Marcus Wood

Shadow Cabinet 'like buses'

You know the saying, you wait for ages for a bus and then three come along at once.

Well that has been the case in Torbay regarding front bench visits; we have been graced by the presence of two senior front benchers this week, Chris Grayling (Work and Pensions) and Francis Maude (pictured left, with me and the head teachers and pupils from Paignton Community College) who is Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office; and then next week we have the spokesman for tourism, licensing and gambling here - Tobias Ellwood.

Front bench visits are a very important part of life as a PPC. At the basic level they are a rare opportunity for us to make the news - and the oxygen of publicity is a rare and valuable commodity and we need as much as we can get - but on a deeper level they are a chance for us to tell the shadow cabinet what is happening on the front line.

So in the quiet moments in the car, or having a coffee we can discuss the impact they are/are not having on swing voters in target seats like Torbay. This is a vital part of making sure the party remains closely in touch with all kinds of voters from all over the country.

I am pleased that the party is making such strenuous efforts to make sure we are regularily visited and I am certain that this demonstration of our commitment at the highest level will be remembered by voters.

And it's a good excuse for a day off work, too.