Back on my former home patch in Swalwell

On Saturday, I was given a patch in Whickham North and Swalwell ward to deliver. It was the old terraces in Swalwell, my old home patch. Napier Road, in the middle of the patch, was where we bought our first home nearly 30 years ago. I was at university at the time and our house move took place only a couple of weeks before the start of the local elections that year that saw me elected for Whickham South. A large amount of the unpacking had to wait until after the elections! We lived there for over 15 years before moving to Sunniside.

Living in Swalwell meant that the whole of the old terraces became my delivery patch back then so returning to it yesterday to deliver 400 leaflets (in 90 minutes) brought back memories of campaigning there years ago. Whilst residents of the terraces come and go, households there have continued to receive Focuses for over 20 years. It's a good record and one that certainly cannot be matched by our opponents. Indeed, the most common point made by residents on doorsteps to us is that they know there is an election coming as, for the first time in ages, they have had a leaflet from Labour. "You only ever see Labour when they want our vote," people tell us. How true!