more friendly (and otherwise!) encounters in Luton South

Sunday night.
A busy day on Thursday, visiting Easyjet, (very impressive), and Moorlands School, (adorable pupils who have invented a worry table for pupils with concerns they want to share, a great idea), and Jenny Moody's Women's Aid Refuge, (tragic that such a project needs to exist). On Friday I spent the morning at the Mind AGM, discussing the stigma still attached to mental illness. And then last night I joined the celebrations for Diwali, the Hindu and Sikh Festival of Light, in the Auction House. I had a dilemma, what to wear? I couldn't find anything festive enough in my wardrobe, so in the end I decided on boring black and white, a mistake because when I got there I found myself surrounded by ladies and little girls wearing the most beautiful silk saris in brilliant colours, red, gold, green, purple. I was a sad e moth in a crowd of butterflies. And what a wonderful atmosphere! Lovely children everywhere, the most delicious food, glamorous dancers who would put the Strictly team to shame, and all raising money for a very good cause, the Marie Curie charity who support cancer patients and their families.
I was given a seat at a most distinguished table, with at least three former mayors, and the current mayor of Luton, and acutally sitting next to Lord (Bill) Mackenzie, once the Leader of Luton council. Lord M was clearly conflicted, he's a charming man who wanted to welcome me to Luton but couldn't endorse my intervention because, of course, I am from a different, (Independent), tribe. The same conflict was dealt with rather more rudely by one of the ex-mayors, who when I asked what the essential qualifications are for a good mayor said, pointedly, "Local. He must be local". "Rather than competent?" I asked, equally pointedly. But it was too pleasant an evening to be combatative. If I'd had my wits about me I would have pointed out that I only live down the road, was born a Berko, and love Luton. But the gorgeous hot spicy food which was exploding like fireworks in my mouth distracted me, and I thought of it too late.

Tomorrow is a big day! At 11 am we open our new advice and information centre in the Indoor Market, Luton. (You can write to me at Unit 74/76, or come and see me there by appointment. I will even have a phone there, 01582 418874.) This is entirely due to the help and support from the market itself, the wonderful David Gibbs and his team from Town and Country Markets, and Jodie of Slamsigns. Also the fantastic support from Tim, Clive and Richard who know the constituency so well, and are educating and guiding me. What a team! Their welcome more than compensates for the brusqueness of the ex-mayor.

The website, esther4luton.com is coming along. I am briefly outlining on it the basic principles by which I will work, with transparency and integrity being the priority. We will be developing the site, and making it interactive, as the weeks go by. Coincidentally, ChildLine tomorrow launches its on-line counselling service for the first time, a huge adventure for all of us who want children in distress or danger to reach the help they need.

So, if you see me around the constituency, (and at the moment I am in Luton South almost every day), give me a wave. Luton is the warmest,most generous, most underestimated town I know!