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Election Diary: Councillor Louise Lang |
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Tuesday, 08 May 2007 |
Holyrood.com features an election diary from Councillor Louise Lang, a successful Liberal Democrat candidate for the Leith Walk ward in Edinburgh.
"I stopped work on Friday to concentrate on my election campaign for the final week. Over the weekend, I delivered letters to residents in my ward, almost entirely in flats: traditional tenements and newly built developments, so it's quite physically demanding. With the wonderful weather we've been having, sunburn has been more of a problem than (more commonly) rain. Over the months, I have come to know my ward and its issues very well – the parking problems in Powderhall, tree felling in Hillside and flood prevention in Bonnington. I hope I can resolve many of these if I am elected.
"I delivered literature all weekend and on Saturday night put up lamppost posters on Leith Walk. It can be tough to find space for this, as busy roads like Leith Walk are popular with all the parties. We attracted some attention from those out enjoying the pubs on the Walk.
"On Monday, I was out with a couple of volunteers, including a research student from Hungary who is studying how we run political campaigns over here. It has been interesting finding out about some of the differences between politics and elections in our countries, and of course it’s been helpful to have her deliver my newsletters too.
"On Tuesday, while having a quick lunch break with one of my team, an elderly man sat down right beside me unannounced and asked me lots of questions about the Lib Dems, having clearly enjoyed the hospitality of nearby refreshment houses. Although I’m usually happy to talk, it was very uncomfortable and he refused to give us any space – he just sat next to me listening the whole time. Then, to top my day off, I managed (temporarily) to break my car by going over a speed bump I hadn't noticed a bit too fast. There was a loud thud and the car went dead. After calling out some emergency help, the fuel cut-off gauge was switched back and I was back on the campaign trail. Not the best of days really!
"On Wednesday, I was out delivering leaflets reminding people that tomorrow is election day. It’s strange to think that many people may not realise this, given that we devote every waking hour to it, but often we get comments like, "I didn't realise it was this Thursday". After collecting some of the A-boards to put outside my polling stations, I relaxed with a bath and a glass of Baileys for an early night, ready for the big day tomorrow.
"Well, polling day has arrived! Somehow, it doesn't seem real. Starting at 5am (yes, 5am), my team and I were out delivering leaflets so people would find these on their doormats when they woke up, reminding them to vote today. Much of the day was spent standing outside polling stations, greeting people as they arrived to vote. It was great when someone stopped and wished me luck or said they had voted for me – a real boost when you're standing on one spot for over an hour. I bumped into fellow candidates at our temporary committee room and canteen – one of our member’s houses taken over for the day – and shared their excitement and exhaustion. Then, as the polls closed, it was off to Ingliston for the count, which went at a snail’s pace. With the problems of technology, organisation and damaged votes, by 4am still no results had been declared. Knowing I had my own count at noon on Friday, I gave in and headed home for a few hours sleep.
"When I got back to Ingliston, I found out that, unfortunately, we hadn’t won the parliamentary seat, despite improving greatly on our previous Holyrood result, and it was upsetting not to see the candidate, Mike, elected as our MSP. By contrast, when the council results started to come in at around 5pm, we got a mix of good and bad news. This was really stressful and emotional: people I had come to know very well over the months and looked forward to working with were having their careers and livelihoods given and taken away in such a public forum, and a few people were quite tearful. I am, however, delighted to say that I was elected! With the second highest number of first preferences in the ward, I was returned as one of the four councillors for the next four years. It was a wonderful feeling – a vote of approval and trust, and an endorsement of all the hard work that has been put in over the last year by all of my team, and my agent Kevin.
"On Saturday morning, our new group – the largest on the council – met for our first meeting in the City Chambers. It's only now, walking into the building, that it’s starting to sink in: it’s overwhelming, very exciting, and a little scary. I just hope I do a good job. During our meeting, I was elected to the negotiating team for talks to form a joint administration, so it feels a bit 'in at the deep end'. I'm determined to do a great job representing the people in my ward. I have promised them honesty, accessibility and hard work, and I intend to deliver on that promise."
Cllr Louise Lang
Leith Walk ward
City of Edinburgh Council
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 May 2007 )
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