Don’t we all just love it? Can’t wait for it to happen? But then it’s such a relief when it’s all over! It’s often said “thank God that’s over!”, when we are supposed to be thanking God that it ever happened at all! Something to think about?
Anyway, the loonies have had a very busy and amusing year. For myself it started in January in Portugal, on the Algarve, where we have somewhat of ‘A Loony Enclave’. The Portuguese are very much in tune with us, but then again I expect many countries around the world have their own way of being Loony, but none so Official as us!
On my return I threw myself into the bath again, the city of Bath that is, for the annual four day bash which includes the ‘Bath Ball’, and from where we will have at least three people standing in the next General Election, if not more! So February got off to a good start, and finished in Eastleigh, Hampshire, fighting the seat that Chris Huhne has vacated now for some “time”.
As soon as Eastleigh was over we converged on South Shields, to fight the seat vacated by David Milliband who has left for a nice little job in America. A special thanks to all of you who stood in the local elections at this time as well, and well done.
It is with some regret that I have to declare losing a member during the year; Johnny ‘Kernel Cocoa Bean’ Cartwright, our minister for Chocolate. He has been known as a bit of a “Drifter” for some time, and has now taken some “Time –Out” to join the Conservative Party, but then we always knew that John was a bit of a “fruit and nut”-case. I personally have not remarked upon this until now , hoping he may make his “Milky Way” back into our esteemed institution, but currently there he remains; life with the Tories must be quite a “Picnic”. John the door is always open.
Then came “Glorious June” and not just because it’s my birthday! The town of Fleet where I live made me feel quite humble; the Town Council named a road in my honour: ‘Hope Walk’ . Finally some well deserved and now, talked about recognition.
I was also invited back to the town of Ashburton in Devon where all this Loonyness was born, to officiate during the town’s Carnival Week. During the summer I was also involved with garden parties, dog shows and opening cycle-ways plus various other bits and pieces. After this I spent two weeks in France, during August, as a guest of Chris and Val Walsh who were old acquaintances from the Ashburton Days. Chris was the Minister for “Getting out of jail free”; he worked in the local prison.
While I was in Ashburton, lo and behold, I had a message from John Ord ‘Clarky’ Clark, who took over the Hastings seat when Lord Tiverton passed away. Those of you who attended Conferences in Yateley will remember him as the life and soul of all that was happening when he arrived in his gold coloured, chauffeur driven car. He lives in the Dordogne now, and had heard that I was about to appear, so we made contact and had a very enjoyable lunch together. Very sad to report though is that Clarky is not in the best of health, he has emphysema very badly and has to use a breathing apparatus to get around. We all wish him the best of luck, he was quite a character and still is I must add!
September was also a very interesting month; I visited South Shields again with some friends, who were very surprised that so many people should know me and vice-versa! I also visited Durham and Darlington and met up with a few of our members and had very good rapport with their friends also. September also saw the launch of our very own Beer, Co-ALE-ition, I will tell more about that later, because the main attraction in September was the Party Conference up in the wonderful town of Matlock Bath, I would like to thank, once again, to all of you that made it happen.
October saw me in the Isle of Wight, just being silly and recruiting and visiting a couple of places that we had been to before, I say we, cause that’s where R.U. and Lady Helenback used to live!
The Beer; I am very, very excited about the outcome of this latest ’Loony Idea’. You will have seen the first and second launches of our very own brand Co-ALE-ition,
well the third took place only yesterday 10th Dec at ‘The Ascot Brewery’, in Camberley Surrey. (Don’t argue, that’s where it is, not in Berkshire as you would think) We now have three Top Ales on the market, Winning Co-ALE-iton from Hampshire, Co-ALE-ition Gold from Sussex and Co-ALE-ition Hope and Glory from Surrey. That’s not all, only this morning I have heard that two other brewery’s want to join in with our brand. The Milk Street Brewery in Frome, Somerset want to supply us with a Co-ALE-ition ‘Dark Side’ Stout and the Chedder Gorge Brewery want to come in with a Porter, its name is yet to be finalised. Milk Street are a special coup as they supply the ‘House of Commons!’ Things are moving quickly and the launch date is Friday 20th December.
I am so pleased with the outcome of this venture, and of all the things that have happened throughout the year, a lot of which you have been involved in, it can’t happen without you.
With that I shall sign off with,
A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Howling Laud
Party Leader
