A day in the life – Tuesday, March 25, 2008

This would probably be the right time to point out that, although I continued with my word to provide you with an account of my day, today was anything but ordinary. After all, it isn’t every day a Councillor on your patch resigns in a controversial media storm.

07:42

I have been up for about half an hour. I have eaten breakfast, and am looking for more media reaction on the John Ward saga. Strangely, the Medway Standard has nothing. Maybe this isn’t as big as I thought. Maybe it will blow over a lot more quickly.

10:03

It’s Tuesday, so it was assembly day. All thoughts of politics were pushed from my mind as AM gave a truly inspirational assembly about Brian May, the Queen guitarist. After thoughts last night about my future, it made me realise I don’t need to put all my eggs in one basket.

Two free periods first up – and I’m spending them wisely doing Spanish work. AB has given us several hours’ worth of work to do, and I doubt I’ll have it all finished in time, but hey ho, I won’t if I don’t get back to it.

13:04

I have just had double Physics with AM and am surprised by how much I actually know, almost as if the subject is taunting me after my abysmal resits in January. Of course the chances of me actually getting a grade at A-level are still quite slim, but we can always live in hope.

It is currently lunchtime and I have just been to show Rob yesterday’s Medway Messenger. It is fair to say it looks serious, but neither of us believe it will come to much. It is just another storm in a teacup – Boris Johnson has had many of them and is now on the verge of becoming Mayor of London!

14:57

I’ve not long been home. My single lesson of Spanish was cancelled as AB is giving oral exams today. However, I stuck around period 5 (my normal free lesson) to wisely spend joking around with peeps in both years 12 and 13 – well you gotta relax at some point. Besides, there’s always tonight to do i- Wait, I’m out tonight…

I have received several emails about John Ward, and thought I’d go head over to his blog, only to find yesterday’s article deleted as well. Hey, wait, something’s wrong. “Former Councillor John Ward in Medway”? Fighting back the expletives, I hastily prioritise my emails and send one off to him first.

18:06

I’m about to go out to a prayer meeting with three other local members of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, although I am still quite shocked by John’s resignation, which he confirmed to me via email earlier. He has done so much for Medway, but his comments on his blog were inappropriate and he has done the right thing.

I’m also trying to arrange my social life over the next couple of weeks. Whilst at school this morning I booked more hours in at Prisetfield, a bulletin on MySpace told me about a Christian Union event tomorrow night which I strangely had no prior knowledge of (greatly publicised in my school – !!) and so I am trying to find out as much about that as possible to be able to make it at short notice and it would appear I am staying round a mate’s house on Saturday.

Just before I go, I sent an email to Cllrs Nicholas Brice and Sylvia Griffin – they have just lost their ward colleague, and it is only right that I offer to help them campaign for the ensuing by-election.

21:43

Not long been back home. The CCF meet was great, we discussed many things (including tomorrow night, strangely, and John Ward) and had some time to pray. It also gave me a chance to understand the reach of John Ward’s comments – apparently both the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror have picked up on the story (each with their own ideological distortion). Must check for more after my shower.

23:56

Okay so I am getting tired and weary and am about to go to sleep. I have discovered that almost every national newspaper had run the John Ward story today. I even forced myself to watch the South East Today report on the events. It is difficult for me to digest, still, after all he has done for Medway and his constituents over the past eight years. But, as Richard Smith said, it was a great political “cock-up”, and one which has cost him dearly.

This whole affair has made me realise how fortunate I am – I came out of my misunderstanding virtually unscathed, and better for it. John has had a media camp outside his house and has, in the space of one day, lost what was effectively his life, having given up everything to serve the people of Medway.

Tomorrow is another day, with new challenges and adventures ahead. No matter how much we plan ahead, we cannot forsee these little bumps in the road, and sometimes it is too late before we notice them. Sometimes God will watch us hit the bumps, because He knows they won’t affect our ability to navigate the straight road ahead and sometimes He will carry us, because the road is long and winding and we need His help to pass through unscathed.

Tonight, whilst stressing again that I disagree completely with what was written on his website, I will hold John up to God in my prayers as he remains alone in his house, and hope that it is not long before he sees the flat, straight road ahead. Tonight, I say goodbye to a Councillor who served Medway well for eight years, but whose career ended abruptly because of an “abhorrant” post made in anger.

Tomorrow, life goes on.