Ellee Seymour

Pic: Moi, with Robert and Greg, discussing blogging at Harlow Conservative Association

When an invitation came my way to meet Greg Barker, Shadow Environment Minister, along with Harlow’s Cons parliamentary candidate, Robert Halfon, I could scarely believe my luck.

Firstly, a great chance to catch up with Robert’s news - he is a truly genuine guy and a very hard working candidate.

And secondly, an opportunity to discover what the heck Greg is doing about getting his green message across to the public. Who has ever heard of him? Do people know what his thoughts are on important environmental issues? Most crucially, do they believe in him and his green policies? Do they believe he will deliver after the lamentable performance of Tony Blair’s government?

With a nation holding passionate views about climate change and nuclear power, as well as waste and recycling, why aren’t our green leaders blogging about it? Where is their inspiration and passion to take us forward on these issues?

Wouldn’t this be a great conversation? One massive conversation, in fact. And hopefully our team would listen, take note, give a response and encourage the debate to develop.

Greg was interested in a weblog, he really was. But he needs a team of volunteers to run it. After all, he said, Boris is Boris. He can easily muster up an army of volunteers with his flock of fans.

Please pass the word around.

I didn’t expect this blog to turn into a Domestic Goddess column, but last night I cooked a sensational rhubarb lasagne. And it wasn’t the main course, but a scrummy pudding.

It seems that rhubarb, recently ignored in favour of more exotic fruits, is enjoying an increase in popularity. In fact, all over the world, there are reports that rhubarb is THE pink cuisuine that everyone should be dishing up.

But is rhubarb a vegetable? Has it been suffering an identity crisis? Even, in Aussie, everyone is talking about rhubarb.

You would imagine the supermarket shelves to be heaving with tins of the pink stuff, but in fact there were fewer in stock than any other fruit.

The reason I presented this gastronomic explosion of the tastebuds - a combination of sweet and sour with the silky softness of the sheets of pasta and glorious custard, finsihed with a crunchy almond topping, was a farewell dinner for one of my salsa dancing partners Scott, a dashing American air captain, who is soon heading for training in Alabama and then possibly to Iraq, or some other inhospitable location.

So I made sure his meal with us was memorable. Not only did Scott think the lasagne was great, but he took a “doggy bag” away with him so his friends at work could sample it too.

And yes Scott, in answer to your question, I do have a younger sister, but she doesn’t cook.

I have a scoop on the Conservative weblog today - headline news too - about the two Ministerial blogs run by Boris Johnson and David Milliband. Only time will tell which one will be favoured by bloggers and voters.

One of the most sincere, genuine and hard working Conservative candidates I met during the election campaign last year was Robert Halfon, who suffered the most disappointing defeat, losing by a heart breaking 97 votes and having to endure three recounts. He secured a massive 6.4% swing - a clear indication of his popularity and successful campainging.

His Association recognises quality when they see it and he has been fast tracked and re-selected to stand in Harlow again where he hopes to swipe the seat from Bill Rammell.

Robert is a true, compassionate Conservative and I have the pleasure of seeing him again tomorrow for lunch in the New Town - hope to bend his ear about blogging, naturally. I also look forward to hearing about his work as Political Director of Conservative Friends of Israel.

The main guest is the youthful looking and fresh faced Shadow Environment Minister Greg Barker.

Great news - my application to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations has been approved. They have taken into account my prestigious PR work in Cambridge over the last few years and decided I fit the bill.

What does this mean? How will it change my life? Besides being able to add the letters MCIPR after my name, it will hopefully mean new contacts and opportunities, as well as being able to study for the CIPR diploma and learn more about the business.

I am thrilled about this and will keep you posted on any new leads that develop.

It must be his moppish blonde hair, the naughty boy look, or the fact that he is fun, but Boris can run a free blog site with volunteers. He probably has a waiting list of willing girlies happy to help out too.

His very loyal and dedicated blogger Melissa answered my question about how much it costs to run his site, compared to the £6,000 David Milliband’s department paid to set up his.

Melissa got really hot under the collar and said:

“It’s all on a bit of shoestring budget : what makes it great are all of YOU who join us. Volunteers are running it and gave us the site in the first place. So THANK YOU AGAIN for your great contributions, and a tap on the back for us who do the backroom stuff too! Well done. The best things are free.

“I’m outraged at the cost of the Minister’s site and feel strongly it should be banned in favour of a plainer more user-friendly one that would run at a fraction of the currect costs.”

I have had to break off from writing my profile of Peterborough for my agents agents to report on my reply from The Strumpette.

I wrote asking her three questions: 1. How many hits has she had on her site; 2. Is she really as easy as she claims? 3. What advice would she give to a working PR mum.

Her reply came within five hours and said:

“With regard to hits, in the last 72 hours or so, I’ve gotten about 25,000. It is pretty amazing to me. I started this because the man I am seeing was totally engrossed in basketball (and not me). I was bored. Strumpette was done totally on a lark.

“As to being “easy,” reminds me of my best friend in college, a woman by the name of Linda. She was a total goose. I did not know anyone who had not slept with her. But since she was so funny, smart and free spirited, one would never think her as loose. Her pet line was, “I may be good but I ain’t easy.

“Lastly, as to work and family, remember life is all about family. If you keep that in mind, all else will fall in line.”

I am amazed that she found the time to reply and post a comment on my blog - she must have had far better pastimes on her mind.

Come to think of it, my husband is totally addicted to footie and Ebay, Amanda has given me an idea or two to ponder on …

She is the American PR version of our Belle de Jour. And she has launched a blog revealing a naked journal of the PR business.

She is The Strumpette. And as her blog is a big tease - it no doubt reaches parts that other blogs on business deals and RSS’s fail to reach! She reckons it is the first honest account of the PR business.

She calls herself Amanda Chapel and she will quite happily sleep with anyone to get a job, which she confesses quite openly:

“I am 5’ 4” tall, athletic, Pantene shoulder-length black hair, perfect perky boobs. I present well and am most accomodating. I’ve slept with clients. I sleep with my boss. I am the consummate PR strumpette. “

Nobody knows who she really is, but everyone is blogging about her, trying to find out, wishing they had an Amanda Chapel in their office.

As sex sells, I’m sure she can look forward to a book launch and Hollywood film in the near future based on her “experiences”. Will this be the first film made about a blog?

How much does it cost to set up a blog? Nothing, at least I didn’t pay a penny for this. And it’s easy peasy to do, I managed it.

Geoff maintains that anyone who can book EasyJet tickets on the internet can manage a blog. Maybe that was too tough a challenge for David Milliband’s team as he revealed on his ministerial blog that it cost £6,000 to set up.

He said in defence to criticism from outraged bloggers and taxpayers:

“I really don’t see it as a ’scrounge off the taxpayer’; much of my professional life is ‘Ministerial’, paid for by the taxpayer, and part of that has to be about engaging with people, and this helps me do that.”

I have just posted the same question to Boris Johnson, Shadow Minister for Higher Education, asking him how much his blog cost. Earlier this week I asked how many hits he had and the answer was - 10,000 a day - which is truly staggering.

And his bloggers are given a personal reply to their questions, rather than the blanket statement given byMinister Milliband. So whatever the cost, it is value for money - and genuine engagement.

His assistant Melissa is also gobsmacked by their success. She said:

“At the last count this website got an average of 10,000 hits per day which is astounding for such a homespun outfit. It reflects well on Boris I think and what he represents: openness and free communication. It takes some courage to allow all and sundry to have their say and allow them to throw a few rotten eggs at you.”

Anthony Day and his Venus

The quaint letter which arrived on my door mat this morning stood out. It had been typed, the envelope too, something almost unseen today. It had been sent by my artist friend Anthony Day, who is well in his 80s and refuses to embrace new technology, even as an author of local history books. He prefers to sit and type away in his picturesque cottage with its pebble path and pantile roof overlooking a traditional English village green and its pond rich with many species of birdlife; I even saw a heron sitting there a couple of weeks ago.

Anthony is a successful landscape artist who always rode on a motor bike to search out locations which were off the beaten track. Sadly, and bureacratically, he is now unable to do so as no insurance company will give him cover because of his age - despite his clean licence.

However, one day he broke the mould by painting a beautiful nude figure as an art student which he lent to a theatrical friend to use as a prop in a play in Cambridge, but it was never returned. Then 55 years later, Anthony was reunited with the painting and I bought it on a whim, saddened to think it had been locked away in an attic for its entirely by its unappreciative owner.

The Cambridge Evening News ran a story to trace the model, a woman called Margaret, who would also be in her 80s now, but there was no response, unfortunately. I am proud to hang the painting at home.

Anthony’s Christmas cards and invitations are always hand typed and always make me smile, it is a reminder of days gone by. I well remember those days, bashing away at my typewriter in newsrooms, writing my stories, making carbon copies, the spike which stood close by, another old relic long since abandoned for health and safety reasons.

His latest letter is an invitation to a private viewing of his exhibition called Homage To The Lion Mills and features paintings that are reminiscent of his childhood. We often enjoy country walks together and he tells me stories of those golden days.