Whole day of interviewing for new Chair of the London Transport Users Committee. One more day of it go on Wednesday – when we have to make our decision. Watch this space…

Rush home from day’s interviewing to pick up car to go to a weekend Liberal Democrat election summit. Fantastic location for me – I dislike driving myself, but because it was virtually on the A1 and the A1 is near me – I did it easily. I am a slow driver – but even at my pathetic top speed I arrived there in an hour.

Fantastic venue – really well set up for training needs and the staff were kind and helpful too. The weekend is packed with sessions. I don’t think I would be talking out of school if I said that I had spent the weekend in nervous state having been asked to give one of the two after-dinner speeches on the Saturday night.

The letter I had received from our Campaigns Department simply stated that the speech should be 10-15 minutes and ‘light-hearted’. I can do speeches on my portfolio subjects without a blink – but the idea of having to be funny or entertaining to my peers scared me to death. Thankfully – went down well.

Returned home on Sunday, full of beans and raring to go. Hartlepool is looking good (good to our candidate Jody is blogging too!) and there is a really buzz about our prospects at the general election when it is called.