Whilst the three leaders were taking part in their third and final debate I took time out to attend our local hustings meeting which had been organised by the Shropshire Action Group on behalf of PCS. Prospective candidates for both Telford and The Wrekin were invited to attend. Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP candidates were all presant at the meeting.
The focus of the hustings was Public Services and several questions had been collated in advance of the meeting, although these had not been seen by the candidates beforehand. The questions included the PCS public service pledges as well as issues and plans that are affecting public services locally. After these questions, there was time for questions from the audience.
Each candidate had a chance to give their view on the question and the debate was quite lively at times with one or two of the candidates tending to interrupt when others were speaking. On occasions some of the candidates got a bit sidetracked or misunderstood the question and went off at a tangent so the independent chairman had his work cut out.
All in all the meeting was very interesting and worthwhile, although I will keep my opinions about the various candidates to myself.
Ah, the Wrekin. As children in the 1950’s we were taken for picnics there. I never got to climb it though. There used to be a saying that when someone went to his destination by a round-about route, that he was “Going round the Wrekin”. It was similar to today’s “Going round the ‘ouses” !
I wonder if it’s still used?
The saying “going around the Wrekin” is still used by people who have lived locally for a long time.
It is worth the climb just to get the view off the top. The header picture for my blog is currently a picture of the Wrekin.
Nah, come out and tell your thoughts.
You already know some of them
I could of course continue with more…
I’m going to a hustings in Cambridge this evening. I’m hoping to see Old Holborn, but he hasn’t been invited as one of the panelists, although he is one of the candidates standing as Independent.
It seems a little strange that he wouldn’t be invited. We invited everyone apart from the BNP whose ethos is anti Trade Union.