We arrived in time to squeeze in the back of a very packed auditorium to hear Nicola Sturgeon give an excellent speech that set out much of the party's plans and priorities for if and when we form the next administration. It was particularly heartening to listen to her underline the fact that the independence referendum is a line in the sand issue for us in any potential coalition deal should such be necessary.
Then after having joined my family for my uncle's 60th birthday bash in Troon on Saturday night it was back to the Science Centre on Sunday. After catching up with a number of old friends who are dotted across the country it was back into the packed auditorium (although this time I thankfully managed to grab a seat) to listen to Alex Salmond's keynote speech.
This was a performance par excellence from my party leader. From the moment he started with the words, "I'm Alex Salmond, and I'm running for First Minister", to the very last word it was an assured, measured, commanding and statesman like address. It is clear why he remains by far the most popular candidate to become First Minister of Scotland this May.
All in all, the conference left me, and seemingly all those who were there, in very buoyant mood indeed. This was just the inspiration needed to start off my Monday where I and a large number of SNP activists were waiting to meet Ian Hudghton MEP, the SNP President, at Croy Train Station, to set off and undertake more survey work in the Blackwood and Smithstone areas, delivering hundreds of them to local people to find out their views on the matters of the day. Ian then went off to pay a visit to Eastfield Primary School whilst the rest of us carried on a bit more survey work then resting up in preparation of tonight's Annual General Meeting of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth SNP.
Tonight's meeting saw everyone in great heart and a growing realisation that as every day passes the SNP campaign gathers momentum and more and more people are being convinced by our arguments.
4 comments:
Dear Jamie,
I am writing to you, in reply to the letter which I received recently from you. First of all, I should like to inform you that, as you have obviously failed to realise, I am unable to vote in the upcoming election for the Scottish Parliament. As a future voter and young person with keen interests in politics, I should like to highlight that this kind of mistake, or lack of intelligence, does not say very much for the organisational skills of a party which hopes to be a successful government in the Scottish Parliament. Secondly, I would like to point out that the people of Kilsyth and I regard local issues to be of high importance and therefore expect involvement from our candidates to be very much at a local level. Your letter has brought to my attention that yourself as a candidate and the SNP as a party do not regard this as highly as the community of Kilsyth do, as the "Residents' Survey" has not to be sent to a Kilsyth address or even Cumbernauld, but rather to an Edinburgh based office. I would also like to put forward to you, that, though I live, work, attend school and socialise in the area of Kilsyth and Cumbernauld, I have failed ever to meet, see or hear of you. After looking at your "Blog", I have realised why this is the case, you are in fact not local. You do not live locally, and so I fail to see how a candidate in this constituency can effectively "lead the way here in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth", if you do not contribute to local issues. Given the above, the answer to question three of your survey would be, therefore, that, once of voting age, I would have to consider voting against the SNP.
Yours Respectfully
Dawn
Dear Dawn,
Thanks for posting here. Incidentally this seems to be the same text as your e-mail to me, to which I have replied.
Sorry you are upset by me contacting you. Most people we have been in touch with have had the opposite reaction and been delighted to have me contact them. These people have been ignored by the Labour Party for so long they tend to be glad that someone involved in politics is contacting them to find out what they think about matters of local and national importance.
Sorry you don't feel the same.
Cheers,
Jamie
Is this for real!? I smell the hand of the Labour Party here...lol
Your campaign Mr Hepburn must be going very well if this is the best they can manage. It obviously must be Labour Party procedure to go through the electoral register line by line and check that everyone they contact will be 18 on or before polling day ;o)
Poor Cathie Craigie, sorry I meant 'Dawn', or did I mean Cathie? hehehe
Priceless, but I think you have been very generous in replying to this - I wouldn't have!
Suspicion and paranoia is a dangerous thing but Billy, I join you in wondering who is behind this letter.
It may well be genuine but it smacks of classic Labour election tactics.
Good luck Jamie. Remember Kelso High is backing you even if Dawn isn't.
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