THE AFTERNOON AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE...

On the stump in 2010 

Well there we are then, the voters have spoken those who turned out to vote that is. It’s now the early afternoon after the night before and I am still awake after some three and bit hours of sleep. It was has a long day and night (27.5 hours of wakefulness). Perhaps it's time to get civilised and count the votes the following morning rather than on the night - we managed to do this in 1999 and life as we know it did not come to an end. 

Firstly a massive thank you to my agent and my campaign team and the electors of Monmouth / Mynwy for their support. Elections are not just about the voters and the candidates, a whole host of people work very hard behind the scenes to make things work smoothly, including the Retuning Officers, their staff, the council staff who man the polling booths and count the votes and the other council staff and our Police who work tirelessly to make the count function flawlessly.  

It has been as always, an interesting campaign, sadly overshadowed by the illness and passing of my already much missed father. As always the election campaign has given me the opportunity to talk to, to listen to and to meet with many and varied constituents during the course of my prolonged walking tour of (in my opinion) one of the more beautiful, interesting and varied of constituencies in Wales.

Transition towns hustings back in 2015

Now that the sound and the fury have faded, and the hustings blended into one former candidates can take stock. This is no glory in this, any dreams of political immortality should be doused with cold realism - a couple of election campaigns ago - having been featured on the front page of a local newspaper in relation to the campaign to Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market I had the surreal experience of going to buy some chips in a local chip shop with a friend only to find myself literally being wrapped around them (Sic transit gloria mundi - or "Thus passes the glory of the world”.

In Monmouth constituency and across the rest of Wales for former candidates and the successfully elected life can return to a form of normality. For the next few days catching up on sleep will be a priority, that and resisting the strange desire to knock on the doors of perfect strangers and push leaflets through complete strangers letter boxes. 

Across Wales we now have to work with the new Plaid National Assembly members, and prepare the ground for future campaigns and future elections. The National Assembly is now an established fact, it is not going to go away, it needs a fully balanced portfolio of powers to shape our economy and sustainably develop our country and must become a proper parliament. 

Addressing a KALM rally back in 2009 - the revolutionary's leather overcoat did not survive the campaign.

I have fought Monmouth constituency five / six times - three for Westminster, twice for the National Assembly constituency and once on the list and it has been interesting and challenging every single time. 

Frozen at Severn Tunnel Junction back in 2010A.

All in all since 2005 it has been interesting and enjoyable with hustings, canvassing, leafleting and even the doorstepping of prospective voters on freezing mornings at various railway stations. That said, I have  reached the stage when I can recognise when the adrenaline is running out, and the point where coffee is no longer required or having any effect and the sleep of a seriously tired former National Assembly prospective candidate is more than beckoning. 

I wonder how Newport County AFC and the Dragons will do in Satiurday...

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.

MAKING OUR MARK

Today we really do have a unique opportunity, for far too long Wales has been neglected by Westminster – that historic neglect can cease on May 9^th. Our country has never been nor ever will be a priority for the big establishment Westminster based parties who will always put London and their own vested interests first before the needs of Wales. The only way to make Wales matter after the election is to vote for Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales. Plaid will use its influence in the hung parliament to get the very best deal possible for Wales and for all our communities. A YouGov poll recently showed that 78% of people think that Wales should get the same funding deal as Scotland – Plaid is the only party that can deliver this. Fair funding for Wales would mean an extra £1.2 billion a year, to spend on our hospitals, our schools and strengthening our economy. For those who haven't voted for Plaid Cymru before, lend your vote to Plaid tomorrow. We won't let you down. Together, Plaid can make Wales' voice heard in Westminster. Together, Plaid can make Wales work.

I AGREE WITH DAVID…

David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth Constituency

As a former Plaid Cymru Westminster and National Assembly candidate (for Monmouth constituency), it is not every day that I find myself in partial agreement with the mutterings and musings of David Davies, the Conservative MP for Monmouth (South Wales Argus 10th May 2012, the BBC and the Western Mail 11.05.2012). Now like many people I share his frustration with the incompetence of the highest levels of the current Conservative driven Coalition Government. As for David's motivation for the latest outburst, perhaps the recent hammering that the Conservatives received in the county council elections in Monmouthshire is playing on his mind, that and perhaps the possibility that with boundary changes his seat may come into ‘play’ in the next Westminster Parliamentary elections. While David and I agree on the incompetence of the current government, I, however, note the almost malicious (if not gleeful) nature of the coalition attacks on the public sector. I (and plenty of other people) have also noted the failure to introduce proper regulation for the banks (who got us into this mess – with the able assistance of the last New Labour Government). Not to mention the failure to introduce a windfall tax to prevent excessive profiteering on the part of the Energy and Power companies and the near complete failure to deal with tax evasion and tax avoidance.

COFFEE, CHOCOLATE AND IKEA

Having been a candidate 4 times (3 times for Monmouth constituency and once for the South Wales East regional list) I have learned (the hard way) how to get over the coffee and adrenalin fuelled experience that follows the closure of the Polling stations at 10 pm on election day. Admittedly this time, when the result for the South Wales East regional list came it at 07.45 am (slightly earlier that 05.50 am in Monmouth constituency in 2007) I had only been awake for a mere 27.5 hours (heaven help the election counters and polling station staff) I was slightly more prepared for it.

The coffee and chocolate helped, as did the superb picnic prepared by one (soon to be elected) of the Plaid Regional Team members. Afterwards, you can try to sleep, but, usually the coffee and the adrenalin have kicked in, as has the desire to watch the remaining election coverage (which started at 12 noon on Friday). Chilling out helps, as does a good meal and lots of non caffeine laced liquid.

Having caught up on some sleep, I went to watch the Gwent Dragons v Ulster. A good game, the Dragons played well but Ulster were better and the referee did seem to miss a lot (at least from where I was sat). I also try to tidy up my house (somewhat neglected over the last weeks of the campaign) and a day later I make the pilgrimage to IKEA to finally buy the things I should have bought some months ago but kept putting off because of the immanent election!

A BUSY MORNING IN ABERGAVENNY...

A brief moment in time during a busy campaign, with Jill Evans (MEP), Plaid President, Fiona Cross (Monmouth Constituency Candidate), Jonathan T Clark (South Wales East - Regional List Candidate), Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East - Regional List Candidate) and Janet Davies in 'Red Square', at Plaid Street Stall, in Abergavenny on Tuesday 2nd May 2011.   

MEANWHILE ON RED SQUARE

I spent the morning manning a Plaid street stall and working the sunny streets of Abergavenny around ' Red Square' for Plaid with Fiona Cross (Plaid's Constituency Candidate) and local Plaid members and Plaid supporters. It was a warm mornings work and our presence (and our message) was very well received. Our political opponents were conspicuous by their absence, so we made good use of our time and talked to a fair number of potential voters and potential supporters, who were pleased to see us. Had a few interesting and eye opening conversations with an interesting cross section of people, some of whom indicated that they will vote Plaid twice.

THE STATUS OF MONMOUTHSHIRE

Monmouth MP David Davies told BBC Wales the whole argument was "nonsense."


He said Monmouthshire has always been a part of Wales and was only separated legally to make life easier for Henry VIII.


Mr Davies said just because people in the county voted No to further Assembly powers did not mean they wanted to be a part of England.

(Source BBC News Website)

Enough said...

THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE...

Well there we are then, the morning after the night before and I am awake (just) after some three and bit hours of sleep - it was a long night! Firstly a massive thank you to my agent and my campaign team and the punters of Monmouth / Mynwy - it has been as always an interesting (if particularly long) campaign which gave me the opportunity to talk to and meet with many (and varied) constituents during the course of my 33 month prolonged tour of (in my opinion) one of the most interesting and varied constituencies in Wales. 

Secondly, there are real bread and butter issues that still need to be fought for, including:

• the ongoing fight to Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market,
• the retention of small village and community schools,
• the need for more Police officers and fully staffed Police stations,
• better rail and bus services (with at least a gesture towards integrating the two!),
• real decent and affordable housing for younger people,
• a fair deal for our farmers,
• better public procurement of local foodstuffs by our hospitals, schools and other public bodies,      
• a fair deal for our service personnel and their families,
• a fair deal for our pensioners,
• a level playing field for our small businesses (which are the literal economic lifeblood of many of our smaller towns),
• abolition of the business rate, 
• the refurbishment of many of Monmouthshire's existing schools,
• a real need for a fair assessment of Monmouthshire County Council's financial settlement (it has the worst in Wales),
• and many more...

I think that there is a while yet before the final results come in and this Westminster election may take us all into wholly new political territory.  In Monmouth constituency, we now have to bed in the new members, and prepare the ground for the National Assembly elections (in 2011) and local Government elections (in 2012). Having fought Monmouth three times (twice for Westminster and once for the National Assembly) I have reached the stage when I can recognise when the adrenaline is running out, the coffee is no longer having any effect and the sleep of a seriously tired former prospective parliamentary candidate is beckoning... 

CHEPSTOW HUSTINGS AND THE BBC

Another day, another Hustings, this time in Chepstow Comprehensive for the Sixth form at lunchtime today. Before the main event all the candidates present got a quick TV interview from the BBC - who having smelt blood in the water were were hanging about shark-like because of the 'alleged controversy' surrounding the spat between the Tory and the New Labour candidates. 

I use the phrase alleged because the whole thing has a faint whiff of manufacture about it. This is an attempt to inject some media interest into a pretty lack lustre New Labour and pretty dire Tory campaign. All in all it's pretty typical for the London based Parties, who would rather squabble amongst themselves rather than engage about the issues that really matter to most people within (and without) the constituency.

Rather than bickering, they should concentrate on the real issues at this election, the economic recovery, fair funding for Wales, decent and fair treatment for our pensioners, our serving soldiers and their families and decent treatment for our service veterans. The London based parties are threatening dire cuts after the election without giving our economy the chance to recover and not coming clean on the cuts that they are promising. 

On the doorstep - when you catch people a) in and b) with the time to talk, in Monmouth constituency people do raise the issue of immigration, but, they also raise many other issues, including the bankers, the sorry saga of MPs corruption and expenses, recycling, the poor state of public transport (especially buses to and from Monmouth town), the need for better school transport, saving the smaller village and community schools, saving the Cattle Market in Abergavenny and better treatment for our solders, their families and our service veterans, along with other issues.

Today was a well organised and well chaired hustings, which lasted just over a speedy hour - despite its shortness we covered a number of topics including immigration, the banking crisis, the Tobin tax, student loans, further and higher education funding, electoral tactics, electoral reform and how you get people (young or old) interested in politics - it was an interesting focused hour. All in all quite an interesting hour of questions and answers, even with the BBC floating around filming.

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And speaking of the BBC - they just called me (c17.10pm) pulling the usual old standard trick of saying that there was a problem with the original interview - so could they take a quick quote down the line...  Oh please pull the other one... 

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.