Grant Shapps in Rugby

On Thursday, Conservative Spokesman on Housing, Grant Shapps was in Rugby to look at the implications of the huge housing development that Rugby is expected to take over the next 20 years. This is an issue raised regularly on the doorstep throughout the campaign with the greater part allocated to the Mast site at Hillmorton. Grant was shown over the site from a vantage point on the Clifton to Lilbourne road. The big challenge here is to ensure that the appropriate infrastucture is put in place that will enable Rugby as a whole to benefit from these proposals.

Football Shirts for Rwanda

I held a further appeal in Rugby Town Centre on Tuesday for additional football shirts that I can send to the children of Rwanda. This was as part of the Conservative Party's National Social Action Project, and I feel it was a fitting addition to my appeal. We spoke to many people in Rugby about the project, and I would like to thank everyone who has been able to make a donation.

Candidate Debates

One of the things that has surprised me most about this election campaign is the amount of public participation in it. In this election I have so far taken part in two debates at local schools, two organised by local community groups and a further three organised by the business community-and there are still more happening! These events have been extremely positive for me, and I have enjoyed hearing the concerns of the people of rugby during this campaign. The Chair of New Bilton Community Association is doing her best to keep me to time!

Wearing out shoe leather

In an election campaign every candidate makes claims about the numbers of miles walked canvassing and delivering leaflets. I dropped two pairs of shoes in to Claire at JS Cobblers in Rugby town centre this week having been worn out already in just the first two weeks!

Shadow Justice Minister in Rugby.

Last week I was able to welcome our Shadow Justice Minister, Dominic Grieve to Rugby. We visited the Brownsover area and spoke to business owners where a scheme is in place aimed at tackling anti social behaviour and helping young people to put their lives back on track. This kind of community work is what the Big Society is all about, and I am glad to see Rugby taking the lead on this issue.

Delivery team in Wolvey

This is a fairly rare picture for this blog in that I'm not in it (apart from on the poster) ...........and for the good reason that I wan't there! Throughout the past few days we have had teams of volunteers out delivering election leaflets throughout the length and breath of the constituency from Bilton to Bulkington and from Wolston to Wolvey. I really appreciate the hard work that is being put in by so many people to make sure we get our message out, and playing their part to make sure that David Cameron is the next occupant of No 10.

Andrew Mitchell in Rugby

Our first Shadow Cabinet Minister to join us in Rugby was Andrew Mitchell who has responsibility for overseas development. I got to know Andrew during the two visits that I made to Rwanda when he led our party. It was logical to ask Andrew to help publicise a further appeal that I am making for additional football shirts to send over. A number of shirts have arrived over the past few weeks and we are looking for more to make up a batch for use by both children and organised teams. We will have a stall in Rugby town centre on Tuesday 20th April from 3pm to 4.30pm so that they may be donated after school so if anyone has a shirt they have grown out of or where the sponsor has changed & the shirt is no longer wearable here we know how to put it to good use. Our Association Chariman, Mike Stokes who is holding the Brazil shirt and I will be pleased to recieve them. We though it was a good move to give Andrew the bllue one!

Visiting Bulkington Residents

We had a great team out yesterday meeting people in Bulkington. I have blogged before about the special nature of Bulkington within the new Rugby Constituency and it was great to be there early in the campaign. Good reception on the doorsteps with a real mood for change within the country. Long day yesterday, since we started off by meeting commuters at the Railway station 7.00am but it's good to have got off to a start after waiting so long for the election to be called.

The campaign has started!

Today we launched our campaign with a rally beside the Webb Ellis statue followed by full canvassing sessions in two areas of the town. Lots more full days ahead!

The calm before the storm

The past couple of days have been an opportunity to catch up with a few jobs around the house and garden, and generally chill out since the next few weeks are likely to be fairly busy. Just about every commentator expects the election to be called tomorrow in which case I will start on a mapped out campaign of canvassing, delivering, meeting with voters and debates with other candidates which will run until election day on May 6th. So it's been good to take stock and do some of the things that there wont be time for over the coming weeks! I''ve just found some comfort trawling through the on lone editions of the newspapers in a new interactive site the Times has set up for the election showing here an encouraging prediction of the likely result in Rugby.