The people's banner

We had a lovely walk along the Frome Banks nature reserve this morning, but failed to see any kingfishers. We did manage some dippers and a heron, though.

On arrival in town, we couldn't decide whether to go to a Wetherspoon's pub or the Labour Party HQ to watch the results of the Leadership Election announced. I thought we should aim for the latter, as the party would be sure to have a big TV and crowds of people assembled. So, to HQ we went.
A volunteer let us in, and up some steep stairs. There was one man, who currently runs the Stroud Labour Party, and two computer screens. No one else was there. The amazing Banner was on the wall: I must find my (pre-digital era) photo of all the banners on their May Day parade in Stroud in 1997, the year David Drew was elected for Stroud Constituency, ending an unbroken run of Tory victories that had lasted around 40 years. Happy days! The Samba band played, and David paraded, The sun smiled on Stroud.

David, who is Old Labour, lost his seat to a Conservative in 2010, and was tipped to win again this year, in all the opinion polls. But as we know now, the polls dont always tell the full story. The Conservative candidate got in again. Not-so happy Day. Following his electoral defeat, David decided to step down,, so Stroud Constituency doesn't have a potential candidate at the moment. We hope they soon will have.

So, we watched the results, and Jeremy Corbyn won, and made a long and passionate speech about building a better society, We were happy to have been in the party HQ at this historic moment, though we did wonder where everyone else was...

Afterwards, we had to go home because Pip and Mary had a deadline, so we made some passionate socialist scrambled eggs to eat in the garden, because the sun had come out, and was as good as it had been at any time during the week, when I'd been inside, working. At last!

I lay in the hammock for hours after Pip and Mary left, finishing my book and even managing to doze for a few moments. Then I came inside for vintage cider, supper and a new Scandi-noir drama on TV.

Days like this are worth remembering.

The banner shows Stroud Subscription Rooms (a venue for entertainment built by public subscription in the 1800s) and Ebley Mill, the Stroud District Council HQ. (They are not really next to each other, but it's an artist's impression of the area)