Richard Baum

Friday night in Rochdale with Ming was fun. Bury Lib Dems took a couple of tables-worth of people to the dinner, at which Ming’s speech was the undoubted high-point. I do think the decision to accompany our main course with a Frank Sinatra impersonator singing at the volume of a jet engine was unwise, but other than that it was an enjoyable evening.

Ming spoke with passion and conviction about Lib Dem strengths in local government - how in places like Rochdale we’ve come from nowhere to lead the Council and return an MP in the past few years. The same was true in Ming’s own constituency years ago, and it shows that the old maxim is true - where we work, we win! And it holds true in Bury as well. A few years ago we were the Holyrood party, but now we’ve worked with Focuses and community issues in Sedgley, and then St Mary’s, and now we’ve got 8 of 9 Prestwich Councillors, with more gains to come I’m sure.

As ever I purchased loads of raffle tickets on Friday noght, and was rewarded with absolutely no prizes. I think I am cursed never to win anything at raffles. In the past people have said that it’s a good thing because it might turn me off gambling, but to be honest it just makes me want to forget small-fry charity draws and bet my savings on a horse race instead.

The rest of the weekend was spent leafleting (Saturday afternoon), watching the rugby (Saturday night - not normally my bag but I was strangely entranced by it, I must say…), and wandering through parks / having a pub lunch (Sunday).

And here we are back at work…

Rick