"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more. "
So our Prime Minister, Theresa May, has called a snap General Election for Thursday 8th June. Given that the Conservative Party has, since the beginning of this year, consistently been between 15 and 20 percentage points ahead of Labour in the opinion polls (though we all remember how utterly wrong they were two years ago), most of the media and the bookies are almost certain of a Conservative landslide.Certain sections of the media, social media and political people are excoriating Mrs May, describing her action in going to the country as "political opportunism". I've been looking back and I certainly haven't found any record of Harold Wilson being criticised in this manner when he called the 1966 General Election in order to increase his small majority, nor again in 1974 when he called the second General Election of that year for the October.
However, as any psephologist will tell you, the opinion polls 50 days from an election can not be relied upon, even though they historically over-rate Labour's support at that particular point in time.
Politics, and elections in particular, are funny old things, and have the habit of springing some massive surprises on everyone. Indeed, nobody was predicting a Conservative majority in 2015. For that reason, and I believe that reason alone, every single Conservative vote will have to be fought for, and I will most certainly be playing my part to ensure that the good people of Bedford and Kempston return Richard Fuller, who has been our excellent, hard-working Member of Parliament since 2010, to Westminster on June 8th.
Just in terms of conversations I have had with friends on all sides of the political compass, the country is looking for a Prime Minister who will provide the strong, stable leadership that will be needed when entering into the Brexit negotiations. A Prime Minister who is going to stick to their guns and get the best possible outcome for the country - even if that does mean walking away and reverting to WTO rules.
One does not go into any sort of negotiation having first of all played all of one's trump cards before the hand has even been dealt. Those with whom our next Prime Minister will be negotiating are all tough players and if our Prime Minister walks into the talks with one or both hands tied behind their back, you can be sure as eggs are eggs that the EU side will have the PM for breakfast, lunch and dinner, chew them up and spit them out into the middle of the English Channel.
For me, the choice is clear. There is only one person who is going to be able to conduct the Brexit negotiations and steer the country through the potentially choppy waters of the next few years - Theresa May.
A clear choice between strong, stable leadership from someone who has a mandate from the country, or Comrade Corbyn and his Coalition of Chaos where the Scots Nits are calling all the shots.
A friend said to me of Comrade Jezza the other day:
"I wouldn't trust him to sit the right way round on a toilet seat"
and another
"I feel so sorry for the village that he's depriving of its idiot".
So, fellow Conservatives - we can't take a single vote for granted. We know that the campaign is going to be short and dirty - but we're ready.
Let's all seize the task in hand - Get Out The Vote!
