CTPH D-12 The highlight of campaigning day...

...Was meeting Dr Jonathan Miller CBE at his home this afternoon. Although, we may have a different perspective on the political scene. This was without question a privilege to meet and discuss with such an intellectual creative radical thinker today.

Dr Jonathan Miller CBE is renowned for his unique style of presentation from review comedy 'Beyond the Fringe' to BBC documentaries such as 'The Body in Question' in 1979 and then becoming a world leading opera director, despite not initially reading music.

His most recent opera production Mozart's 'Cosi fan tutte' in Washington DC, USA earlier earlier this year.

We are so lucky to have such a wonderful community of people in Camden Town with Primrose Hill.

Photo is Copyright © 2009 TheBluegrassSpecial.com

CTPH D-12 Team Action Day and blessed with sun!

Now in Oval Road where I have just canvassed one of my fellow teachers at Primrose Hill school where I have been Governor for more than three years.

My school which achieved OFSTED 'outstanding' has announced last week the wonderful plans to associate with a theatre company that puts on productions for the younger audience.

This is naturally also the school where our London Mayor Boris Johnson went to in his young years.

CTPH D-13 The Doughnut campaign!

End of the week thought. It strikes me that the campaign started with doughnuts in the chambers of Camden Town Hall before finally moving to Washington DC, where only the best doughnuts are to be had in traditional paper bags passed around as gestures of political appeasement in the house!

Then we come to Cllr Theo Blackwell Labour Cabinet member for Finance article in CNJ this week 19th April making a far more serious and somber use of the doughnut as a metaphor for the squeeze on middle Camden in relation to people in receipt of Housing Benefit cap changes.

I plan to write a full analytical piece on this so called 'Doughnut' effect, which essentially states that migration out of Camden could occur in the transition upper end layer of the HB range due to the new HB Caps being phased in.

However, this is clearly not a subject for now during what is a highly charged and contested by-election. But I do feel it is important to state my deep concerns if such a situation were to occur here in Camden.

As co-opted member of Housing and Adult Social Care committee for the past two years. The new Housing Benefit caps has come up for discussion and indeed I have also attended a Housing Conference on Housing at Arlington Road in 2010. Where I joined a breakout group to try and give suggestions and solutions to help mitigate any such migration out of Camden by families living in private sector and Housing Associations that may become affected by the HB caps.

The clear message is that I care about the people of Camden and as your prospective councillor would endeavour to work to insure a fairer Camden for all.

Photo (c) KrispyKreme and I receive no sponsorship for the free plug here of my favourite brand too!

CTPH D-13 The weekend ahead and Nigel's Q&As

Again I plan to be visiting as many residents as is humanly possible this weekend.

In talking to you during the past weeks I am often asked, why do politicians only ever come round before elections and then when the elections are over they are never seen again?

Good question and I agree 'why should politicians only ever knock on our doors when they want something like our vote'.

This is why I have striven to be different and have been working here for you all for a decade in this local area. Not as a politician or political activist but more as a community campaigner addressing the 'Big Issues' locally.

People ask me 'yes but you must be a politician or political activist or you would not be standing for high office as a prospective councillor'? Again an excellent question right to the heart of the matter.

My answer is that I am true to my beliefs as a community campaigner in an area that is my Birthplace, my home, my workplace, my community, my Daughters community. What affects me affects all of us here in CTPH.

If HS2 were to proceed through Camden. It would affect all of us. As we all live in the same area.

The shortage of primary school places continues with no end in sight.

My own Daughter was one of the 130+ children without a place back in 2009 and 2010. After much searching and worries she eventually was offered a place.

There are career or professional politicians. That we know. It is essentially like any other job, a captain of industry if you will.

So to complete and answer that second question.

I am a local campaigner and wish to help make a difference locally as your prospective councillor. If that means that I am considered a politician too, possibly it does. Because that is how the system works.

But I would just have to work that bit harder to insure that my actions and convictions remains true to my beliefs within the context of being your prospective councillor.

Thanks to all those who asked me such thought provoking and challenging questions.

The photo shows my Daughter and yes and me attempting to ski over Primrose Hill several winters ago, when we did have the right kind of snow!