As I type out these words on my computer, our two year old granddaughter, Ffion is helping me. In the next room, our week old grandson, Darragh is crying insistently for his mother's milk. All around me is the hub-bub of family life. This year, there are ten of us celebrating our Christmas at Cil Farm. Inevitably, all this creates a context within which I view the New Year. If all of us are here to celebrate next Christmas, healthy and content, 2010 will have turned out to be a good year, no matter what else might happen.
A General Election, to be held either in late March or early May, will dominate my 2010. The result will be important for the UK, for Wales, and for Montgomeryshire. I hope that it brings the change that is needed. It will also be significant for Ffion, Darragh and the rest of us. If I were to be elected Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire, the honour would bring with it a huge responsibility - and demand for total commitment. It would be given. Montgomeryshire has always been my home, and it matters to me.
As a politician my aim has always been to reach out across party divisions. I find that so often, we agree with each other about what is right. My support for our soldiers in Afghanistan, my wish to help the elderly, those suffering from dementia, from renal failure, from Parkinson's Disease and Bowel Cancer is shared across all parties - as is my love of Rural Wales, the wildlife we share our world with, and the Welsh Language. Across all parties we want to ensure a fair deal for Montgomeryshire. Most of us want a world which is safer, fairer, greener and where every individual matters - even if we sometimes disagree on the best way to achieve these things. My 'political' loyalty would be to Montgomeryshire, and I promise that I would strive to could to carry out the role of MP for Montgomeryshire with pride, dignity and integrity. This blog wishes all those who visit a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
This post has been influenced, in part, by David Cameron's New Year Message.
5 comments:
I follow "View from Rural Wales" because I do share your interests, and like your attitude(s) and use of language.
At Christmas I was given (by request) George Orwell´s Essays (Penguin Classics), because I´d heard a discussion about it on BBC World Service . . especially the essay "Politics and the English Language". Sometime I´d like to read your own review of it, bearing in mind your imminent arrival in Westminster !
And so say all of us! Good luck with your campaign. Your slogan should be Montgomeryshire Deserves Better..... Because we do.
Peter - some ifs and buts here. I don't read anything like as much as I should, but I do try to take the advice of commenters.
Anon - It is our election slogan - 'Montgomeryshire Deserves Better'. Personally, I thought it was a bit too 'aggressive' - but I was overruled by my rapidly growing campaign team. They're wanting me to toughen up a bit. But it will only be a bit.
"This blog wishes all those who visit a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year."
Ditto in reverse - a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year for you, your family and all those that visit your site!
You might like my December photo and the Meteo Galicia link . . .
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgkrwz8s_157ptgfqjp
Peter_W
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