The last of the post-election thank you parties was tonight.  It's always good to say thank you for the help people give, not just at election time but all the year round in between elections.  The hundreds of people in Stockton who help with delivering Focus and other leaflets, those who work to raise the funds to pay for the campaign, and all the other members and supporters who contribute their bit during the year and step up the effort during the campaign - they've all been thanked now in one way or another.  Tonight was a chance for me to meet some of the new helpers in areas other than Eaglescliffe and to join in thanking them for ensuring that the work was done.
So now we look forward - to lots more work in the ward and in the borough of course, to the regional party conference this month and the federal party conference in September.  The federal one is causing some issues already as one of the problems of having the deputy prime minister attending is all the extra security which the police like in place.  I can understand their desire to be sure nothing can go wrong, but we are a Liberal Party and it doesn't sit well on our shoulders to have as much police vetting as is being demanded by West Midlands police.  A whole different meaning is given to the phrase "balance of power".