Local and National politics, my previous involvement and aspirations

A few years ago when I was aged about 16 I suddenly got an urge to become inolved in politics and the following blog is really all about telling you of the experiences this gave me and the enthusiasm some may say misplaced I had at the time, as a young and somewhat naive kid, if this post proves popular, I may do another on this subject, so let me know what you think.

When I was 16 and first became interested in politics I felt naturally drawn towards the conservative party (most likely due to dis-enchantment with the labour party of the day and less due to political orientation) and so enquired if I could help with my local conservative party in Rayleigh, Essex where I lived at the time. A charming older gentleman patrician type fellow named Hilton Brown who was the chair of the local conservative party replied to me and said that I could help in a number of ways from just going to local association meetings and providing my input to, campaigning locally when necessary and becoming involved in the founding of the local branch of the Young Conservatives association.

This sounded great to me and I became involved initially by meeting Hilton Brown and attending a few meetings, after a while the Rayleigh conservatives decided to really push ahead with starting a branch of the young conservatives as other areas had, had sucess by involving local children and teens in the party, and as it stood in Rayleigh at that time there were young people involved in the conservative party but not many. So it was decided that a trip to the houses of parliament was in order which would be an excellent local news story and a great way to found the Rayleigh Young Conservatives so often London we went myslef James (who later was elected a Local Councillor in the area), Hilton and a few other people, it was a great trip.

When we arrived at Westminster tube station we went directly to Portcullis house which is situated next to the palace of westminster itself, and house the offices of many MP's especially those who are lower down the ministerial chain and holds a number of meeting rooms etc... after sitting down for the founding meeting of the Rayleigh young conservatives James was elected the chairman, and I the secretary, it was a fun little meeting all around really. Shortly afterwards we were told that a very important conservative mp was going to drop in but that we were not to get to excited as it wasnt David Cameron. It was George Osborne. So in he came and shook our hands deftly deflecting conversation and any smile until the photograph was taken when he put his arms around the group of yolungsters and smiled for his photo opportunity, he then promptly left. It was a this point I decided that George Osborne was a Total Wan*er an opinion which was further bolstered in my mind by the subsequent scandal involving Peter Mandelson in the coming years hmmphh hmmph to**er, anyway afterwards we went across to the main parliament building and after a very short tour we went for a drink on the terrace bar, a good day all around in general.

Shortly afterwards I was asked to go and doorstep campaign with other conservative volunteers in the local council elections in the Hullbridge area which I gladly agreed to and I had a nice surprise as I met our Local MP Marc Francois who had come along to help. When he was asked who he wanted to go and canvas with he chose me, rather flatteringly and was kind enough to drive me ound in his Jag and campaign with me teach me the ropes as it were which was great fun.

We had this little system worked out where he would wait behind a bush or up the road and I would knock on a door and ask "Sorry to bother you but would you consider voting conservative at the forthcoming local elections?" and if the house holder said no or cited local issues there MP would step out from behind the fence and declare "Im your Member of Parliament, nice to meet you" and as Marc Francois is a very charismatic person he could usually charm the knickers off the star struck doorstep punters and soon enough I would hear (most of the time) well no problem the Mr Francois we''ll vote conservative, (whether they ment it or not we found out on election night). It was quite funny at the time. During this time Marc sort of took a shine to me (this sounds awful for me to say about myself because maybe he didnt) but I think he did, and I went with him to his house in Rayleigh and remarked how beautiful his hand carved chess board was lol, and when we visited his house I was surprised at the kind way in which he interacted with his neighbours I suppose it must be similar for most MP's but he would always go over and say hello if they waved and they seemed to really like him which no doubt helped him when it came time to become re-elected.

One day we were out canvassing and he pulled over to the side of the road and took a phone call, and said to me "Were going to meet someone very very important later, the National Chairman of the Conservative Party, so be on your best behaviour lad" I was very excited by this and a few hours later a guy pulled over in a very expensive car got out and Marc introduced me, they then walked towards his car for a private chat, and shortly afterwards the guy drove off (I forget his name). This seemed unusual to me as it looked more like a drug deal than the National Chair meeting a local mid level mp, but it was above board just a strange experience.

Marc would always buy a big round of drinks for the twenty or so volunteers after a days canvassing which was always appreciated, but with the current expenses scandal I wonder if he really did buy those drinks al that time ago (only joking). Marc Francois was and is an excellent devoted local and national politician I say this not only because he was nice to me but because he spent so much more time canvassing and helping locally than the vast majority of other mp's would, yes they all helped when it came time for local elections, but not usually to the extent that Marc would, he was an excellent MP for my money, or maybe I was swallowed by the charisma but I think not lol.

Finally the fated night arrived and I was lucky enough to get a letter inviting me access to the vote in the Rayleigh Civic Community Centre, so off I went. I loved the experience, the counts the re-counts and it was an interesting experience. I met James from the Boy band Busted and talked with him for 45 minutes or so and had a good laugh with him which was nice to meet someone relatively famous (at least amongst screaming 12 year old girls anyways). The candidate I had been campaigning for lost unfortunatly to a seemingly Mental independant whos political oreintation was to the far right of ghengis khan lol and I was surprised that the peope voted for him to that extent in an essex council seat where the public opinion was just centre right, but there you go they did. James who I mentioned ealrier in this post was elected a loacl councillor that night and it was an very proud night for him as a young man, and a step on his political career ladder. I never rated him very highly as he was a pompous twit put personally he was a very nice guy a bit like Harry Enfields Tim Nice But Dim, only not so Dim as one may think.

During this time in my life I met other MP's and important people such as the MP David Amess and generally enjoyed this taste of local politics, but I was never called upon to fulfill any secreterial duties as the named secretary for the local Young Conservatives and slowly drifted away from both local pollitics and the conservative party, of which I am no longer a member.

I have no particular political orientation, I tend to swing between the Lib Dems (maybe I feel sorry for them) and The Torys (A ridiculous contradiction really) but most of the time I just think the Torys to bloody silly, but there you go.

As a younger man I was a bit bombastic about politics and have quitened down, my grandparents started calling me Boris, because as they phrase it (Im chubby, shockingly blonde, amusing and never shut up), but this nickname is slowly slipping off lol.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post about this part of my life and one of my coming posts will be a copy of a political speech I wrote in my teen years which I decided I would recite when campaigning to become Prime Minister in the future (now I know I never will become involved in politics and even if I did it wouldnt happen lol), its acutally really rather good (even If I do say so myself) and maybe you will have a chuckle at its naeivity anyway, until next time - Mac.