I have been told that the Unions are “robo-calling” people in a number of constituencies. This is an automated telephone call from a computer and is illegal without the caller giving their prior consent.
 
If you wish to complain about this, the following link may be useful:

http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/privacy_and_electronic_communications.aspx

When the Conservative Party seeks the views of local people in and around Eltham, we try to call at your home, write to you, or send you a survey.  If you receive a telephone call from us it will always be a 'live' human being with whom you can have a proper conversation!

Gordon Brown today identified some of the problems with the Broken Society.  He rightly said that too many children are having children; and that anti-social behaviour is making life difficult for many communities.  Big deal.  It's a bit like putting a plaster over a gaping hole on the bottom of a bucket of water.  What's he been doing since 1997?  Why has society broken down so badly?  Why are so many young people out of work, without hope, reliant on benefits?  How dare he say he'll put post offices at the heart of our communities when thousands have been closed by his own hand?  And what comfort was there for the millions struggling with redundancy, pay freezes, negative equity or financial ruin?  He didn't even address the central issue - that the country can't keep spending as it has under his stewardship.  Yet there he was, spending money he - and we - doesn't have.

If Gordon Brown had even taken 1% of the blame for the state this country is in - socially or economically - I'd have given him some credit.  But a lack of humility and the reliance on throwing insults at his opponents does not become a man in the highest elected office.  Then again, nobody elected him, did they?

It has been another busy week in Eltham and I am spending today (apart from the 5 minutes it'll take for me to write this short blog entry) working from home. Last night we were out in Shooters Hill calling on residents, many of whom were very concerned about a spate of burglaries.  Many said they can't remember the last time they saw police on patrol.  My team and I enjoyed a very decent curry at Cafe Eltham last night - a fitting end to a long day.

Earlier in the week I visited two schools (see previous blog) and signed hundreds of letters to people who'd been in touch about immigration - so I was pleased to see David Cameron repeating his pledge to cut immigration in today's Daily Mail. Today we're waiting to see how the people of Norwich have voted - a defeat for Labour in such a 'safe' constituency would be terrible news for the government.

I am dismayed, angry, furious, but not surprised that the BNP have captured their first European Parliamentary seats.  The tactics of the Labour government have driven people to such despair that they have felt the need to reach for extreme options on their ballot papers.  It now looks obvious that many of those people are former Labour voters.  Indeed, I have met many such people in recent months when calling at homes across the Eltham constituency.   I have spent hours trying to persuade people of the real agenda of the BNP.  Some may have heeded my warning, others not.  But in contrast to the behaviour of the exhausted and now desperate dregs of New Labour, my conscience is clear.  Now we shall have to watch as fascist MEPs represent English regions for the first time.

The behaviour of Labour MPs this week has further illustrated why they are unfit for public office.  Running around like headless chickens, desperate to save their own skins as they see the tide of defeat washing over them they put themselves first, then their party, and their country a poor third.  The manner of the resignations of Caroline Flint and James Purnell and Hazel Blears actually make me feel a little sorry for Gordon Brown.  Utterly nasty and vile people.  A period in opposition may actually give them the time they need to reconnect with the real world.

...and although the doorstep questions continued to be dominated by MPs' expenses, most people were pleased to hear what the Conservatives plan to do to mend Britain's broken society and broken economy, as well as repairing our broken political system at Westminster.

A selection of comments from people I spoke to between 10am and 4.40pm today:

• They're all the same, I won't vote for anyone
• Clive Efford's useless, I've emailed him six times and spoken to someone in his office but he hasn't helped me.  I won't be voting Labour again.
• I like David Cameron but how do I know you'll do what you say?  I'll read what you've said here and make my mind up.
• The sooner the better.  I'll be voting for you, don't worry about that!
• I'm a postman and our chief executive had a 700K bonus while telling us he needs to make savings.  No wonder MPs are taking everything they can get if they can get away with it!
• My main worry is crime.  Next door was broken into a few weeks ago, but the police haven't got the resources to tackle burglary.
• the football's on, you couldn't have called at a worse time, but I'll take a leaflet...

I was joined by the Shadow Minister for Communities, Stewart Jackson MP this Saturday as I visited hundreds of homes in Coldharbour & New Eltham with local councillors.  It was interesting to see that despite not meeting anyone owning up to being paid over £100,000 just about everyone agreed the Budget delivered by Mr Darling was a wasted opportunity and a return to the bad old days of Labour mismanagement.

I am pleased to announce that local residents have another opportunity to meet me and their local ward councillors on Thursday 7 May from 6.30-8.30pm at our special Neighbourhood Evening.  It will be held at St Albans Church, William Barefoot Drive and the local police will attend, so it's a chance to feed back to them also.

No need to book in advance, just turn up and have a cup of tea.  We'd love to see you.