Congratulations Seema Malhotra

I think that I managed to say what was required on the platform when the result was declared but I do congratulate her again and wish the very best for 2012 and up to the next General Election.  From the perspective of my party, I do not believe that there was anything else that we could have done in order to get closer.  The turnout, as commented on by others elsewhere, was the most disappointing thing.  It hurt all parties!

I am going to have a little rest and then make progress with the casework picked up during the campaign!

Vote Conservative Today

Less than 7 hours to go.  It has been a very different campaign to others I have fought but I have enjoyed it and all those who have contributed to the campaign have been brilliant.

I wish the other candidates well but hope that a majority will vote for me the Conservative, and local, candidate.

One week to go

One week to go and all to play for.

What happened yesterday

Started the day outside handing out literature outside Feltham Train Station.  UKIP arrived around the same time and the Lib Dems quite a while afterwards.  I shook hands with both the UKIP and Lib-Dem candidates having not met them before.

I then met Hugh Robertson MP, Minister for Sport, and we went along to Feltham Community College and saw some of the brilliant approach to sport at the school.  We met Hounslow Kickz who have previously been to the West Area Committee.  Both Mr Robertson and I were then interviewed by BBC southeast BBC London News.  I understand that this was shown on tv today but I have not yet seen it.

I then did some campaigning in Hounslow West, Bedfont and Hanworth.

What happened today

Damian Green MP, Minister at the Home Office, visited Feltham this morning.  A number of residents raised Labour’s failure to control immigration when it was in power.

I could not believe it when I saw Clive Everton who is a respected Snooker commentator.  He seemed impressed when I recognised him.

Whilst this was a great visit, the highlight of the day had to be the visit from the Prime Minister.  He and I went to DHL and he took a wide range of questions from their employees.  I genuinely thought that it was the Prime Minister at his very best.  Here is a write up from the Chronicle.

This afternoon we visited Heston businesses.  A number of MPs visited.

Back out this evening.  A great campaign and one we are winning.

6 December 2011

Yesterday was certainly the most busy day of the campaign thus far for me:

• Interviewed by one newspaper
• Interviewed by one radio programme
• Interviewed by a Somalian TV Station
• Canvassing throughout the day

Picked up the following on a brief walk to meet someone earlier:

1) Graffiti outside 16 Harlington Road East

2) Very offensive graffiti on disused notice board against wall opposite number 9 Becketts Close
No picture included because of the nature of the graffiti

3) Graffiti near 36  Harlington Road West

4) Cabinet that needs to be secured – opposite 20 Harlington Road West

Will report later this morning.

5 December 2011

An important contribution today was in getting my haircut at my barber’s in Bedfont earlier in the morning.  Badly needed.

Hit the streets in Feltham and did some canvassing in the afternoon, during part of which I was joined by a national journalist.  I enjoyed the canvassing and I enjoyed the interview.

Evening spent in Cranford!

The Campaign thus far

I realise that I have not updated my blog with campaign news to the same extent as I did at the previous General Election.  I also realise that I am not a Twitter user either!

By Elections are incredibly different to General Election campaigns.  The obvious difference is that there is a lot more focus on a seat at a by-election than there would be with 650 or so other constituencies having elections at the same time.  I will possibly have done half a dozen tv interviews by polling day.  This is a by-election of a very short duration and that is different to what I have experienced previously also.

I can honestly say that I am enjoying it, even though I can not shift my cough.  I am really grateful to all of those people who are helping with the campaign.  It is a by-election that no person wanted with it being caused by such sad circumstances but like the other candidates I am fighting to win.

My superb Party Chairman, Baroness Warsi, has been a number of times already.  She is excellent with people and very sound on the issues.

All candidates will be saying how they are getting a great response from the people etc but what is clear to me is that the vast majority of opinion is on the side of eliminating the deficit and balancing the books.  We need a future in this country with no deficit and much less debt!

Back again!

Here is the beginning of dealing with what was deemed most important by the vast majority of residents in Feltham and Heston at the recent General Election.  The legacy inherited from Labour on immigration and race relations is bad as the one inherited on the economy.  This is an area that the coalition government really needs to get right.

Sorry again for letting the blog lapse.  Here is the Borough Council Agenda for tomorrow.  I will post something after the meeting has finished.

Congratulations Alan Keen

Knowing how flat out I, and others on my campaign team, have worked not only during this campaign but over a much longer period, this is clearly an impressive result for Labour.  Naturally I feel very disappointed.  There were things that I did not expect such as the following:

1. For the Labour vote to hold up in Bedfont, Feltham and Hanworth to hold up the way it did;
2. For the gap between Labour and Conservatives to be as large as it was in Hounslow West & Cranford and, to a lesser extent, Heston

We secured the most votes in Bedfont, Feltham North, Feltham West, Hanworth Park and Hanworth.  However, Labour won by a much greater margin in Heston West, Heston Central, Heston East, Hounslow West and Cranford.

Labour invested heavily in this constituency and I saw over 20 different items of literature from them during the campaign.  They took the threat of the Conservatives seriously.

I respect and accept the decision of residents in this constituency and congratulate Mr Keen.  I do not think I have ever been so tired when giving a speech before but glad I got through it at around 05:30am.  My team could not have done anything more to win this and I will always be grateful to them for their passion and loyalty.

Off to another count at mid-day.  I hope I will continue as a Councillor for Feltham North.

Vote Conservative Today

You have all received the leaflets.  Some of you will have met me on the doorstep and others will have seen me on the various stalls.

If elected, I will be the hardest working, and most local, MP that this constituency has ever had.

Vote Conservative!

Boris back in Feltham and Hounslow West

It was great to have Boris back this morning and to meet so many people.  As is typical, 90% of the people wanted to say hello to him, even if they were not Conservative supporters.  But the response received was brilliant.

Here we are looking at the Freddie Mercury memorial, which was covered the previous time he visited Feltham:

There were so many people wanting to take pictures.

Back to the campaign!