The human side of the general election campaign

Voters generally see the politicians on TV, on their doorstep or at local hustings and events.  However there is another side of the election campaign that voters don't see, that's the huge amount of work done by our staff and volunteers across the UK.

My sincere thanks to all you do to my team in Scotland - they are the very best!

Take my last twelve hours as the (Federal Deputy) Director of Campaigns in Scotland:

8th April 4pm - 4.30pm - conference call with senior staff in London and Scotland then checking artwork and emails.

4.35pm - telephone call with Scottish Party Convenor

4.50pm - catch up with Scottish Party Chief Executive before he heads off

5pm - one member of the Scottish HQ staff went out on a chocolate run

5.10pm - chocolate safely back in the HQ, unwrapped and devoured

5.11pm - back on the phone and replying to emails from candidates, colleagues and staff

6.15pm - telephone catch up with one of our key seat organisers (great team in Scotland, talented, experienced and very motivated).

6.30pm - telephone catch up with colleague in London on leaflet artwork

6.45pm - conference call with departmental colleagues around the UK

7.15pm - back to plans and details for tomorrows campaign launch with Nick Clegg, Tavish Scott and Charles Kennedy in Glasgow

9pm - finally leaving the office after arriving there at 8am

9.10pm - quick call home to say I am on the way

9.15pm - telephone call with key seat staff member

9.27pm - on the 16 bus heading home

10pm - dinner - chicken, pasta, olives, mushrooms, cherry tomoatoes in green pesto

10.15pm - fuss with Zennor and catch up with Roger

10.50pm - bed

4.02am - alarm goes off - new day off we go again

That is a fairly typical snapshot of what I will be spending my hours doing over the coming weeks, for obvious reasons I cannot go into great detail - too many of the opposition, including John Prescott read this blog!

No, my salary isn't as high as my counterparts in Labour or the Conservatives, in fact it is around half - so why do I do it I hear you scream - why, because I love my job and I love being a Liberal Democrat and campaigning for Liberal Democratic values.

If you believe in it, then join or volunteer and make a difference, you put in the time you can afford, but the rewards are truly amazing.