Rural life goes on during a General Election campaign in Wiltshire. In the village of Wilton a lot of local chatter centres on the village pond – will it flood, are there tadpoles in it, has the cat got the ducklings or the fox got the cat etc etc?
Two weeks ago a car slipped gently into the village pond – quite enough of a story to silence talk of politics for a few days.
Apparently the handbrake had been released by accident. Local farmer David Lemon soon got the car out of its watery parking lot – and the car was, believe it or not, none the worse for its dip.
However, politics is alive in Wilton – our political correspondent reports: “One corner of Wilton demonstrates the confusion among voters – even within individual voters. One house opposite the pond is displaying two posters – one Ukip and one Conservative. Dougie Wilcox, who is famous locally for his Christmas lights display, says he is leaning towards Ukip, but has been persuaded by local tory activists to put up a poster for Claire Perry too.
Opposite, an EU flag has been erected in a show of opposition to Ukip from the Arnold-Bakers.”
But in a later dispatch, our correspondent reported: “Battle intensifies. Dougie retaliated with two more St George flags. Who said politics was dead.”
Elsewhere in the area there has been concern about the defacing of some election posters and the positioning of others. Though it has to be said not too many posters are evident…so there’s not a lot of evidence for Political Correspondent’s to base their judgments on.
However posters have been spotted supporting the two main parties – one of the A346 and the other in Minal village. Guess which is which!