Getting nomination papers signed recalls a gentler age

nasty stain on your jacket...

I see that Francis Maude has called on the Liberal Democrats to prove their anti-racist credentials by sacking a local councillor in Darlington who nominated a BNP member as a candidate for the May elections.

In fact the Lib-Dems suspended Steve Jones according to The Times and the BBC. Leaving aside the poor sap's breathtaking lack of judgement, I am amazed the BNP needed to ask him. This year I completed three sets of nomination papers for the Conservative Party in different wards. I must say that I am amazed how easy it is to get them completed; strangers who had never met me before literally signed nomination papers without reading them or even really listening to my explanation of what they were or why I was asking them to sign them. I could be asking them to sign over the deeds of their property or anything else come to that!

A number of people, especially elderly, invited me into their houses which while I found touching and was grateful for their hospitality, I found very worrying. Sadly there are just too many conmen and the like around for the infirm to be so welcoming.

On a positive note, thank-you to everyone who signed nomination papers- you are doing your bit for democracy!