IF IT’S THURSDAY… IT MUST BE MONMOUTH

Here's one I did earlier...  back in 2015

Civic society is truly alive and well in Monmouth constituency, and just as in every election I have been involved in since 1999 there are plenty of well-attended Hustings, where voters can quiz the candidates. 

The only other way to talk to voters is literally on the doorstep - when you catch people a) in and b) with the time to talk, in Monmouth constituency people raise many issues, including the bankers, Westminster MP’s corruption and expenses, recycling, affordable housing, council tax, and our NHS. 

The closing of local post offices and banks remains an issue, Europe, the referendum and immigration come up but not that regularly. The poor state of public transport (especially buses to and from Monmouth town) does come up more regularly, along with the need for better school transport, saving the smaller village and community schools. The Severn Bridge Tolls, which are a tax on jobs, commuters and businesses, comes up regularly as does the ongoing issue of better treatment for our solders, their families, our service veterans, the legacy of Blair’s wars along with other issues.

WHAT'S NEXT?

• The next Hustings in Monmouth constituency has been organised by Transition Towns. It's taking place tonight Thursday 21st April (at 7:30pm) at The Bridges Community Centre, in Monmouth (NP25 5AShttp://www.bridgescommunity.org.uk/)

• After that comes the Farmers Union Wales Hustings, which is taking place on Tuesday 26th April 2016 at 19.30pm Abergavenny RFC, in Abergavenny.

FOUR BUSY DAYS

It’s been a busy four days with three Hustings on consecutive evening in Monmouth (a  Transition towns Monmouth and Abergavenny / Crickhowell Friends of the Earth Green Hustings) on Wednesday, a BMA Hustings in Newport (on Thursday evening) and a Church in Wales Hustings at Trellech (on Friday evening). All were well attended and the audiences produced interesting questions. 

First out of three consecutive Hustings...

This was followed up a commemorative parade to malt the 100^th Anniversary of Gallipoli Campaign (Anzac Day) on Saturday organised by Chepstow town council and the Chepstow Branch of the British Legion and contingents from veterans organisations and voluntary bodies, watch by a sizeable crowd of onlookers. 

On parade in Chepstow

This was followed by a late morning and afternoon canvassing session (it’s still very positive on the doors) in Bulwark, in Chepstow. 

On the stump in Bulwark, Chepstow

A few more housings last week (with the last one being at Monmouth Baptist Church, in Monmouth, which kicks off at 7.30pm on Friday May 1st) and the final round of canvassing and leafleting.

SECONDS OUT… ROUND TWO

The view from the back of the hall...

With barely 28 or so days to go until Polling, on what has been a long campaign that started back in the October of 2013, the clock can now be said to be well and truly ticking. One week after the Hustings organised by the Bryn Y Cwm forum, at The Angel, in Abergavenny. 

The second evening Hustings meeting of this campaign took place last evening. The Hustings, which took place at The Priory Centre in Abergavenny, was organised collectively by the Abergavenny Churches.  It was packed out (200+), something that over the years you come to expect from pretty much any Hustings organised in Monmouth constituency.  

Despite some wobbly moments with the microphone (a failing battery – rapidly replaced) it proved an interesting evening. In truth though, in an hour and half, and with 7 candidates or their representatives present, it means that not that many questions get asked or answered, even with strict timekeeping. Whittling down close to 30 pages of policy notes into coherent bite sized chunks is yet another challenge that you face as a candidate.

MORE HUSTINGS...

A busy final few days of this campaign, after a long Monday the day closed with a well organised hustings at the Drill Hall, in Chepstow, which was packed out, with some punters standing for the duration. The usual suspects were all present save for UKIP who was absent.   The main issues came up as one would expect, the economy, the banks, education, health,small towns, etc - once again many of these are devolved issues, so an MP would not have that much influence over them.

An interesting evening, which got a bit fire when the new Labour and Conservative candidates who clearly don't like each other and by this stage in the campaign, can not longer be bothered to hide it had a few increasingly ill-tempered pops at each other. This was not something that went down particularly well with the audience, still it had been a long day and it was well past their respective bed times. Don't think that anyone was prepared the rant form the conservative candidate at the end in his closing statement, not, judging from the looks of surprise that were clearly visible on the face so the audience. 

Tuesday was a long day, what with busy being out talking to prospective voters in Caldciot and Abergavenny High Streets, through the morning and into the mid afternoon. The final hustings of the campaign, took place at the Hogs Head, Llantilio Crosseny, near Abergavenny, which is well worth a visit at any time. It was well organised and very well attended, again with standing room only at the back - whoever said that the electorate are not interested, has clearly not attended the six hustings meetings that have taken place over the last eight days in Monmouth constituency. 

Once again a number of devolved issues came up along with the usual subjects which ranged from education, local services, Monmouthshire County Council, Abergavenny Cattle Market, farming and the economy and the banks, not to mention fixing broken Britain and the political system. This hustings (which was UKIP free again!) was largely rant free save for the occasional ill-natured asides between the New Labour candidate and the Conservative candidate. A good night, after a long day... 

One more day to go... 

IS IT TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY?

As the campaign progresses towards its final days, the days become pretty similar, what with leafleting, canvassing, talking and listening to constituents, a risk of dehydration and a stronger and stronger campaign tan. It's becoming an increasingly busy week, off shortly to Caldicot for the market and then more door to door canvassing (which is truth the only thing that really matters).

Hustings wise, this is the really busy peak period (in Monmouth constituency at least):

• On Tuesday evening it will be the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Community Debate: International Development; Trade Justice which kicks off at 7.30pm at St Michael's Centre, 10A Pen Y Pound, Abergavenny, Gwent, NP7 5UD.
  
• On Wednesday evening, it will be the NFU Cymru (Monmouthshire Parliamentary Hustings) which takes place at 7.30pm at Alice Springs Golf Club, near Usk.
  
• And on Thursday evening, it will be the Green Hustings, which kick-off at 7.45pm at the Savoy Theatre, in Monmouth.

TRELLECH HUSTINGS

The first Hustings of the final stages of this Westminster campaign took place last night in Trellech - very well organised (by the Trellech Big Issues Forum, well chaired and well attended (and well lit by Mon TV's TV lights). With six candidates who covered a wide range of topics from the economic crisis through Development Aid and Climate Change / Global Warming and Votes for 16 year old's and much else along the way.

My Conservative opponent (aside from being blinded by the light (just like the rest of us to varying degrees) made much of his opposition to extending the franchise to 16 years old's - I suspect much of what he said, was also said about extending the franchise to women, about abolishing the business vote and extending the franchise to those under 21. One thing to remember is that at 16 you will (if you have a job) pay tax, so where's the representation?

And a final thought, have the Conservatives ever been in favour (as opposed to being against things) of anything?