Hitting the campaign trail

THANKS... Conservative leader John Major returns to the party HQ in London to thank staff and supporters during the election campaign in London... — **THANKS… Conservative leader John Major returns to the party HQ in London to thank staff and supporters during the 1992 election campaign in London…**

THERE is something about getting out there on the campaign trail with politicians who are either hopeful of retaining their seats in Parliament or hoping to topple the sitting MP.

I covered my first election by accident – firstly by getting this shot of John Major when I was on work experience with the London News Service – and secondly by asking to take pictures of David Clark when I arrived back home in South Shields on Election Day.

I got into the count and went back to the party HQ and I think this photo summed up the night as they watched the results coming in. While they had been successful at the polls it was to prove disastrous for Labour as the Tories swept to power for a fourth term.

VICTORY... South Tyneside MP David Clark who held the constituency watches the results come in. It was not a good night for Labour as the Conservatives were voted back in for another term... — **VICTORY… South Tyneside MP David Clark who held the constituency watches the results come in. It was not a good night for Labour as the Conservatives were voted back in for another term…**

Fast forward to 1997 and I was working for a news agency in the north east. There was an optimism about New Labour nationally. I was sent to cover a visit by Brian Mawhinney during a visit to Darlington and my picture on the right was used in both the Northern Echo and the Journal.

CAMPAIGNING... Brian Mawhinney (my pic on the right) during a visit to Darlington... — **CAMPAIGNING… Brian Mawhinney (my pic on the right) during a visit to Darlington…**

However on the election night I was sent to the count at Sunderland. It was expected that the first result would be from there and my boss suggested that I should take the office clock to record the time for the picture.

I think this worked and it was used in the Journal the next day. As I have said they used bank employees who were experienced at counting bank notes quickly to count the votes. And they were always first.

**TIME FOR A CHANGE… Chris Mullin at the moment of victory in Sunderland South that was the first signal of a Labour landslide…**

In 2001 Arthur Scargill decided to stand against Peter Mandelson, who was the sitting MP, and he enlisted the support of actor Ricky Tomlinson. The pair went way back from the time when Tomlinson did time in prison as the result of a union dispute.

They held a public meeting and I found their speeches quite compelling. I patiently waited until the end to get a picture but Scargill was quite dismissive. However the actor stepped in and said: “Come on Arthur give the lad a break he has waited all this time.”

The former union leader saw the light and let me take this photo which was used by both the Daily Express and the Northern Echo. It was one of my early attempts using digital technology.

SUPPORT... Ricky Tomlinson and Arthur Scargill in Hartlepool... — **SUPPORT… Ricky Tomlinson and Arthur Scargill in Hartlepool…**

In 2005 I was covering as acting editor of the Axholme Herald and a few major political figures visited the region during the campaign. It was good to see the future leadership hopeful David Miliband make an appearance as he was the MP for my hometown of South Shields.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL... Various political figures visit the campaign trail in the Isle of Axholme... — **CAMPAIGN TRAIL… Various political figures visit the campaign trail in the Isle of Axholme…**

And in 2015 I followed Lee Sherriff as the Labour candidate for Carlisle during that general election. A couple of leading figures from the Labour Party visited he city including Alan Johnson and Tom Watson. Ultimately she was unsuccessful.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL... Alan Johnson joins Lee Sherriff on the campaign trail in 2015... — **CAMPAIGN TRAIL… Alan Johnson joins Lee Sherriff on the campaign trail in 2015…**

CAMPAIGN TRAIL... Tom Watson joins Lee Sherriff on the campaign trail in 2015... — **CAMPAIGN TRAIL… Tom Watson joins Lee Sherriff on the campaign trail in 2015…**

It was a surprise when the election was announced in 2017 but that was mainly the cause of the troubles of the Tory party and the fallout of Brexit which we are still feeling to this day.

How could a half baked deal, which was allegedly oven ready, be so wide of the mark? Here is the launch of John Stevenson’s campaign as well as Lee Sherriff’s successor Ruth Alcroft.

Again Ruth managed to increase the labour vote, when compared with 2015, but the Conservatives did the same and ultimately were successful.