Walking my usual route to work this morning, I'm surprised to see a big crowd - make that a
very big crowd outside the Newark Houses Museum and even more surprised to see the Lib Dem's election battlebus parked there. There's a host of TV cameras, boom mikes etc among a sea of photographers. Party leader Nick Clegg emerges, making his way among cheers and squeals to the middle of the square outside the new Hugh Aston Building, climbs onto a soapbox and starts speaking to the crowd. His microphone doesn't work so we can't hear a word he says at the back of the crowd but no one seems to mind - and no one seems to leave either (mind you, the matter of microphones on political walkabouts is something of a hot topic today). The first few rows of people around Clegg cheer now and again and there's a jolly atmosphere - even from those holding up "Vote Labour" placards (and there is one large placard bearing the legend, "I agree with Nick", of course).
Now, faithful reader, don't take this to mean that either I, or Leicester Council of Faiths, supports or endorses Nick Clegg or the Liberal Democrats. The Council of Faiths is an apolitical organisation and that's the end of it. I'll post a picture and article about the leaders of other political parties - or any other notable figure - whom I see on my travels around town or elsewhere (e.g. Eddie Izzard campaigning for Labour in Leicester - see blog entry, Sat 24 Apr). And this on the day after I made a point about avoiding watching the TV debate between the party leaders because I was at a dinner party.
The iPhone has no zoom, unfortunately. I climbed up onto a railing (whoa ... risky, for me!) to try and get a decent picture, but you'll have to make do with a crowd shot. Pretty impressive crowd though - for Leicester. You'll just have to take my word for it that it's that Nick Clegg off the telly in the middle of it all.
