Boris Johnson is back

Just three short months after his last visit to West Hampstead, Mayor of London Boris Johnson was back in West Hampstead with a gaggle of local Conservatives around him including of course Chris Philp. Boris wandered up West End Lane, before ducking into The Wet Fish Café much to owner André's surprise (although they didn't buy a coffee).

Boris and Chris then emerged to applause from the Tory supporters

And then made their way over to The Alice House, where various locals, party faithful, journalists and #whampers were waiting. Robert Webb turned up too, but studiously (and sensibly) ignored all the hullabaloo and had a smoothie tucked quietly out of the way.

There followed the obligatory entertaining, rabble-rousing speech from Boris about how we had to choose between Conservatives or a hung parliament; how West Hampstead (as opposed to Hampstead & Kilburn) was a "hinge of fate". "He who holds West Hampstead holds London," said Boris, hyperbole flowing as usual. He spoke of the fears of a hung parliament and the potential for Brown and Clegg to be "dickering and bickering". To emphasise each point, Boris seemed to hit Chris in the chest. Which can't have been pleasant.

Ashford MP Damian Green was also on hand and gave a slightly less verbally dextrous speech about erosion of civil liberties while Boris and Chris had a coffee.

There was some Q&A, although when the panel are on first name terms with the audience, one wonders quite how impromptu some of the questions were. There were few challenging questions, although Boris did tackle briefly the issue of funding for Crossrail.

Boris then did a few interviews with some weary looking journalists, who seem to know that there's little chance of getting anything meaningful out of him, while I was introduced (for the second time) to Brian Coleman and asked if I wanted to interview him. I didn't, which is just as well as he told me that "I don't do bloggers."

Tamsin Omond turned up, some blue cupcakes with pictures of David Cameron turned up, and slowly people began to disperse and eventually Boris too was on his way.

 

Photos by @WHampstead, @designbyday, @DJStoney, @mayfield22, @TheWetFishCafe and @bubela

Glenda Jackson: The Interview

It's Tuesday morning in Labour's rather basic campaign office on the Kilburn High Road. Glenda is discussing campaign strategy amid piles of envelopes waiting to be delivered. A large Hampstead & Highgate peace banner hangs from the ceiling. I wonder how Kilburnites feel about that as I wait.

Over a coffee in the back room, Glenda Jackson sets out her prediction for the election. "A Labour government, with a much reduced but workable majority. But there's a long time between now and next Thursday and many things can happen." She's right. The next day, Gordon Brown has his run-in in Rochdale.

Of course, Labour's MP for Hampstead & Highgate for the past 18 years is unlikely to predict anything other than a win for her party. As for her own position, she is "perfectly prepared" to accept that this is a three-way race. This marks a change from some weeks ago when she was in the only-the-Conservatives-or-Labour-can-win-here camp. But denying the Lib Dem's surge nationally, or Ed Fordham's strong candidacy locally would now seem disingenuous.

Competition aside, how does this campaign differ from previous years? "There is a huge buzz on the street. People know it's a very serious election and are taking it very seriously. On the specific local issues, the overwhelming issue in this constituency is the lack of affordable social rented housing. And there's the perennial issue of planning. People here are very concerned about maintaining open spaces. You do see the benefits of government thinking – not only acknowledging the importance of open spaces as breathing spaces, but also as places where children can play in safety and as part of improving health."

Perennial issues are one thing, but how is the double Oscar winner being received herself? "I'm pleasantly surprised at the reaction to me and the Labour party. There have been attacks on me personally by my opponents, which has never happened before, on the issue of me never doing any work." The Liberal Democrats have branded Glenda "the least active MP in London" on the basis of her mentions in Hansard, where she compares unfavourably with Brent East's Sarah Teather in particular.

She has defended her position at hustings and, after expressing outrage at the accusation, reiterates her point here. "I don't need to stand in the rain," she says, referring to Ed's oft-used line about his lobbying of TfL over the Jubilee Line closures. "I can pick up the phone. There is a difference between achieving and doing a press release".

I suggest that perhaps it's an issue of visibility. "I can only go on what I do," she says, frustrated, "and if it isn't particularly visible, well there's nothing I can do about that. A lot of the stuff I do in the constituency, such as visiting schools or mental health daycare centres, although I think it's important I don't think it's necessarily newsworthy."

She admits to finding it a bit disconcerting when the image is more important than someone's actual presence. I suggest that visibility and broader engagement through modern tools such as YouTube and Twitter might be one way to counter people's impression that she is not active. "I have a Facebook and a web," she replies before (unneccessarily some might suggest) pointing out that she's IT illiterate. It seems the benefits of modern political communication methods have not won her over although after the interview she asks more about Twitter.

She raises herself another criticism levelled at her by opponents: her decision not to live in the constituency. She argues that London constituencies are interdependent anyway, that she frequently spends every day of the week in the area, and that constituents' concerns extend beyond the boundaries.

The final issue that has been a thorn in her side this campaign is her age. She is 73, and one journalist was brave (foolish?) enough to suggest that – should she win – she'd be a walking by-election. Her response then is her response now. "I found it absolutely outrageous given that we've just passed an Equality Bill and I thought we were doing away with these kind of '-isms'. She says she was reselected for the constituency three years ago and has never thought of changing her mind although this would be her final term were she to win.

So, what leads her to think that an outright Labout majority is possible when the polls suggest otherwise? "My reading on the street is that the underpinning for this election is the economy, and this delicate recovery has to be looked after. And the other thing I'm getting is that people don't regard this as a broken Britain. The greatest natural national resource this country has is its people and their imagination, creativity and adaptability. There is this sense that when this country is in tough times we pull together. We've done it before and we'll do it again."

She is also an ardent supporter of Gordon Brown, and claims that she encounters similar support for him on the doorstep. "Honesty is a big word that comes up". She also says people comment on Brown's solidity and how Cameron and Clegg seem like little boys in comparison. "You think about Mr Cameron going to Europe and negotiating for us, with the people he's lined up with... it's crazy." Her lack of conviction in Cameron is palpable.

"I know Gordon extremely well, and I'm absolutely stunned at the endless litany of abuse he gets. You couldn't be more authentic than Gordon Brown. He is passionately committed to this country, to the Labour Party and to its founding principles of equality, opportunity, and social justice. I've had serious arguments with Gordon, not least on 42 days [the proposed time suspected terrorists could be held without charge], which I voted against, but he doesn't bear grudges and he values debate."

The bookmakers have her as third favourite in Hampstead & Kilburn. If she loses, what does she fear will happen? "It would be the neglect of the most vulnerable. We've already seen [with the LibDem/Conservative Camden council coalition] costs increasing for pensioners, the removal of 24/7 care in sheltered housing, funding slashed for youth services. They're protesting they wouldn't take away the Freedom Pass, but I have my doubts."

Referring back to the issue of affordable social housing, Glenda cites the situation in Hammersmith & Fulham. "I believe the chair of the council [Stephen Greenhalgh] is the Conservatives' housing guru. They are deliberately destroying social housing because they don't want mixed communities, they want to 'sweat the asset', which is the expensive land." More broadly she argues that we would lose a fifth of our SureStart centres and "in a nutshell, it would certainly be those who most need government support who would lose it. That's the Big Society idea, what it really means is charities and the voluntary sector and if you don't meet their criteria, tough."

The passion in her voice rises. "To turn back what we've managed to achieve after those two home grown recessions of the Conservatives... the schools in this constituency have been genuinely transformed from when I was first elected. And to think that we would have millions of British people on the dust heap..." her voice trails off in quiet anger. "The Conservatives may protest they have changed but they haven't."

Her commitment is evident and her drive undimmed judging from the glint in her eyes when she is fired up. Whether it is enough to get her the votes she needs is far from obvious. So why, in a sentence, should anyone put a cross next to her name. "I always become a shrinking violet when I'm asked these questions," she replies, causing a look of mild disbelief to cross my face. "Contrary to popular opinion, it's the constituents more than the constituency that dictate the work of an MP. That's why it's so humbling." She actually says a lot more. It certainly isn't a one-sentence answer as she talks about political movements, voting against her own party, and the relationship between an MP and constituents.

I ask her again to complete the "I should vote for Glenda Jackson because..." sentence. She utters a slight sigh, implying that slogans and soundbites hold no interest for her. "What you see is what you get. You know what my political affiliations are, and my commitment to these people in this constituency is absolute. They take priority."

Should she lose, what next? She replies, deadpan, "I have a fantasy that I'd be a jobbing gardener."

Will the people of Hampstead & Kilburn decide to send her on permanent gardening leave, or will this at times formidable, at times deeply personable and passionate woman be given one final opportunity to be our MP? You decide on May 6th.

Summerhouse restaurant review

OK, it’s a bit outside the hood, but I don’t like refusing invitations, and it’s only a quick 187 bus ride from West Hampstead. Thanks to @w9maidavale aka Lord Elgin for this write-up. Dodgy photo is all down to me.

There are a lot of hungry people in W9 but not many places to eat out. So, a new restaurant is always a major event for the locals and there’s been quite a buzz about The Summer House – a temporary installation occupying the premises of the much loved Jason’s, right by the canal on Blomfield Avenue.

The PR spin has been about depositing The Hamptons in Little Venice. The website boasts of crisp summer salads, rosé wines and the best fish & chips in town, while the interior designers have ransacked Ikea and Habitat for a neutral, mildly nautical theme.

The dining room is lovely; light and airy with a splendid view of the canal. When it gets a little warmer there’ll be some fine tables on the terrace with the water lapping at your ankles.

Lady Elgin, a die-hard veggie, took fright at the menu, so Lord Elgin invited two hungry hyperlocal tweeters – @WHampstead and @stjohnswood1 – to help sample a wide range of fish-based dishes of variable quality. WH and SJW were scouting for girl-friendly date venues. Lord Elgin was hoping for a good local regular for evenings when he doesn’t want to cook.

The Summerhouse is primarily about fish. But it’s not a proper seafood joint. There’s no oyster bar, no catch of the day, no lobster bisque; in fact, nothing that requires a good nose and regular trips to Billingsgate. It’s seafood for people who don’t like seafood, who find de-boning a fish a bit of a struggle and who normally go for the fish cakes rather than the sea bream.

You are also allowed a cow steak, if you want, and the owners have put a single pinot noir on the list in its honour. Otherwise, it’s purely heavily marked up whites leavened by the occasional rosé, all rather underwhelming WH.

Lord Elgin’s a bit of traditionalist and began with clam chowder – plenty of potato, packed with bacon, no discernable flavor and no clams in sight. SJW was more fortunate with the smoked salmon and WH’s ample portion of calamari certainly qualified as “crispy”..

Mains were a mixed bag too. WH was satisfied with his prawn tagliatelle and said it was almost as good as the one he’d cooked himself the previous evening. SJW loved his swordfish steak – done just right and not too many weird sauces. Elgin, as host, was allowed to have the £16 fish and chips. Soggy batter, sickly tartar sauce and the eye-popping price tag disappointed. The chips, to be fair, were perfect, but you can have these on their own from the “Accessories” section of the menu. SJW deducted a point for this bewildering pretention.

No complaints about the portions. Full up with fish, three grown men only managed a single Pimm’s jelly between them for dessert.

The Summerhouse will do well. There’s plenty of W9-ers who’ll flock to the pretty canalside room for fishcake and chips and won’t blanche at the £30-£40 a head they’ll pay for the privilege. But it’s a missed opportunity to create something a bit more fishy that would attract a more discerning crowd from further afield. SJW and WH announced that the watery setting wasn’t enough to swing their next big date the Summerhouse’s way.

Hampstead and Kilburn hustings report

Another Thursday, another election debate. But who needs Brown, Cameron and Clegg when you have five of the eight parliamentary candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn to listen to.

The London Jewish Cultural Centre played host to this Ham & High hustings and the room soon filled up. To capture the mood of hustings, read Sarah's excellent report on Tuesday's West Hampstead library hustings. Here I attempt to assess each candidate's performance on the various questions, see whether there was an overall winner, and then look briefly at where we stand in this three-way marginal. It's a long blog, if you want to skip to the verdict or to the specific topics ('Clegg effect', Europe, the role of MPs, education, Brent Cross and Israel), then please do.

My views here are of course subjective, but are based on how I felt candidates performed and were received in the room, rather than on my views on their policies.

From left to right we had Conservative Chris Philp is his obligatory open-necked shirt, independent candidate Tamsin Omond with her shock of blond hair, Beatrix Campbell from the Green Party but wearing all black, incumbent Hampstead & Highgate MP Glenda Jackson wearing Labour Party red, and suited Ed Fordham, the only candidate sporting an old-school rosette, yellow in his case for the Liberal Democrats.

Each candidate was given a couple of minutes to introduce themselves.

Ed spoke in broad terms about the "sense of something else" in the air, and made the point strongly that our votes counted while mentioning electoral reform. Glenda went big picture too, saying that nothing less than the future of our country was at stake, and the decision was between moving forward or stasis. She plied the Labour line that the economy was the key issue while we are in this period of fragile recovery and dismissed any notion of voter apathy - even before last week's opening TV debate.

Bea gave us her potted biography, citing her working-class roots and how the state education system, NHS and housing program had been at the heart of her life. She lost her thread in the middle and had the air of an undergrad tutor leading a seminar. She sounded much more old Labour than Green. Tamsin's opening was the most polished of the candidates, if sounding a little rehearsed and speech-like rather than conversational. She confessed that after some experiences during this, her first campaign, she didn't like being a politician before using her time to say that not voting wasn't the worst thing that could happen, the worst thing was for politicians to fail to engage with constituents who then felt that the BNP was their only option.

Chris was last to go and opened with a cheap gag about Nick Clegg that was met with louder groans than laughs. He reinforced his local credentials both as resident and campaigner before being the only candidate to really mention party policy at this stage and to criticise Labour's overspending during the boom years.

Winner: this was Tamsin's round, despite drifting perilously close to a rally speech, she was the most eloquent and came across as the most passionate.

The first question from the chair was about the sustainability of the Nick Clegg effect.

Ed disarmingly said that it was so extreme that it didn't feel real and argued that there was the election the electorate was thinking about and the election that the media was reporting on and they were not the same. Glenda said the impact was largely due Clegg's previous anonymity and that we were "supposed to be an adult nation" who wouldn't be affected by a media story.

Bea thought the Clegg effect wouldn't be forgotten whatever the election outcome, referring to a "potent sense of collective self-discovery." Whatever that meant. Tamsin got the first proper laugh of the evening by saying she was surprised at the post-debate reaction because she "didn't think Clegg had been very good", going on to praise Gordon Brown's performance.

Chris didn't really answer the question, instead saying that the election was a choice between "more interference" or a "new approach". He also pointed out that all the candidates were sporting a "campaign tan" from being out on the sunny streets so much!

Winner: a tie between Ed and Glenda

At the previous Ham & High hustings, Tamsin had been in the audience and UKIP's Magnus Nielsen had been on stage. The situation was reversed here, and Nielsen got to ask the first question, which was about Europe's plan to carve us up into regions.

Glenda was very dismissive, citing the very raison d'être for the European project - namely to bind France and Germany in a peaceful relationship. Chris set out his pro free-trade stance although didn't believe in forcing states to do things "against their will", making a bizarre comparison to the former Yugoslavia. He of course argued in favour of a referendum on treaties but is in favour of EU membership.

Tamsin's short answer was that "We're in it so we should make the best of it", while cautioning over relinquishing too much sovereignty. Bea gave us a history lesson, which concluded that the UK was better off as part of Europe. Ed talked about holding referenda on some big issues but not to unpick all that had gone before, and distinguished between the idea of "difference and division".

Magnus then plugged his blog [link from UKIP site doesn't work], and - having been prompted by Glenda to the amusement of all - his book [which I can't find on Amazon, although he said it was available there].

Winner: Chris, despite his Yugoslavia reference

The first question from the floor was about MPs' availability, the questioner suggesting that the constituency hadn't had an accessible MP for 30 years.

Glenda, MP for 18 of those 30 years, was given first bite of the cherry. She said she was "shocked and stunned" at that assessment, and said she was available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. She argued that "the work of a MP is what constituents demand of me". She became a bit irate and said she was hurt by the question. Ed talked about his local achievements as a campaigner, and how MPs had influence if not power.

Bea, who lives just over the border of the constituency, said she'd "like to answer the question in a slightly different way", eliciting a heckle of "again?". She had a dig at Tamsin's desire to represent everyone and said that constituents didn't need "looking after". She also pointed out her activist background. Tamsin sought to clarify her position. "I will be your representative", she explained before saying that she would be "the most energetic conversation starter you have ever known." At this point Tamsin seemed ever so slightly like Bea Campbell's mini-me.

Chris felt it necessary to mention his local wedding again, before telling us his nickname used to be Tigger. The question of who exactly had saved Hampstead police station came up, with Chris saying that Ed's intervention had been irrelevant, whereas he himself had spoken to the decision makers. Glenda chimed in that the police stations had "never been under serious threat", to looks of disbelief from Ed and Chris and boos from the audience.

A woman in the audience then put it to Glenda that if she lived in the consituency (she lives in Lewisham) she would have fought harder on issues such as the closure of the South End Green sub-post office.

Glenda put up a very robust defence both on that particular post office issue depsite cries of "Shame" from the audience, and on her place of residency. She argued that MPs outside London spend five days a week at Westminster so are hardly full-time residents of their constituency. The questioner felt very strongly that in today's political world, MPs must be local. Glenda countered, citing the number of letters she receives about national and international issues.

Winner: no overall winner

The next topic was education, specifically the lack of primary school places in Camden.

Chris got another family values point in as he said he hoped to be experiencing these issues for himself soon, before reiterating that he was in favour of state education. He then brought up the Tory's education policy of getting local groups to run schools.

Tamsin kicked off with the dry remark that mothers had so much free time on their hands that running schools would be easy, to applause from the audience. She then talked about community-based education, which didn't actually sound that different from some of Chris's ideas, and raised the idea of retired teachers coming back to help in schools. Bea rather neatly used Chris's own words of "empowerment" and "liberating" to mock the Conservative proposals before setting out a vision for education that removed inequality of standards and meant that the local school was the best school.

Glenda tried to tackle the issue about Camden schools but focused on secondary education to begin with. Ed, who was shaking his head while Glenda spoke, then showed a very confident grasp of all the facts and figures of local schools and funding. He argued that it was time for a big conversation about education in north-west London. His understanding of the topic, and the challenges of balancing state and private education demand, especially in Hampstead, impressed the audience who gave the first proper applause of the evening. Ed, also managed to get in the word "assiduously", to match Bea and Glenda who had used it earlier!

Winner: Ed by a mile

Another local question: should the new Brent Cross development go to a public enquiry, given the impact it would have on local high streets?

Bea: Yes, yes, yes. Tamsin: Yes. She then mentioned the West Hampstead loyalty card scheme that has been mooted for a while, suggesting it could be a cross-consituency card, so Kilburn shoppers could get benefits in Hampstead and vice-versa. Was hard to tell whether a horrified shudder spread across the room.

Chris thought that part of the proposal - namely the incinerator and tower - should go to an enquiry, but otherwise trusted Barnet council. He then got on to one of his favourite topics - business rates and taxation of small businesses. He referred to the closure of the Kilburn Bookshop, and became quite animated. The oratory worked and he got a big cheer for his anti-tax anti-regulation position.

Glenda said yes to the inquiry and then tried to fight back against Chris but was a little weak and Chris moved in for the kill saying small businesses had been "taxed to within an inch of their lives". More cheers. Glenda was on the back foot, but Chris perhaps overplayed his hand with a weaker attack on Labour's tax record, although the crowd still responded well.

Ed looked Chris in the eye and recalled the day under a Thatcher government when his father's business was repossessed. The audience was in no mood for maudlin tales and heckles of "answer the question" and "a lot's changed since then" rang forth. He argued that citing the Kilburn Bookshop is disingenuous as he knows the owner and business rate were not the main reason for closure. He then finally got round to the question and it turns out was involved in drafting the LibDem's original objection. He went on to criticise both the Tory's and Labour's planning laws to a round of applause.

Winner: Chris

The final question of the evening was the one that had been talked about in the café beforehand. A woman asked an extremely well-phrased but direct question to Ed about the Liberal Democrat policy on Israel citing the mixed messages from the party. She mentioned Baroness Tonge, whose anti-Israeli comments eventually led Nick Clegg to sack her, but her continued presence in the House of Lords has angered many. The questioner also mentioned the disparity in message between LibDem leaflets in Holborn & St Pancras that clearly target the area's Muslim community, and those delivered in Hampstead with some text in Hebrew and photos of Ed with members of the Knesset. The question drew applause.

There was no doubt this was the tough question of the night, and obviously one of particular interest for many of the audience given that this was being held in the Jewish Cultural Centre.

Ed began by stating the Lib Dem's official policy, which he mentioned is broadly the same for all three main parties, namely a peaceful negotiated two-state solution. He then criticised Baroness Tonge very clearly. "Lose the whip", someone called out. Ed explained that as a member of the House of Lords the whip couldn't be removed, and Clegg had done all he could by sacking her. The audience wasn't overly impressed. Ed continued saying that the LibDems had got themselves in a "difficult place with Israel", perhaps partly as a result of their strong opposition to the Iraq war.

Ed explained why he had embarked on "political tourism" to Israel and Gaza, and met with members of the Knesset from all parties. The thrust of his point was that he personally recognised the importance of understanding the issue from all sides, and would do all he could to get the party on track. Although he mentioned that the constituency had almost equal numbers of Jews and Muslims, he didn't address directly the issue of the mixed messages between this constituency and Holborn & St Pancras. He did however get some applause for his answer, and there was a feeling that at the very least these were issues he took seriously and had thought about.

Glenda reiterated Labour's policy of a negotiated solution, although thought it looked unlikely before embarking on an articulate, passionate and emotional speech about the horror of the conflict that clearly came from the heart.

Bea possibly sensed trouble and chose to quote directly from the Green's manifesto, which criticises Israel's "campaign of collective punishment" against Gaza. She didn't get very far before an angry voice shouted back "what about the Hamas rockets?". After a moment of back and forth, Campbell declared that the man wasn't prepared to listen so she should shut up. He agreed. Tamsin backed away from the issue and talked about local grassroots organizations "working things out", citing a couple of groups in the Middle East that are trying to do that.

Chris, a "Conservative Friend of Israel" focused on the Lib Dems, pointing out that Clegg has said that Israel should be disarmed, that Jenny Tonge was made a peer after she had said some of the contentious things about Israel, and disagreeing that she couldn't be removed from the Lords. He said the Lib Dems should be ashamed of trying to stir up community feeling. He then rather undermined that point saying that it seemed the Lib Dems "had a list of Jewish people. I can't be alone in finding that a bit creepy". There was a murmur in the crowd, and Chris was certainly alone on the stage as all the other candidates and the chair turned on him for that emotive comment. Ed responded, focusing again on his own perspective and getting a warm round of applause. The original questioner said she would hold him to his word.

Winner: Glenda for passion and oratory, but Ed for responding to criticism so well and handling the topic sensitively

Overall verdict: Ed and Chris both performed well. Glenda had her moments, but her inability to remember details was shown up next to Ed's grasp of minutiae. Bea, although likeable, seemed too keen to have an intellectual debate (and heaven forbid there should be intellectuals in politics!). Tamsin, having got off to a great start, was always going to struggle on some of the specifics, and her mantra of starting conversations and solving everything locally perhaps wore a little thin towards the end. Ultimately, Ed shaved it over Chris whose only really strong performance came on the small business issue.

So, where do we stand in Hampstead & Kilburn with less than two weeks to go? Weighing up the balance between local issues, individual candidates and the national situation is extraordinarily difficult in this constituency.

Lets deal with the minor players first. Despite Tamsin's fears that the BNP might gain traction with some voters, they don't generally poll well here. UKIP might fare better if their candidate didn't seem (as one of his rivals put it privately) "like a Shakesperean fool". The unknown Gene Alcantara will do well to break the 100 vote barrier.

Intuitively, one feels the Greens should perform well here but, other than at hustings, Bea has been quiet locally and the party lacks the resources to do damage. She is also contesting a council seat and may have better luck there. Tamsin, fourth favourite with the bookmakers, is the unknown package. She's been working hard to get people registered to vote, and anecdotally is receiving support, but her target group of voters may still not turn out on election day, whatever promises they give on the street. A sunny day and an enormous final push could see her getting a meaningful number of votes, and a fourth place finish ahead of the Green party would be impressive.

So, what about the big three?

It may be too easy to write Glenda off, Labour still has a strong base of support and hasn't been as badly hurt as some might have expected. A rally for Labour nationally could still see her in with a shout on May 6, although the sense that she personally may have served her time is hard to escape. This presents a problem for the ABC (Anyone but Conservatives) crowd, as tactical voting is hard to judge. Mercifully, none of the main three candidates trotted out the "it's a two horse race" line this time - lets hope that's dead and buried now.

Chris will appeal to the diehard Tory voters, and will pick up floaters who like his get-up-and-go attitude. But as the Cameron campaign struggles to deliver the killer blows to a surprisingly resilient Gordon Brown, will Chris be able to count on enough of a general swing to the right to take the seat? His will be the last name called by the returning officer when the result is announced, and only then will the winner be known.

Ed is the bookie's favourite just ahead of Chris, and has performed well in hustings. The Lib Dems are always strong on the ground with several forest-worths of material shoved through letterboxes every day. His "lives here and loves it" campaign makes him seem accessible and for those tired of Glenda but not ready to turn blue, he may turn out to be the obvious choice as it is hard to dislike him or doubt that he would work hard.

Whatever you do, get out there and vote.

West Hampstead Hustings - the who, the why and the WHAT?

Huge thanks to @Wild_Sarah for this excellent report on Tuesday night's hustings.

It was standing room only at last night’s Hampstead & Kilburn hustings in West Hampstead library, and a feisty crowd for our six keen candidates to impress.

Cries of ‘Fix the mike’ and ‘Who are you? We can’t see you at the back,’ provided an opportunity for Labour MP Glenda Jackson to show off her Oscar-winning enunciation, though not all candidates fared as well.

‘When I was in Hyde Park I could be heard right back at the Serpentine on a sunny day,’ insisted UKIP’s Magnus Nielsen, resulting in a ‘Go back there!’ from a voice in the crowd.

Debate kicked off with a hyperlocal question about the planned closure of North West London College. Responding for the Green Party, Bea Campbell pronounced the decision ‘a damn shame’ – a sentiment shared by all candidates to varying degrees. They agreed that the three-year old building should be put to good use, even if it is not occupied by students, who have been packed off to Willesden according to Glenda.

Tie-less Tory Chris Philp criticised the ‘centralisation and bureaucracy’ of the current government, which results in money not reaching frontline services and Lib Dem Ed Fordham (resplendent in a gold rosette) declared further education a ‘Cinderella service’.

For UKIP, the trail of evil could be tracked back to Europe. ‘This country is mortgaged to the European Union,’ cried Magnus, not for the last time.

But it was Tamsin Omond of The Commons who won the first applause of the night, criticising the other candidates’ apparent defeatism.’ There is still time to protect this college,’ she asserted, explaining her party’s policy of local taxes, with 70 per cent reinvested in the community.

Question number two required candidates to reveal the issues on which they would defy the party whip: Ed said he could think of 162 things (without specifying any of them); Bea could find nothing to disagree with in the Green’s ‘small but perfectly formed’ manifesto, which unites the two big objectives of attaining social justice and a sustainable planet.

By contrast, plain-speaking Glenda revelled in her disobedient streak: ‘As somebody who has [voted against the whip] many times before, may I say that the first time is the worst’, she joked, before identifying Trident & ID cards as two issues she’d vote against.

Chris revealed that he’d spent ‘the whole year with his teeth fastened around Boris Johnson’s ankle’ to prevent the threatened local police station closures. Glenda pointed out that this was probably ‘too far away from Boris’ brain for him to feel it.’

An emotive question on assisted suicide divided opinion: Glenda would vote against it, to stand up for the vulnerable; Chris would vote in favour, standing up for individual choice & liberty. ‘I find myself agreeing with Chris,’ said Bea, as visibly astonished by her statement as Chris was.

Next came a quizzing on the One Big Issue each candidate would tackle to make a difference Right Now. Chris attempted to introduce four but was dissuaded by loud groans, opting for ‘the economy’ and describing our current level of debt as a ‘damning indictment on Labour’s stewardship.’ He pledged to get national spending under control and to lighten the burden of tax on families and businesses.

Climate change came top for both Ed and Bea, an issue equally close to environmental campaigner Tamsin’s heart, though her key aim is to transfer power to the people, engaging them in democracy.

Meanwhile, Glenda urged us all to ‘start trusting each other: it is fantasy to think that this country has fallen down a black hole called debt, never to emerge again,’ she barked. ‘Our greatest national and natural resource is you.’

When asked about the likelihood of further widespread redundancies, her reply (that she knew little about it, since she herself was ‘always sacked’) was rewarded with laughter, though her promise to ‘create more jobs’ sounded a bit vague.

Bea scolded: ‘I don’t thing it behoves the Tories to lecture about debt, 'also wiping the smirk off Glenda’s face by adding that ‘New Labour has also endorsed the system.’

Chris spoke of his desire to champion small local businesses, reducing disincentives to employ new staff. For UKIP, the trail of evil could be tracked back to Europe.

Since the hustings was organised by West Hampstead Amenities and Transport (WHAT), it was only right to have a question on transport, which revealed mass fury over endless weekends of Jubilee line closures for ‘planned engineering work’; threatened northern line closures; and the ongoing Thameslink and Overground hell.

Ed was in his element, regaling the audience with tales of ‘embarrassing and preposterous’ conversations with TfL; damp protests in the rain outside its HQ in order to secure a meeting, not to mention undercover work in Lately's, pumping the rail engineers for information.

Chris talked of his work to reduce the threat of Northern Line closures, although there was a distinct feeling in the room that the Hampsteadites’ needs had been met, whereas those of us ‘down the hill’ had been left to suffer the slings and arrows of the Jubilee line closures.

Ed’s assertion that ‘the Oyster card is the equivalent of a shareholder’s card,’ went down well, unlike Glenda’s apparent lack of action on her constituents’ behalf. ‘Where were you, Glenda,’ catcalled the crowd. ‘You live in Lewisham, for goodness’ sake.’

Tamsin voiced annoyance at the lack of public consultation and Bea at the years spent ‘detaching transport from direct public accountability.’

For UKIP, the trail of evil could be tracked back to Europe, though everyone else thought that Public Private Partnership might have much more to do with it.

A final question on health came at the eleventh hour (five minutes before the official 9.30pm end time), bringing up the thorny issue of cancer guarantees. Bea called for ‘a release from targets’, describing the ‘Tory rhetoric’ over its promise to fund new cancer drugs as ‘easy and glib’, an accusation refuted by Chris, of course.

For UKIP, the trail of evil could be tracked back to Europe.

Ed stressed that we shouldn’t have a ‘cheap, political squabble about the NHS’ a point with which most people agreed, not least because their tummies were rumbling and they wanted to go home.

Minutes later (though a full two hours from the start of the debate) and we were all on our way, safe in the knowledge that there is no danger of apathy striking in Hampstead & Kilburn but less sure who will triumph on 6 May.

West Hampstead bookshop "lock-in" success

Last night saw an experiment in West Hampstead. West End Lane Books threw its doors open from 9 to 10pm to @WHampstead twitter followers (and a few others!). There was wine, there was chat, there was 15 percent off everything. A dozen or so #whampers decided that the election debate on TV wasn't enough of a lure (or recorded it) and getting to know a few fellow locals was a far better option.

It was great to see a mix of familiar faces such as @bubela, @TheWetFishCafe and @SamWong1 along with some first-time whampeventers including @designbyday, @jenny23232323 and @tractorgirlie.

Photo by @designbyday. Original here

Plenty of books were bought (lets not forget that if we want to keep our independent bookshops we do, at least occasionally, have to buy books from them and not Amazon), a reasonable amount of wine was drunk, and hopefully everyone had a good time!

Other bookshop / @WHampstead tie-ins are being mooted, so keep your eyes peeled and follow the #whampbooks hashtag. The bookshop also organises lots of its own events.