On the campaign trail

First day of the blog. I'm not expecting anyone to read this, but at least I can chart the mini adventures over the next few weeks until the London mayoral elections and then on into the Boris-sphere!
In case you're wondering what I'm alluding to, London votes for a new mayor on the 1st of May. Incumbent Ken Livingstone is fighting for a third term, but I'm a firm Boris supporter. The reasons will hopefully become clear over the next few weeks.
As soon as I heard that Boris would be fighting Ken I was incredibly relieved to know that at last there was a challenger, someone not only with the intelligence and political astuteness to do the job, but also the personality to get the vote. It's all very well to moan about the state London is in, but I believe that it's up to each of us to make London better. That's why I'm out on the streets 2 days a week handing out Boris leaflets and urging fellow Londoners to kick Ken out! If you want a better London then Boris is our man.
I've leafleted in quite a few places over the last few weeks and yesterday I posted myself at Oxford Circus station exit during the morning rush hour. I wasn't sure quite what to expect there, but there was certainly a good deal of interest from people emerging bleary eyed and sweaty from the tube. The leaflets I'm handing out are entitled "London transport's a mess", I can't think of any sentiment that better chimes with the sentiment of a commuter at that time in the morning.
It's a great way to come face to face with the electorate and I'm pleased to say that Boris has supporters from all segments of London. My policy is to politely urge people to 'vote Boris' as I thrust a leaflet in their general direction. Apart from the people who actually take the leaflets themselves, I like to think I am planting a few seeds for later discussion or perhaps a train of thought that will connect with the constant stream of press and TV articles on the mayoral candidates.
In the first few weeks I had a few 'grinners' - what a terrific reaction. I know that a few people think Boris 'can't be serious' (even though this week the papers are full of articles and interview with him when he is being very serious), but at least having a name that makes you smile is better than a name that makes people grimace, (like Ken) or a name that causes no reaction. We've 36 days to turn those grins into votes! I'll be back there next week and try a different entrance.
This morning I went to Clapham Junction which is not designed for one man to leaflet alone. The friendly free newspaper 'givers' have a four man team to cover the entrance. Two competing bus stops either side of the entrance divulge stop-start waves of commuters and I rushed between them thrusting away! Quite good exercise really.
A very mixed reaction, some people told me they were already a supporter, some took whole piles of leaflets off me for their office, sometimes i was inundated by hands agrasping! I tried to spot a tendency according to where the bus came from, but there was barely time to analyse as the commuters kept coming.
An hour in and I was hoarse enough to head on into work.
Great, that's my first blog. Haven't a clue how this works, but I think I will try and get in touch with other Boris supporters.
BTW: www.backboris.com and www.boriswatch.com
Cheers,
Tim for change