragically lose their life in our capital.

Two more teenagers were stabbed in North London - they're in hospital.

What the hell is going wrong in our towns and cities when the majority of people are silent about these killings?

These young people should be excited about starting their adult lives, getting their first job, having the first pay packet NOT worrying about whether they might be dead by the end of the week.

Gordon Brown needs to take action, not sound bites, not a commission, not another person added to the safer neighbourhood team - that's all crap.

We MUST take these guns and knives off our streets, they aren't cool accessories they are murder weapons, they are used for killing not as a piece of jewellery!

I haven't heard any comment from the new mayor of London on this weekends stabbings - come on Boris Johnson, you reckoned you could deal with this problem well get on with it.
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To the men of the UK

To all the men that have moved from wearing regular tee-shirts to vests and cut off tops.

Deodorant still works!

I'm sorry but BO is not a good thing, not in the Winter, Spring, Autumn and definitely NOT on beautiful hot days.
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Scary, scary and fun

Well, the selling of one flat and renting of another has started, boxes have been packed and moved into storage.

Paint, taps and scrapers have been bought.

Once we move I've also got to learnt to drive.

So, within a short period of time I will have;

1. Started a new job
2. Moved house
3. Learnt to drive

The 3 most stressful things in life - apparently.

But, I'm not stressed, I'm loving every minute of it.

I can't wait to move, I can't wait to start my new job and okay, the third one isn't quite so exciting - the learning that is - I can't wait until I've passed my test, buying a car and then going around the seats in Scotland passing on my experience and ensuring best practice is shared!

First Minister - you're going down!
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Durham, this is Durham

As Michael moves South to Crewe I'm venturing through his home turf.

See you all soon in Crewe.
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Somewhere between York and Darlington

Just seen the white horse set in the hills from the train.

Spookily Rog and I were talking about this the othere evening......

View from my train
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Whooops!

Stage 2 hasn't gone quite to plan, despite getting up at 4am, I fell asleep as we were up late last night packing.

I ran into Kings Cross at 06.58am but the doors were closed and my 7am train left without me, which was rude but hey.

So am now waiting for a cooked breakfast before I embark on the 8am train, I've already called the Estate Agents to say sorry and slightly shift my schedule.

The good news after missing the train was seeing this poster - hello sailor!
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First leg

Right - five flats to view in Edinburgh and a thank you party in London!

Its like challenge Anneka all over again.

Well, the first part is taking the South Eastern train into London, which left on time.
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Moving house

Well they say moving house and starting a new job are two of the most stressful things in life to do.

So, we are doing both at the same time - hey, why not?

We signed for the storage unit today to de-clutter the flat, we've watched all the Colin and Justin programmes and DIY SOS and all that stuff so we know the drill.

We've got to do one of these ridiculous Home Information Packs, although the Estate Agent said no one had ever asked for one.

This Labour Government is a wind up, why introduce a bloody stupid idea that isn't needed, is a waste of time but raises Gordon Brown lots of income via this extra tax? Oh yes, that's why, another stealth tax to rob ordinary hard working people.

On Saturday we move most of the stuff out, and then Monday we have the Estate Agent coming round, now I need to find a window cleaner!
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Tories in Dartford - shame on them.

The Tory Council slogan is;

If only ALL councils were like Dartford.

There is a series of underpasses near the Fleet Estate that have not been touched since the Tories got back in and its a disgrace.

Broken security lights, overhanging bushes and graffiti everywhere.

Spend some money and clean it up!
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Things to do list!

My to do list is just bloody enormous.

I'm off to City Hall to get the Mayoral and List deposits, then back to the office to pay in a load of donations.

Then off to Battersea to get a new scratchpad for Zennor, then off to sign for a storage unit and then home to take delivery of 150 packing boxes to start packing - what fun!

Although, it will be fantastic when we've moved.

We are going to research a tartan to see if the family roots are connected to one - from memory my Grandad is but I will need to check.

Any help on where to look?
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He only got a seven

I'm sat having lunch, enjoying the weather whilst ringing Estate Agents in Edinburgh setting up viewings for Friday for my next visit.

There are 2 guys on the adjoining table grading their "pulls" from the weekend, and one, oh my god only scored 7.

The house markets crashing, there's typhoons in Burma, Boris Johnson is the bloody Mayor - and this poor chap only got 7.

Lol - I've heard it all.
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Edinburgh and beyond

Well, today we went to see Rog's Nan to tell her about the move to Scotland.

I'm not entirely sure she grasped it, but we did get to see Aaron, who's just awesome.
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Berwick upon Tweed

Just been through Berwick on the train from Edinburgh.

Stunning views.
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Visit to Scotland

I'm just on my way back from a flat hunting session in Edinburgh.

I was rung by a journalist late last night who asked if I was happy with the campaign the Party and I had run? Yes, given the limited money and media support we ran an awesome campaign. But you went backwards he said; yes, but the "punch and judy" show was all you (the media) were interested in, let's see how long til Boris cocks up, because he will - we all know it. He didn't argue.

I'm sorry we didn't get Jeremy Ambache in, and I'm more sorry we didn't get Geoff Pope back in, Geoff worked hard for the people of London and scored some good results against TfL.

On the night as the Agents were called into Committee Room 5 to have each set of results announced there appeared to be no Labour or Tory agents - were they getting their figures direct somewhere in the building? It was a tad strange.

London Elects on the whole were great throughout from way back last year to the day, my particular sincere thanks to Adam Leibowitz, Mat Bright, Keith Hathaway and John Bennett - thanks gents.

There were a few things on the day, but that's down to training by Council Returning Officers;

Presiding Officers writing voters electoral numbers onto their ballot papers, therefore invalidating their votes in Barnet, Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Croydon and Lambeth.

We were told around 20 ballot papers in Lambeth had been spoilt, it in fact turned out to be around 500, this really isn't acceptable.

The winner on the day wasn't Boris in the end, it was apathy. Because over half of Londoners didn't bother to vote, and of the other half well, Boris didn't win the popular vote.

Compulsory voting - discuss?
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The world outside politics

My world basically revolves round four things (five if you include David Beckham);
1. My boyfriend Roger
2. Liberal Democrats and politics
3. Zennor our cat
4. My (extended family)

So, today is the first day since January 11th where my day isn't working on the Mayoral campaign for Brian Paddick and the Lib Dems.

The count all finished this morning at 2am so in the last. 2 days - I have only managed 3 hours sleep - and nearly missed my cab to the station this morning!

Sat on the 7am train to Edinburgh - I'm going to look at some flats to move to - there are sheep with lambs in fields, swans and ducks on rivers, cows grazing and a man mooning (too early for that).

The world carried on while we became immersed and obsessed with persuading you to vote Brian Paddick and Liberal Democrats, I'm not apologising for that because it was the right thing for you to do (although many of you didn't see that you could have voted for Brian to get rid of Ken).

Voting is important and unfortunately again too many of you didn't bother - shame on you - people have died to ensure we can vote and engage in democracy.

I've attached a photo of the 28 police vans parked behind City Hall yesterday!!
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I did try...

To blog more than once today, but it didn't work.

I will blof en-route to Edinburgh tomorrow, am too tired.
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On my way home

Long day, just 23 hours today lol.

I want to say a public thank you to all my colleagues at Cowley St, the team of professional London organisers and the thousands of volunteers who delivered literally millions of leaflets since last year to promote Brian Paddick and the rest of the fantastic Liberal Democrat team for London.

Thank you everyone.

Now, let's ensure we run a good count tomorrow. I will be at Olympia 2 at 7.30am
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Election Night fun

A good night so far - we've held Eastleigh, Cambridge, Stockport and Rochdale and gained St Albans and Hull.

We've become the largest party in Derby.

Well done all round the UK.
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