A good day in Glan Conwy on Saturday. With a small but dedicated team we managed to build on the work that our community co-ordinator for Glan Conwy, Frank Bradfield, has done over the past week. With the weather being fine we managed to catch people in their gardens and even when we were guilty of dragging them to the door the sunny weather (and our blue rosettes) generally ensured a warm welcome. It was also encouraging to hear many say (unsolicited) that they would be voting for me despite their recent vote for UKIP in the European election. I even had a Plaid sympathiser who said she was tempted to vote for me - but there were no promises! The fact that we are intending to hold a public meeting in Glan Conwy (a first of many throughout the constituency) in early September was also greeted with approval.
The key issues were undoubtedly the economy, the proposed housing development and for the first time in several months the Afghanistan Conflict was mentioned - no surprise in view of the terrible news contained on the front page of the newspapers on Saturday. As an Association we were fortunate enough some months ago to have Patrick Mercer MP as a guest speaker (with thanks to David Jones MP for the arrangements). He spoke with eloquence and a real understanding of the challenges facing the army and with particular emphasis on the issue of snatch Land Rovers and the question of whether they are suitable to the conditions facing the army in Afghanistan. It is difficult not to conclude from the news of the past week that many of the warnings and concerns that Patrick Mercer has raised in Parliament over the past few years might have resulted in a different situation to the one we are now facing if he had been listened to.
Guto Bebb
terrible news contained on the front page of the newspapers on Saturday. As an Association we were fortunate enough some months ago to have Patrick Mercer MP
Why were some of your own supporters not invited and told of this event?
Typical Conwy Tory party, again!
Posted by: rick | 07/13/2009 at 09:09 AM
Sorry to have been so long approving your comment rick. When we get critical comments - rather than just delete them, we would prefer to get a response back to our readers.
The Patrick Mercer event was one held by the Constituency Patrons club, which is our major fund-raising body who pay a large subscription to attend a couple of dinners a year. In this case it was oversubscribed before it had any publicity and it was not practical to move it.
In an ideal world, we would like to get guest speakers to see more of the general public and those who cannot afford high-ticket price events. Often however, we are offered dinner speakers who have done a day of several functions, and they regularly arrive only just in time for the function.
Usually, this is done in their time and at their expense, the party does not pay for this, it is part of the role of being a senior MP.
If you, or any other reader would like to join our Patrons club, please email us at the link on the top left of the page.
Posted by: Aberconwy Tory | 07/13/2009 at 07:42 PM
Newydd sylwi dy fod yn cadw blog Guto, pam na roist ti wybod imi?
I have only just realised that you have a blog Guto, why didn’t you let me know?
Posted by: Alwyn ap Huw | 07/15/2009 at 06:41 AM
Hi Alwyn,
Nid fy molg personnol yw hwn ond blog y Ceidwadwyr yn Aberconwy. Lle dwi'n gyfrifol am gyfraniad fe fyddaf yn nodi hynny ar waelod y sylw. Dydd Llun y bu i ni lansio hwn yn swyddogol felly gobeithio y caf faddeuant - ti am link?
It's not my blog but the Aberconwy Conservative blog. When I post I will sign off in order to allow readers to identify comments made by myself as opposed to some of my team. We launched on Monday (playing around before then) so I hope that you can forgive me for not informing you in advance!
Posted by: Guto Bebb | 07/15/2009 at 10:59 AM
The team may be small, but we are committed on getting you to Westminster. Go Guto Go.
Posted by: tinker224 | 07/17/2009 at 06:22 PM