Ask Her To Stand

Some time last year I must have been very pleased with myself. I was going on marches against the illegal proroguing of parliament, talking to huge crowds at rallies, wandering around the House of Commons and loving every minute of it. Somehow I got myself involved in the Parliament Project for Women and in a fit of optimism signed up to stand as a member of the Green Party.

This has come back to bite me on the arse. Profiling forms have turned up from well meaning people wanting to help me 'take my parliamentary career forward.' Now, I admit that having the Shadow Chancellor tell me how very good I was on the mike was brilliant for my ego. And there is so much that needs fixing, so much that matters...

Aim: Defend the welfare state and the NHS, the rights of ordinary people. Aim: Focus on conservation, ecology, the environment. The latter must be the most important; can't do anything if you can't breathe.

But what can you do if the people don't care?

It's arrogant to try to persuade folk who don't want to be persuaded. The only real road to change is experience. Many people would rather be poor than wrong until they bring both upon themselves, and I just get weary of it all. Patience does not come naturally to me.

Possessing some useful gifts for public office is all very well, but is it enough?

Nah.

My aims, outside of my work, must be to get involved in conservation and culture more actively. I'll return these forms with the requested feedback, and dedicate more time to the things I care about when Lockdown ends.