Some Observations

Well, I have to say the colourful lions prowling around the town centre have taken my fancy. The kids love playing with them, visitors enjoy being photographed with them, and teenage lads and drunks love dry humping them.

An article about no hope for our market, written by Liberal Democrat Jill Hope in last Thursday's Chronicle & Echo, contained many propaganda untruths, particularly as to the state of Northampton Market some 30 - 40 years ago.

I still get the Lib-Dems coming to my stall, long after the election's over. Perhaps they can't get over the fact that they didn't win in the North and only came third despite heroic efforts that were comical at times.

It's been another hectic week on the campaign trail. Running the show from my campaign headquarters on the market is an interesting and rewarding experience, but it's certainly hard work.

After being briefed and picking up my election literature at Wednesday's candidates' meeting, I really feel I've started getting into my stride on this General Election.

Mr Eamonn ' Fitzy' Fitzpatrick has announced that he will be standing in the Northampton North Constituency in the forthcoming General Election.

I'm really looking forward to 2010 with a General Election looming. The seat in Northampton North is up for grabs, without any outstanding politicians from the big parties to challenge for it, so it looks particularly tempting.

Expectations had been high for Northampton's first-ever German Christmas Market. Some traders and no doubt all of the Lib-Dem council hoped that it would draw crowds of shoppers into the town centre. It didn't work out like that at all.

I started selling fruit & vegetables on Northampton Market about 1964. In those days the seasons were a very important aspect of the trade, and people were quite used to bottling and preserving stuff when it was cheap and plentiful, and taking it down from their shelves when it was scarce on the open market.

A few weeks back I promised to let everyone know how we were getting on in our new top corner position outside the Grosvenor Centre. Let me tell you straight away it has not been easy.

I recently watched President Barack Obama on TV. He was defending his policies on Iran and Afghanistan since becoming President. He must hold his nerve in Afghanistan and talk to the Taliban. I am hoping he will continue to be an intelligent, reasonable, and compromising person in an uncompromising world.

Well, I'm on the move again, courtesy of Northampton Borough Council. After assuring me before the market was moved in March that I would have nothing in front of my stalls, they put a row of stalls in front on Fridays and Saturdays, and soon they will be moving the market cafe up here as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogaLWgE4kUI&feature=related

When I started this Blog over two years ago I had no idea it would become so popular.

Respect is an important word to me. Respect is something politicians don't get much of these days, and it's hardly surprising, considering what they've been up to in recent years.

Have you ever noticed that when an election comes up, national or local, the BBC tend to give coverage to the main three parties, and Independents and small parties hardly ever get a look in?