24th April 2015

Boris Johnson, London Conservative Pledgecard launch at Lynch Plant Hire and walkabout in Stanmore.

When managing director Liam Lynch asked his staff to guess which special guest would be visiting the Lynch Plant Hire Warehouse in Stanmore, Boris Johnson was second on their list, The Queen was top.

The employees, who sat within the orange embrace of several huge mechanical digger arms, were shy at first in coming forward with questions. But as soon Mr Johnson had finished his old style, rousing, call and response style oratory they thronged around The Mayor of London to have him sign their ‘pledge cards’ and pose for mandatory campaign ‘selfies’.

Boris Johnson was visiting Stanmore to lend support to the local Consevative candidate Bob Blackman. Surrounded by placard wielding supporters, the pair greeted surprised shoppers in the Sainsbury’s before processing up the High street, a knot of bluster and activity. Trendy teenagers engaged the Mayor in some youthful banter whilst an elderly lady quizzed the local candidate as to when the new zebra crossing would appear.

I made some lightening speed sketches of Boris as he zipped in and out of several hairdressers, posed beneath heart shaped balloons in a party paraphernalia shop, had his photo taken in a local butchers and bought a bag of chips for the entourage. ‘Actually I can’t let you have these chips’ he joked ‘that would be a breach of electoral rules’.

The Mayor was keen to see my sketchbook, ‘Wow, You’ve got me there, and it was all happening so quickly ’ he remarked before jumping on the underground back to City Hall at the same whirlwind pace.

   

 Thursday 9th April 2015

David Cameron at The National Grid Training Centre. Newark on Trent.

The apprentice training space in which The Conservative Party leader is due to speak today is dominated by the giant X805 circuit breaker and a tall tower of brown ceramic insulators.

David Cameron addresses the audience in the round after a brief introduction from business tsar Karen Brady, who looks after the PM’s jacket.

Drawing Cameron is made easier by the 360 degree format as he has to keep swivelling round to display emphatic hand gestures to all assembled.

Earlier, on a mezzanine walkway above the action I noticed 3 balding bespectacled chaps in wire framed specs and white lab coats. I’d tried to make a swift drawing of them thinking they looked like a trio of ‘Bunsen Honeydews’ the muppet chemist. Unfortunately I was ushered through a door  before I’d had a chance to do so but I did find a good view of the arrival of the ministerial car from the window of   the ‘media holding pen ‘.

Surveying the Nottinghamshire landscape I wondered if the distant Y shaped metal  tower might be an example of  the very latest in pylon design which had been reported on today by the ‘ Pylon Appreciation Society ‘.