A successful Saturday in Maryport East

THERE was still a spring in our step when Steve Harris, the BNP's Maryport election agent, and I had finished a two hour leafleting session covering The Beeches and surrounding estates at the north end of the Maryport East ward.

"Well I've never received a response like that before on The Beeches," Steve tells me, still apparently shaking his head in disbelief.

And he was right. I leafleted the area three times in 2007 and although people were always polite - this is very much the well-to-do part of Maryport - there was little or no hint of support.

Yesterday was different. Steve must have spoken to nearly two dozen people of all ages out in their gardens and more than half gave a definite 'yes' to voting BNP. Even the others said they were considering it. It was such an unexpected response that Steve was still talking about it half an hour later in our favourite 'watering hole' up on the Ellenborough hill.

That leafleting session has to colour my prediction of Thursday's County Council result for Maryport East. I had pencilled Tina in for a 20% vote share, but now I think this might be a little higher.

There was also this in Friday's local newspaper, The Times & Star:

Maryport East Labour councillor Keith Little said public reaction to the political system was the worst in the 16 years that he had canvassed for the party.
He said: “What’s happening nationally is having an adverse effect.
“I hope people don’t go out and spoil ballot papers. These are very important elections, both for the county council and Europe, and I hope people treat them as such.”

Now Keith is a popular councillor, probably the most respected in Maryport according to Steve Harris, and if voters are 'luke warm' about supporting him then things are very bad for Labour in the town.

So my prediction is:

Cumbria County Council
Maryport East
Thursday 4th June 2009
Keith Little (Labour) 55%
Tina Wingfield (British National Party) 28%
John Stanyer (Conservative) 17%

This would be another very good result for the British National Party because it will presumably ensure a strong showing here in the European Election as well.

Notice how The Observer surprisingly leaves me out of its "BNP's ugly leadership" report.

You would have thought they would have jumped at the opportunity of smearing me over my time in prison. Maybe the newspaper is worried that its readers may feel some regard for someone who feels so strongly over a political issue that they are prepared to be incarcerated for three months to make a stand on it. After all, buried away in every Guardianista there is a little bit of an establishment rebel.

Back to the pavements today even though it's a Sunday. The last 'day of rest' before polling day is always the exception to my 'No campaigning on Sunday' rule.

This morning I'm in Maryport West with our candidate Carl Edgar, while Steve Harris is continuing our campaign with others in Maryport East.

This afternoon, I'm mowing the lawn if my back is up to it and then downing a few Bucks Fizzes while sitting in the garden to celebrate another opinion poll putting us on 5%. This one is of special interest as it's the ICM poll which seven days earlier had us on just 1%. A 4% improvement on the week might mean the BNP is coming good just at the right time.