Labour's 'ultimate force' to visit Nottingham

The Labour Party is set to unleash a special weapon for its election campaign in Nottingham tomorrow.
Not content with the recent appearance of Gordon Brown and John Prescott, party officials are taking the battle for Notts one stage further.
Actor Ross Kemp - who starred in TV drama Ultimate Force and presented a number of programmes on gangs - is set to make an appearance in the city to boost the centre-left party.
Let's hope the hard-boiled former Eastender doesn't have a "spot o' bother" with the locals.

Brown forgets mic again!

It seems Gordon Brown is a slow learner.
Most people would have remembered the importance of removing a microphone if they had been subject to the biggest gaff at the 2010 General Election.
But for Mr Brown, it seems calling a woman "bigot" while on the air unawares, is still not enough.
During a visit to a primary school in Blidworth, an aide to the Prime Minister had to grunt "MIC!" before Mr Brown remembered to take it off his jacket.
Who knows what he may have said about a Nottingham Post reporter who quizzed him on immigration after getting in the car.

Fowl play at Ashfield hustings?

A chicken who protested outside the Nottingham Post's election hustings in Kirkby-in-Ashfield was condemned as a "disgrace" by Labour representative Andrew Clayworth.
The chicken stood outside the Summit Centre with a placard asking "Why has Gloria chickened out? What has she got to hide?" after Labour candidate Gloria De Piero said her time would be better spent knocking doors.
Rushcliffe candidate Mr Clayworth instead relayed Ms De Piero's intentions to the crowd.
The Miner has launched an appeal for the mystery bird to unmask him or herself. After all, what is an election campaign without the odd headless chicken?

The Artful (question) Dodger

The Miner was intrigued by Gordon Brown's suggestion that the problems of Notts Police force could be solved by ‘neighbourhood policing’.
For many years Notts Police has lagged behind other forces in terms of the number of offences committed in its area per head of population and the level of detection.
Earlier this year a team of experts was brought in to Notts Police in order to identify what has been going wrong and how the force could be improved.
But when asked if this was good enough, he said: “I think the best policing is what we want to see and I think neighbourhood policing is the key to it and I think getting visibility on the streets - 80% of time on the streets - is the key to that.
“So as neighbourhood policing comes in I hope people will be satisfied they are getting a better service.”
So that's where we're going wrong then...

Feisty debate during Sherwood husting

With tensions building as May 6 approaches, it was always likely that The Nottingham Post husting in Sherwood would bring about a bit of colour.
Labour activist Chris Baron, the ousted county councillor for Hucknall, was at the heart of most of the night's heckling – and Conservative candidate Mark Spencer was often on the receiving end of it.
But during the closing speeches, local farmer Mr Spencer gave a promise which may appeal to the more vociferous of voters. He said he had the nous and the "big gob" to shout for Sherwood in Westminster.
Meanwhile Labour's Emilie Oldknow characterized herself as an ordinary working woman, while independent Russ Swan as 'the man who cannot win'.
Mr Swan, who only emerged as a candidate at the eleventh hour, has started a blog about his experience at his first ever husting. Visit the following web link - http://sherwoodsaysnota.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/confessions-of-a-hustings-virgin/

Egging means campaign has really started

Finally! The first egg of the campaign was thrown today, and David Cameron was the unlucky target.
The Tory leader was hit by an egg thrown by a student as he visited a college thrown in Cornwall.
Mr Cameron, who was yesterday confronted by a giant chicken, joked afterwards: “Now I know which came first – the chicken, not the egg.”
Two things strike me about this story. First, it means the election campaign has really started - only when the water balloons / paint / eggs are flying around can we really feel the politicians are putting themselves out there.
Second, while in other countries this incident might have led to a long spell in the cells, the aftermath here was somewhat different. A Tory aide said the student was arrested and then quickly released after police established he did not have any more missiles with him, while a police spokesman said: "He was arrested but was de-arrested before reaching a police station." How genuinely marvellous.

Don't forget to register!!

THE Miner is sending out a kindly reminder to those in Notts who have not yet registered to vote.
You have until 5pm today to submit your completed forms at your local registration office. Unless you are registered, you cannot vote.
Registration could not be easier - even if you have left it to the eleventh hour!
Forms can be downloaded and printed from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.
Details of your local registration office in Notts, where the completed forms must be taken to, can be found at the same website.
Election candidates have until 4pm today to register to stand at the election.
Don't delay.

Remember wages of £1.50 an hour? Actually, yes

After appearing at a recent 'generation debate' in Hucknall, Foreign Secretary David Miliband took time out to write to all who attended. His letter contained a heartfelt plea for voters to "remember how far Britain has come and take on the myth that our country is decline".

"Remember wages of £1.50 an hour, winter crises in the NHS, outside loos in primary schools, section 28, declining overseas aid spending?" he said. "They have all been changed by Labour in Government."

But perhaps not all of them. As Jim Radburn of the Carers in Hucknall organisation points out, the Government funding for the country's legion of carers means they often have to make it on £1 an hour or less.

You might have expected Mr Miliband to have remembered this when he penned his appeal to voters in the Sherwood constituency - as Mr Radburn mentioned it during the first question of the debate in Hucknall.

Lib Dems firmly on ground

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable has insisted there will be no change in election strategy after the poll boost sparked by the leaders’ debate.
Mr Cable said that - despite the surge in support - the Lib Dems had got their feet “firmly on the ground”.
Quite right they have. The volcanic ash cloud meant Menzies Campbell had to cancel a trip to Notts last week - and leader Nick Clegg's three young sons have been stranded in Spain as a result of the flights ban.

At last: Hurley speaks out

We've already had Gary Barlow and Eddie Izzard jumping onto the Tory and Labour campaign bandwagons, respectively, but finally we've now been able to hear the views of the celeb we've all been waiting for: Elizabeth Hurley.
Her take on matters following the first live TV debate? "Note to Clegg and Cameron: refuse to wear so much make-up for the next debate. Heavy one-tone pancake base looks like a mask. Just say No!"
And there was me worried that the leaders' debate would trivialise the election.

Who do you agree with?

For any blogger, the ultimate goal is to get people to take your opinions seriously. The TV election debate got The Miner thinking – maybe I should change my name to ‘Nick’. After his performance on Thursday night, Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg seems to be the toast of the nation. So much so, that one national radio station dedicated a feature the following morning in his honour, called ‘I Agree With Nick…’. The premise was simple – anyone called Nick could ring up and have their 15 minutes of fame and speak of how they’d change our nation. So Nicks from across the land, including one from Newark, called up with their pearls of wisdom about schooling, the NHS, or even how they’d change the fortunes of their local football team. The presenter then mulled over whether to agree or disagree with the caller, uttering ‘I Agree With Nick’ in the majority of cases. So next time you want your opinions to be valued, it appears there’s only one choice for all ‘non-Nicks’ out there – dig out the number for Deed Poll...

BNP fears...

The Miner can't help but notice that some candidates in Notts seem afraid of speaking to the media.
Nottingham North BNP candidate Bob Brindley said he had to check with the regional press officer before opening his mouth. And Erewash BNP candidate Mark Bailey said he was unable to comment on the campaign issues.
Eventually we managed to persuade Bob (whose real name is Simon) to chat to us so he's earned himself a couple of lines in the paper.
Up in Mansfield, independent candidate Andre Camilleri has issued answers to our questions through his agent.
Meanwhile, over in Ashfield, Gloria de Piero seems to be giving the national press the slip, but at least she will talk to us.

How Deep is Your (Tory) Love?

Take That's Gary Barlow is apparently launching 'innovative new plans for a national school music competition' with David Cameron.
Had never put the song writer with the Tories... could it be magic?

Story at http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/04/Conservatives_and_Gary_Barlow_launch_School_Stars.aspx

Evening Post tweets Clegg

So, Nick Clegg is now following Post reporter Delia Monk on Twitter...
Her tweets have made sure he knows all about the forthcoming Post election hustings in Notts so, who knows, maybe the Lib Dem leader will be seen sitting amongst the audience in Kirkby-in-Ashfield? After all, the Lib Dems think they've got a good shot at the usually safe Labour seat. We may even let him on satge.

The next debate will take place in the Sherwood constituency at the John Godber Community Centre in Ogle Street, Hucknall, from 7.30pm on Wednesday April 21.
A hustings will be held in Ashfield constituency at the Summit Centre, in Pavilion Road, Kirkby, on Wednesday April 28, from 7pm and another will be held in Gedling constituency at Arnold Hill School, on April 26 at 7pm.

Cameron 'in for cold shoulder'

DAVID Cameron is battling to win the affections of Middle England at the General Election.
But today it has emerged that the Tory leader may be in for the cold shoulder from at least one key voter.
Speaking at a charity resource center in Halifax, he broke the news to wife Samantha that she could end up empty-handed when she turns 39 on Sunday.
“I’m not going to have time to buy any presents,” he quipped. “But I’ll do the cooking instead – will that be all right?”

Debates I'd have liked to have seen

As this evening's first ever live TV debate approaches, former Tory leader William Hague said he would have loved the opportunity of a leaders’ debate with Tony Blair before the 2001 election.
He said he asked Tony Blair to take part in this in 2001 and it was agreed in principle - but then Alastair Campbell made sure that it was never negotiated. He said: "It was like trying to nail jelly to a wall trying to get them to agree to it."
Blair versus Hague would have been a bit of a damp squib, might I suggest. But there's a fair few debates between previous party leaders which would have been worth missing Coronation Street for. My top five: 1987 Thatcher v Kinnock, 1970 Heath v Wilson, 1950 Attlee v Churchill, 1868 Gladstone v Disraeli, 1830 Duke of Wellington v Marquess of Lansdowne. Although I'm kind of guessing on that last one.

Brown, Pickles, Balls

Once again the East Midlands proved to be a draw for party big-wigs. Yesterday Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles was at the city centre's Hart's Hotel to launch their election campaign in the East Midlands.

Gordon Brown popped up in Sandiacre where he dropped in on two pensioners - also Labour Party members - for a cosy chat with their daughter and grandchildren.

Perhaps he was thinking along the lines of Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, who appeared to take his election rhetoric from Whitney Houston on a visit to Carlton. "Children are our future," he said, without irony.

Gloria wastes little time

ASHFIELD Labour candidate Gloria De Piero wasted little time sticking the boot in to opposition election candidate Jason Zadrozny today.
News broke at about 8.25am that the Liberal Democrat was set to be kicked off Notts Police Authority for poor attendance. And just over two hours later a 360 word press release was issued by the former GMTV presenter.
The release contained details of how much Coun Zadrozny earned for the role and even made clear what the police authority rules state about those who do not attend for more than three months.
Quotes given for the press to use from Miss De Piero included: “Labour’s Gloria De Piero today joined people across Ashfield and Eastwood in expressing ‘astonishment and disbelief’ that Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Jason Zadrozny is set to be kicked off Nottinghamshire Police Authority at its next meeting on April 20th.”
Another quote later added: “At a time when every penny of public money counts to take taxpayers cash and then not bother to turn up is disgraceful and will cause real anger across Ashfield and Eastwood. I call on Cllr Zadrozny to return every penny he has received back to Nottinghamshire Police Authority so that it can be spent on the frontline protecting local people.”

All quiet on the NHS front

The election manifesto launches of the last two days have seen health-related pronouncements falling from the sky like rain. But The Miner can't help but notice a distinct lack of noise from the NHS itself.

This isn't a co-incidence. Between the launch of the election and May 6 itself, NHS trusts in Notts and elsewhere have been told not to do anything that could be seen as favouring any of the political parties.

So that means no press releases announcing spending plans or new services - and minimal response when pushed on stories concerning their activities.

Most trusts are staying away from anything remotely political, though the Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre at the QMC, presumably not restrained by such guidelines, welcomed Tory shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley with open arms last week.

Not Keane on Tories' song

The Tories played the 2004 Keane hit Everybody’s Changing at their manifesto launch - a decision which went down badly with at least one member of the band.
A Tory spokesman later said: "It’s a great song and David’s a great fan."
But should he be? As far as I can remember the lyrics go something like "I can see the pain in your eyes, Everybody's changing, and I don't know why."
Hardly the greatest of rallying cries.

Child's honesty could be stumbling block

Good to see that a four-year-old from Peterborough has launched his own election campaign to become Britain’s first black prime minister.
Gramos Hoxha Jnr has his own Facebook group called Gramos 4 Prime Minister, which lays out his manifesto - his two main policies being to get more police on the streets, and implementing a naughty corner for shouting parents.
His mother, Marie Salim, said: "Children will always be honest with you, and they have their own issues and agendas." So they've got one thing in common with MPs, then.

Ken's donkey gift

Ken Clarke was given the gift of 'adopting' a donkey when he paid a visit to Manor Farm Animal Centre and Donkey Sanctuary in East Leake. Isn't the point of adopting an animal that you actually pay for it to be looked after? And is this a gift that needs registering with the Parliamentary authorities? We should be told.

Same old faces

Well well the same old faces are dragged out to line up with brown.