Three weeks today . . .

IT'S the official launch of the British National Party's European campaign in the North West today, so a hold has had to be put on our campaigning in Allerdale as we shall be hot-footing it down the M6 to attend.

It was a very competent BNP TV broadcast last night which will certainly resonate with the public, and hopefully sign up a significant number of new members.

A fair report on Radio 4's Today programme this morning at 7.13pm on the BNP's chances in the North West and focussing on Hazel Blears's Salford constituency. There was a very professional performance from Eddie O'Sullivan, our Salford organiser, who got all his points across very well indeed. You can listen again to the report here.

Locally yesterday we delivered copies of Freedom to postal voters in Broughton Moor in our Maryport West electoral division and then in the afternoon to postal voters in High Harrington and Harrington in Workington.

The weather has been brilliant here in Cumbria over the past two days so many people have been out in their gardens when we have called to deliver the newspaper. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and in over a week of campaigning, I have had just three negative reactions.

One lady almost had a fit and went into shock when I handed Freedom to her, but two other gentlemen just refused to take, and I did sense a resignation in their attitude, it was almost as if they expected that the only campaigners out and about would have to be the BNP.

On that theme of an attitude of resignation, do I sense this too in the Mirror's daily anti-BNP rant this morning. What do you think?

The info for all seven election addresses is now with our graphic designer and these will hopefully be with the printer by the end of the week. We are nearly ready to start delivering them and with around 3,500 homes in each electoral division that's 24,500 letterboxes to hit before June 4th.

If there are any readers of this blog in Workington, Maryport or Wigton who would like to help us in this work, then please call Paul Stafford on 0783-700-1465.

Lovely story from further afield to finish off with today.

My colleague John Ryde wrote to me . . .

"I see from your blog, Martin, that you faced the trials and tribulations of getting nominations.
 "Not that we in Leicester would wish to rub it in, but one evening, door to door and including a 20-25 mile round trip, I completed a full nomination paper in one and a half hours. Gloat, gloat.
 "But the real story was that I visited a new member for the first time to get his signature . His name is George and he joined us at the ripe old age of 90. (Life membership for over 75's?)
He then proudly showed me his medals and told me a little of his very eventful life in the Navy during the war (Dunkirk, Arctic Convoy, Tirpitz, D day etc). Hopefully after the election with his consent I will do a feature for Freedom.
 It brightened up my day, hardened my resolve, and yes I did shed a little tear and gave thanks that people like George at his age were now prepared to join our ranks."

George and his medals.