Archives for March 2010

Having been Conservative MP for Wells for 27 years, David Heathcoat-Amory might have expected to comfortably hold his seat at the coming election.

But that was before the expenses controversy.

He's faced one of Parliament's biggest bills, paying back nearly £30,000.

For the record, he broke no rules; in fact he's been one of our cheaper MPs.

As he owned houses in Somerset and London he claimed no rent or mortgage.

Instead he was allowed to claim for gardening and maintenance for his constituency home - including the now legendary manure.

Unfortunately for him the rules were changed - and applied retrospectively.

But these subtleties may be lost on constituents.

The strength of feeling I found talking to people in Wells took me by surprise.

Election night will be interesting.

An insight into the well-spun world of modern politics.

I wasn't too excited by the budget, but pricked up my ears on hearing that duty on cider was rising.

It was bound to stir up MPs who represent Somerset with its many cider orchards.

I didn't have long to wait: the first press release pinged into my inbox at 2.41pm.

David Heath of Somerton and Frome had apparently told the Commons of his indignation at this "vicious attack".

Except he hadn't.

His office had jumped the gun.

The time it took until fantasy turned into reality: three hours.

A bit of a muddle.

Maybe it was something he had at lunch...

They're a feisty bunch, UKIP.

Buoyed by their success in 2009's European election, the UK Independence Party are gunning for seats in Westminster's parliament - and for media that don't pay them enough attention.

One press officer was displeased that they weren't mentioned in my piece about the Greens and Weston-super-Mare.

But frowns turned to smiles when we arrived days later at their rally in the seaside town.

Supporters loved the speeches by newspaper columnist Christopher Booker and MEP Nigel Farage.

Oh and the pop at the BBC.

But the most memorable part of our coverage wasn't what went on in Weston.

It was the extraordinary footage we (and others) have shown repeatedly of South West MEP William Dartmouth losing his rag in the European Parliament.

Feisty indeed.

Politicians get a little sensitive around election time.

A slight story about a Green candidate pulling out of the contest to be Weston-super-Mare's next MP escalated quickly.

Dr Richard Lawson said voters should instead back the Lib Dems as the only realistic option to unseat the area's Tory MP John Penrose.

I asked for an interview.

Under much pressure from angry party colleagues, he first said no. Then he changed tack, and talked eloquently to camera on a Mendip hillside.

Hours later came the call every reporter dreads: sorry but please don't use the interview.

Neither he nor senior party figures I rang could be talked round - so the piece ran with his words from his website instead of his voice.

And as if on cue, the Greens in Cheltenham also told people to vote tactically for the Lib Dems.

I could sense the frustration as I broke the news to the party's regional press officer.