Assessing the local election in Medway: it’s a small world after all

One of the most important things people keep reminding me is to remember who your friends are – you never know when you may need them. So while my local MP all-of-a-sudden ceases to be a Blairite and moves onwards to brown nose Brown, I thought that I would take a look over the Candidates in the election that have some kind of connection to, no matter how loose.

In order to write this post, I had another look through the list of candidates, produced in the run-up to the elections, and I was surprised, considering the fact that I have only been involved in politics for a few months, at how many people I knew, or have been connected to, before the election started; and distressed at how many of them I have since discovered are batting for other teams.

Gillingham North

Phil Plaistowe (Conservative)
Phil runs Medway Print and Medway Hosting, who are currently hosting this site and also the Gillingham Conservatives website. I got referred to him by the Association Chairman when I asked who was running the website after John Gilbert-Jupp (below).

Gillingham South

John Gilbert-Jupp (Conservative)
I emailed John when he ran the Association website for various reasons. He is one of very few of our unelected representatives who have provided information for the website either before or after the election (even if I haven’t got round to putting it all on yet).

Hempstead & Wigmore

Diane & Rodney Chambers (Conservative)
The Chambers own the card shop I always use near Christmas or someone’s birthday, and I know that both of them work in there occasionally, so I have probably been served by at least one of them during one of my visits. I was introduced to Rodney at Reh Chishti’s Christmas Party.

Peninsula

Steve Pendleton (Liberal Democrat)
Steve would only have ever been a paper candidate here, but he does work hard for St Dunstan’s charity for blind ex-servicemen (of which he is one). He approached our squadron to ask us to participate in the St Dunstan’s Cadet Challenge. I wasn’t there on the day, but Conservative Mayor (now former) Cllr Angela Prodger was. Oh what a laugh that must have been.

Rainham Central

Discarding Reh, who had introduced me to Political activism, the ironic situation in Rainham Central was the number of people I actually knew before the election.

Barry Kemp (Conservatvie)
In the 1997 Medway Council elections, Barry Kemp stood alongside my mother in St Margaret’s Ward – thus, by default, my father would have been running around the Ward delivering leaflets with his photograph on – and he didn’t get elected. This year I was running around Rainham Central delivering leaflets with his photograph on – and he did get elected. Must be something in my technique…

Mike O’Brien (Conservative)
In his days as an insurance salesman, Mike served both my parents, and I have a distinct memory of sitting in an office one day whilst my parents sorted outtheir insurance.

Bob Collinson & Roger Shade (Liberal Democrat)
These two uncharismatic Liberals visited my school, after my email consersation with Roger, and seemed perfectly happy to slag off one of their female MEPs (can’t think why…).

Matthew Fearn (Independent)
Aside from the fact that Matthew Fearn’s name is signed at the bottom of the letter enclosed with my membership card this year, this Tory-turned-Indy candidate received the vote of one of my friends because they went to school together (aah, how sweet…).

Rainham North

Discarding David Carr, here, as I only met him during the campaign, when we canvassed for him (in the road where Harry and Mary Keane, below, live, and those that surround them).

Vaughan Hewett (Conservative)
Aside from Reh, Vaughan was the first politician I had a proper, informal chat to on a range of subjects, at Reh’s Christmas Party. It was my first party event (which is why I went accompanied by two friends from Cadets), but Vaughan made me feel at ease, which is something I will never forget.

Harry and Mary Keane (Labour)
I know Harry and Mary through Cadets (yup, another one, or two). Or as I should say my parents know Harry and Mary through Cadets. Sadly they were both just paper candidates, and no, Mary, I don’t think Paul Clark would ever try to speak to me and convert me to the evil ways of Brown.

Rochester West

Ted Baker (Conservative)
When Ted was Mayor of Medway (all those years ago…) he paid a visit to our squadron (there are more, I promise) one night and was kind enough to present us with a cheque to help pay for damage repairs after our worst bout of break-ins. That was the night I was enrolled – as he watched. There exists a photograph of the happy occasion. On the wall at the squadron. And possibly on a computer somewhere. Hopefully.

Strood Rural

Tom Mason (Conservative)
Tom Mason, aka the “Singing Barber”, who was always singing when my Grandad paid a visit to his barbers in Wainscott. When it was still there. Next to the Post Office. When that was still there. How things change…

Strood South

Sue Haydock (Conservative)
Okay, so most people on this list are actually Conservative, and this is another candidate who, when Mayor of Medway, was inspecting officer at one Annual Inspection, when I answered her question with an unintentionally sarcastic answer. Oh how we laughed…

Twydall

Diana Lawrence (Conservative)
Diana Lawrence stood in 1997 alongside my father in Gillingham North. Not that this should constitute a connection. They probably never met. My father was too busy helping my mother lose in St Margarets. Oh the joys of being paper candidates…

Watling

This is a unique ward in that I have connections with all opposition candidates (the ones who won).

Herbert Crack (Liberal Democrat)
Father to one of my mother’s friends. I remember discussing the results on a K&ESR train when my mother said “…and Vivian’s Dad won”. He was also in Gillingham High Street on my first political activity, but you’ll have to wait for my autobiography to find out the significance of that. If I write one. Which I will. If you’d buy it. Which you wouldn’t…

Diana Smith (Liberal Democrat)
Finally we come to Darling Diana Smith, the only person on this list with whom I have a personal, emotional connection (not like that! – she’s old enough to be my Grandmother! – no offence meant, of course!). I remember after one Battle of Britain parade when I was about six (and about the same height as her, now I, like most people other than Reh, tower over her) and either her or her husband was Mayor of Gillingham (my memory isn’t that good, I was after all about six). I shared this weird bond with her late husband about our love for breadsticks (probably best you don’t ask about that one…). Then, as he was sat down, he called me over and took off of his blazer his Gillingham Borough Council badge and gave it to me. I still have it. For luck. For memories – although all of them associated with Diana rather than her husband (whose name escapes me). Diana, as a family friend, smiled at my jealous sister and promised to send her one in the post. I will never forget that – my very first experience of a broken promise from a Liberal: it never arrived. Typical of Diana…

But though age has had dramatic affects on both of us, she recognised me in Gillingham High Street on my first political activity, when, after we had packed up and gone over to speak to them (read the autobiography for details), I instantly recognised her, and she smiled at me. Oh dear. If only she knew…

So that’s it – if anything more comes to light, then that’s pretty much tough. It’s taken over five weeks to compile this list – I have other things to concentrate on now. Like sleep. ‘Cause it’s early. In the morning. And I’m tired.