‘Get on your bike’ was the memorable rallying cry attributed to Tory Minister Norman Tebbit in the early eighties to the young unemployed who couldn’t find work near to where they lived. David Kinnaird, the Marlborough-based aspiring LibDem candidate for our constituency, East Wilts has taken Tebbit at his word (or what he was supposed to have said). Whilst obviously from a very different political persuasion, David is currently cycling around the East Wiltshire constituency accompanied by his wife Lisa, visiting five of the larger towns and many (seventy or more) of the villages in between over fourteen days from 5 June to Tuesday 18th. Not only does this give David the opportunity to meet those who could vote for him, it gives them the chance to meet him, in an informal setting – whilst also following Tebbit’s advice about getting on his bike to get a job. (Bike – an iconic British Brompton’, Job – Member of Parliament for East Wilts). ‘Get out to the villages to listen to people’ as David describes what his ‘Tour’ is all about.
But this was planned well before PM Rishi Sunak decided to call the General Election for early July. This decision took many by surprise (and is still a questionable which will only be seen to be wise or foolish on Friday 6 July), and caused David to do a rethink about how and what the ‘Tour de East Wilts’ was going to be. But not to scrap it – far from it.
Originally David had planned to do this Tour for two reasons. Partly to get to know constituents and the constituency but also to raise funds for the Stroke Association and make people aware. As it wasn’t part of an election campaign, the Tour presented a perfect way of getting this important message across to a wide audience, but once inside the election timescale window – not possible.
For David, as a stroke survivor this was a blow. He suffered a major stroke several years ago in 2021 at the tender age of 55. But thanks to very fast response (critical in the case of a stroke) and new treatment (at GWH) he came through and whilst leaving an indelible mark in the memory and his outlook of life, he made an excellent recovery. Sufficiently unscathed not only to be able to stand as a Parliamentary candidate for East Wilts but also to manage this bike ride around the constituency, covering at least 175 miles overall which could be regarded as a substantial distance for anyone, let alone one with a history of a severe stroke. Election to Westminster? A walk in the park by comparison……
David’s slogan is ‘Be Brave, Vote For Dave’, which might have already been seen as a mobile billboard is in circulation. Marlborough stop? Tomorrow, Saturday 8 June 9-9.30am at the end of Figgins Lane in the Car Park.
Norman Tebbit and the ‘Get on your bike’ quote….. As in so many ‘legends’, it isn’t what he actually said (why let fact get in the way of a good story?). It was at the Conservative Conference of 1981. Then Employment Secretary, what he actually said was about his father’s experience: ‘I grew up in the ’30s with an unemployed father. He didn’t riot. He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking till he found it.’. Norman Tebbit, now aged 93, has ever been the subject of shouts and the soubriquet of ‘Onyerbike’ in the many years since that speech.
‘Look to the Light’ – a screening at The Parade Cinema of new film with strong local connections
