Norwich South

Wednesday, drove to Norwich South with my old canvassing partner Michael Garrard, and did an afternoon and an evening's canvassing for our excellent candidate Simon Wright. He's a local man and will be a full-time MP if he gets in, unlike Charles Clarke the present incumbent who took on a consultancy job after Gordon Brown sacked him as Home Secretary. He has made a number of speeches attacking Brown and obviously recognises that he hasn't much of a future in Labour politics. Simon is young and energetic, and has already been successful in fighting for local rights. He goes down well on the doorstep and will certainly gain the seat if we can limit the Green vote. The Greens are making a big pitch for Norwich South, not recognising apparently that if they do well they could hand the seat back to Labour, reducing the support for green policies and electoral reform that only the Liberal Democrats can provide.

After canvassing we were kindly given an evening meal at the house of my distant cousins Nigel and Judith Lubbock. She is an effective LibDem councillor, and is working hard in our campaign. Then we stayed the night with hospitable and charming local activists.

Yesterday morning we were out canvassing again, and then joined a walkabout with Shirley Williams in the market square, before returning to London in time for the party leaders' final TV debate at 20.30