Saying farewell to a lovely, clever, Liberal Democrat - RIP Dave Herbert

By the time you read this, I'll be in Dunfermline at the funeral of one of the first people I ever met in the local Liberal Democrats. Dave Herbert, Councillor for Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, passed away last Friday.

Dave was a really clever man. He could explain difficult concepts in a way people could understand, but was never patronising about it. He was gentle and kind and worked so hard. Even when his health was getting worse he'd push himself to make sure he did his best for the people he represented. He was wise and calm and was such a good person to have around. We will miss him so much. The tributes paid to him in this week's Courier show how well he was regarded across the political spectrum.

In 2005, not long after I first met him, he had the good sense to marry Gladys and they have been fabulous together these last almost seven years. Gladys was one of only two people who were name checked in Willie Rennie's speech when he won the Dunfermline by-election. She'd never been involved in politics before, but she just got stuck in and was a very popular member of the front of house team at the by-election and subsequently organised all manner of dinners and fundraising events. She's an amazing woman and my thoughts and love are with her today.

Labour MP Docherty brands Limekilns Community Council as snobs and nimbys

Thomas Docherty has courted controversy since he was elected as Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife in 2010. He certainly has a novel approach to winning friends and influencing people.

First of all, he had a go at certain of his fellow MPs whose attire, he felt was too casual for the Commons.

Then he was a leading voice in the campaign to have a statue of Tony Blair at Westminster.

During my four years working for Willie Rennie when he was Dunfermline's MP, I can safely say that neither of these issues were ever raised with him by one single person in the constituency.

Now  he has insulted the Community Council of the beautiful coastal village of Limekilns, branding them snobs and NIMBYs for objecting to a potential development of almost 4000 houses near their village. In the Dunfermline Press, he furiously declared:

They are a bunch of snobs who oppose every single development in West Fife. It's quite clear they are anti-dockyard and NIMBYs. If they had their way there wouldn't be any jobs in West Fife.

The Community Council hit back at the MP, saying that:

 We are disappointed that, as someone who was appointed to represent local people through the democratic process, Mr Docherty has expressed such strong opinions without ever raising the matters with us. If pushing for inspiring, well thought-out communities for local people makes us snobs, then we will embrace that label as a badge of honour.

The Community Council had objected to the draft plan for housing because of the mistakes that had been made by the then Labour administration of Fife Council in the planning of a similar expansion to the east of Dunfermline. Labour had sold off the land for a third primary school in the area for more family housing which unsurprisingly resulted in huge difficulty for local residents with changes in school catchments and young children having to be bussed to the next town for two years while land for a new school was sourced and it was built.

Another concern was the road network in the area. The junction leading to Limekilns was investigated for inclusion in a programme called Britain's killer roads and another route to Dunfermline has seen a number of fatalities in recent years. It's hardly surprising, therefore, that the Community Council had concerns about the plans for a massive expansion on their doorstep.

An MP with any sort of understanding of the issues on his patch might have thought twice before launching such an extraordinary attack on a community organisation.

No, First Minister, she is only 7

Yesterday First Minister Alex Salmond opened the long awaited Carnegie School in Dunfermline. The school spent the first 2 years of its life in  Inverkeithing Primary School. Way back in the mists of time, it was intended that there should be 3 new primary schools in the Eastern Expansion of Dunfermline. To cut a really long story short, the Labour Council sold off the land for the third school,  leaving a big gap in provision for the incoming SNP/Liberal Democrat coalition to deal with. Local parents had to put up with a fair bit of inconvenience, but they have shown fantastic community spirit and commitment to the school, ably led by an inspirational parent council.

The video shows the First Minister talking with admiration about a wee girl who told him that Andrew Carnegie was a philanthropist. She'd clearly impressed him as he remarked that he wouldn't have known what a philanthropist was at her age. Actually, the bright young 'un in question is the daughter of a friend of mine. Her name is Lucy White - and I've written about her before in connection with the Secret Garden outdoor nursery in Fife.   Mr Salmond seemed to think she was 9, but in fact, she is only 7. He knew she was in Primary 3, according to the Dunfermline Press. You kind of think he might have joined the dots to work out that 9 year olds aren't in primary 3, but never mind.

He said that Lucy was a credit to the work of the staff at the school - and I'm sure that's true, but I'm going to add in a bit of special pleading for her mum and dad who have had quite a lot to do with her development too. We shouldn't forget them. They have loads to be proud of - their second daughter Evie, who just started Primary 1 on Tuesday, also met the First Minister. Certainly a brilliant memory to have from your first week of school.

I'm just so glad that the school has finally moved into its own building. The dilemmas for parents in the area aren't quite over yet, though - the way the catchments have been drawn mean that some will have children in two different schools. The option agreed in the end meant that the smallest number of  people had this problem, but it's still tough for those caught up in it and I don't want to forget them.

Lucy has been bright from the minute she was born - she was one of those babies who seemed wise beyond her years. I think she's going to make a fabulous contribution to society when she grows up - and it's a special thing indeed to have impressed the head of the Government at only 7.

Who did Mike Moore describe as "annoying as Hell" at Dunfermline dinner?

Last Friday night, Dunfermline Liberal Democrats held their Annual Dinner in the Council Chamber at the Dunfermline City Chambers. That's an auspicious room for the local party: it's where Willie Rennie and Jim Tolson were selected as candidates, and where we celebrated when Jim was elected in 2007. Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore was the guest speaker:

The Dinner was the first opportunity for the newly revamped kitchens to show what they could do. They produced an excellent meal of Carrot and Coriander Soup, Chicken Balmoral (chicken stuffed with haggis in a whisky sauce), and Mixed Berry Pavlova. The food was delicious and the staff were friendly and pleasant, so a definite thumbs up from me there.

It was great to see everyone again. I had missed Jim's office Christmas Party because of the snow so it had been a wee while. Mike Moore is not one for salacious gossip at the best of times, he's way too nice, but there was a particularly gratifying moment during his speech when he jokingly (I think:-)) described Willie Rennie as "annoying as hell". I'm sure there's plenty Council officials he wrote to over the years who might agree, but there will be even more local people who appreciated the help he gave them. And, of course, if they vote Liberal Democrat on the list in May, they can have him back as a regional MSP.

 I was actually very disappointed not to win one item I put in a bid for in the silent auction - window cleaning by the aforementioned Mr Rennie. For comedy value alone, this was truly priceless. Thankfully the person who did win has a large house with plenty windows and is likely to call in his prize at a post-election party. There will be photos, I can promise you that......................

On a serious note, I'm sure it wasn't just the merlot that made me feel a bit emotional when Mike Moore talked about how it felt to carry his Liberal Democrat membership card into the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street and take decisions which would put our long cherished values of liberty, equality and community into practice. He talked about the stresses of dealing with a £155 thousand million deficit but still being able to take nearly a million people out of income tax come April with our first raising of the tax threshold. He talked about ID cards becoming a thing of the past, ending child detention, bringing in much more flexible parental leave, the Scotland Bill, which the Tories would most likely have shelved on their own.

Mike had spent time, like most of our ministers, in the recent Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, where we did much better than expected. He said that there was a really good reception on the doors, something that I think is mirrored across Scotland.

Anyway, it was a super, fun evening - very lucrative too, because a fair amount was raised for Jim's campaign.

Here is one final photo of Mike and Jim Tolson with some of the local West Fife Liberal Democrat Councillors who have done loads of good things in administration - getting another Dunfermline High School built, for a start. Labour let the last one deteriorate into a disgraceful state.

Irony of the week - the aircraft carriers

I can't quite make up my mind which is the bigger irony over the aircraft carriers, so I'll let you decide.

I don't remember all these Labour MPs and MSPs taking such an interest in the issue when they were in Government. In fact it was Willie Rennie as MP for Dunfermline (and therefore Rosyth dockyard) who was trying to hold Labour to account for their dithering and delays to the project.

And then there's Alex Salmond, trying to get all the Scottish political parties to work together to save the carriers.  How many carriers, exactly, to the nearest 0, do you think he would build as Prime Minister of an independent Scotland?

Competition for free tickets to Dunfermline's Bruce Festival and Son et Lumiere

A bit of my heart will, I suspect, always remain in Dunfermline, after 4 busy and immensely rewarding years working for former MP Willie Rennie.

In that time Willie supported the work of the Dunfermline Delivers team who do so much to promote the city, organising such events as the annual Christmas lights switch on and the dramatic Bruce Festival, which, as it says on the tin, "celebrates the life, myth and legend of King Robert the Bruce." This year's event is taking place at the end of next week.

Visit Dunfermline is running a competition to win tickets for a guided tour at the Bruce Festival and the Son et Lumiere on each night of the main festival, 19th-21st August. If you are going to be in the area, why not have a go?

That Labour Record of School Building

Dunfermline High School. A building falling to bits. A building which should have been rebuilt, or even refurbished, to make it meet its pupils' needs well over a decade ago.

Who was in charge at the time? Labour, in administration in Fife Council. Who was arguing for a new Dunfermline High School for years? The Liberal Democrats, including now MSP Jim Tolson. Who are delivering that new High School in administration in the Council after Labour were kicked out? The Liberal Democrats in coalition with the SNP.

That certainly makes Labour's rage about the cancellation of the school building programmes in England look very false and opportunistic indeed. It's quite typical of their behaviour in opposition.

For an English perspective of this, read what the lovely elephant has to say.

The Best Polling Day ever

Even if the polls are right and the Liberal Democrats get their best result in decades and even come second in the popular vote, nothing can beat polling day in the Euro elections in 1999 for me. That was the day I took my beautiful baby daughter home from hospital for the first time. She looked so tiny in her car seat - it was incredible that she'd virtually outgrown it within 4 months.

Glasgow SNP councillor Alison Thewliss got me all nostalgic on Twitter the other night - she has gone through this election with a rapidly developing bump and this tweet brought back happy memories as I remembered Anna kicking away inside me at a Paddy Ashdown rally a week or so before the election. That was the very election that saw Nick Clegg elected as MEP for the East Midlands. I was Region Team Leader then and I'd raised a fair bit by means of a sponsored labour - the irony was too good to miss. I will never forget the look of absolute horror on Paddy's face as people were invited to come and sponsor me, by the hour:-). Actually most people were compassionate enough just to give a donation.

So, you can see why taking my gorgeous first and onlyborn will trounce anything that can ever happen on any election day. The second best ever, though, was 9th February 2006, the day Willie Rennie won the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election. What a beautiful day it was. The Courier had a photograph of Willie and then leader Nicol Stephen at the top of the Forth Rail Bridge. We worked all day and were thrilled when he won. I actually found out while parked in Tesco petrol station in Duloch in Dunfermline (where we'd gone to buy binbags, how glamorous)I had a phone call from a friend who told me that we'd won by a couple of thousand votes. Elation didn't even begin to describe the emotion.

Today's Dunfermline Press predicts a photo finish in Dunfermline, after an online poll predicted a dead heat between Willie Rennie and Labour, each on 32%. Labour have briefed the press that they expect to win the seat back easily but this poll gives the lie to that and much more reflects what we've heard on the doorsteps as Willie Rennie says:

"Your poll reflects the feedback we're getting that it is really close between ourselves and Labour.

"We are now finding that people who have previously voted for the SNP or the Tories are now thinking about switching to us because they're tired of Labour taking the area for granted.

"There's an element of tactical voting and it's a big decision people have to make.

"Nothing that's come up on the doorsteps has really surprised me because I try to keep in touch with the local communities all the time and it's not a case of just popping up when we want your vote.

"I think people in the area are fed up with negative campaigning such as our opponents making up stories saying we would scrap the carriers contract.

"People in the area know I've fought tooth and nail for the carriers and so they're not happy when they can see this type of scaremongering."

It's going to be close and every vote will count - so if you live in Dunfermline, Rosyth, Inverkeithing, Kincardine, Culross, High Valleyfield, Low Valleyfield, Carnock, Gowkhall, Torryburn, Newmills, Saline, Steelend, Crossgates, Mossgreen, a small part of Cowdenbeath, Cairneyhill, Limekilns, Charlestown, North Queensferry, Crossford, Blairhall, Oakley, Pattiesmuir, Comrie or Crombie and want to keep Willie Rennie as your MP, go and vote - your vote could make the difference!

Dunfermline Delight

It was a great moment, in an otherwise very sad evening, to witness the election of Jim Tolson as the MSP for Dunfermline West. It made the long hours, the exhaustion, the sheer slog, all worthwhile. We had a fantastic team ably managed by Willie Rennie, Tony Martin and Elspeth Finlay. The amount of work everybody put in was phenomenal.

The icing on the cake came the following afternoon when 8 councillors were elected across Willie Rennie's constituency.

We now have representatives at all levels, including Elspeth Attwooll as MEP, to deliver for the people of Dunfermline and West Fife.

It's a fabulous team to be part of, even just as a minion.

News from the Dunfermline Front

Sorry I haven't been around for some time - I have barely had time to eat and sleep , in common with many political activists over the last 3 weeks, let alone find witty and interesting things to write here.

My day goes something like this. The alarm goes off somewhere between 6 and 7. I think "Noooooooooo. Not already. Please." I fight my way to semi consciousness, throw on some clothes, have some caffeine and get in the car and head over to Sunny Dunfermline. There I drown in a sea of casework until late evening when I come back in time to put Anna to bed and deal with e-mails or write envelopes or some other such campaign job. This is every day. I am lucky, though. I had the last weekend in March off, one of two I've had this year - actually it might have been 3 but I was ill on the third one. One of my colleagues hasn't had a day off since February.

It's all worth it in the cause of getting Jim Tolson elected to Holyrood. The Team is working really well together and it is a fun campaign. We have managed to do a huge amount of stuff and have had so much positive feedback. We believe in Jim and think he would make a fabulous MSP, but what really drives us on is that so many people get in touch and say that they are supporting us because Willie or one of the councillors have helped or they can see what a difference we are making. Some of the communications we have had have shown so much trust in Willie - one letter made me cry the other day, it was so lovely.

What really amazes me is that we are now almost three weeks in and I haven't had any junk food yet. In fact, my appalling diet has been transformed. No alcohol since 31 March, drinking loads of water and eating industrial quantities of fruit. There might be something in all this healthy eating stuff, because within days I felt better than I had in months and I although I feel exhausted, I don't feel unwell.

The family is resigned to never seeing me. This is the most involved I've been in a campaign since Anna was born. I did say to her the other day that I would have lots of time to spend with her after the election. She said "That sentence was going well until you mentioned the election." She doesn't seem too traumatised, though. My poor husband is suffering from my grumpiness but is being the glue that holds us all together. It's funny how different people react - my non political friends think I'm mad and being unreasonable to him, and the political ones think "It's an election. He should be used to it by now."

It is actually hell being away from them - I do miss them terribly and hate tearing myself away day after day. However, I was talking to a friend of mine recently. I first knew her when she was not much older than Anna and she has grown up with the rough and tumble of the electoral cycle dominating her family life. She is now standing as a Council Candidate with an excellent chance of winning. Maybe this will be Anna in 15 years' time. Eleanor has the best attributes of both her parents and will be a caring and hard working representative so good luck to her.