I have lived in the city of Southend-on-Sea, England, for most of my life. It has two parliamentary constituencies and while there have been boundary changes during the time I lived there, one covering the East side of the City and the other the West side, most of that time I lived on the East side, although now I am living in the West.

Up to last years General Election, the MPs representing those constituencies were members of the Conservative Party. For a long period, the East was represented by Sir Teddy Taylor and the West by Sir David Amess. These two were outstanding MPs, so much so that I would vote for them despite not being Conservative. Sadly, when Sir Teddy retired and Sir David was killed, their successors were not of the same calibre and so I wouldn’t vote for them.

As folk who follow me know, I take an interest in national and local politics and write blogs on the subject around election time. I also weigh in, from time to time, with my take on politics. My last blog concerned Nigel Farage and UK Reform. One friend who often disagrees with my take on politics (and a lot else besides) wrote: “We have a Labour government because of Reform. Who would have thought last year Southend on sea would have two Labour MPs. Anna Firth was a very popular MP, after David Amess, I disagreed with much that they stand for, but as people, I liked them, and believe that they are honest. I have no time for Farage, and think he likes to feel that he is important. I vote Green because I believe what they stand for. As Christians we must protect this beautiful world that God has given us. Not destroyed it, not putting profits before care for people and the earth. Both Green candidates I know well, they are good and honest people, not in it for power or money. I am no support of Labour or Tory. I did vote Lib-Dem in the past. I think next time many in Southend will decide to return to the Tory’s”. I liked what he wrote and it got me thinking!

Concerning last year’s election, I was living in the Southend West constituency and I was in a quandary as to who I should vote for. I was very disappointed with the Conservative government record and performance following the previous election and the nice lady who replaced Sir David did not have enough going for her to get my vote. I was surprised that the Labour chap, who I had a number of positive dealings prior to the election, who was expected to stand, was replaced by a Starmerite, parachuted in, no doubt because he was expected to tow the party line. Besides which, I could see then that a Labour government would be disastrous for the country and therefore in no way could I vote for him. As for the Greens and LibDems, they were/are too woke for my liking and fail/failed to get (sadly, still the case) what are the real issues facing the UK, so they did not get my vote either. I liked the Reform chap but I had, even then, too many qualms concerning Reform under Farage to vote for them. It then became a toss up between the best of the rest, including a friend who was running as an Independent. The choice that was laid before me in the end was between the Heritage and the Confelicity candidates (both I perceived having zero chances of winning). Confelicity got my vote but enough voters voted for Labour for them to win, and the rest, as they say, is history.

We move on. I have only engaged with my local MP once and in fairness it was positive. Those who know more, believe him to be a good constituency MP, taking an interest in local community matters and constituent concerns, although his voting record in Parliament suggests to me that unlike one Labour hero of mine, Tony Benn, he doesn’t have what it takes to challenge our awful Labour government and champion the important issues. As I have said before, I go along with those, who to put it mildly, don’t relish four more years of this Labour government and along with others who cannot see where an alternative that address the right issues rightly will come from. I continue to miss Sir Teddy and Sir David and hope and pray people of their calibre will arise. Just as well (for me) that the following applies and it is where my true hope lies: