The War on Waste moved on this afternoon, taking in the centre of Nottingham as well as the constituency offices of both Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband.
The team set up shop outside Nottingham Council House on Old Market Square, joined by the ever-inquisitive cameras of BBC East Midlands. A number of supporters joined us, handing out leaflets and spreading the word. The main issue for most taxpayers was the more than £4,000 spent on the rental of a Christmas tree. No-one would begrudge anybody a bit of festive cheer in the office, but quite how it managed to cost as much as a luxury cruise to the Caribbean is beyond us.
From there it was on to two further stops – Sheffield Hallam, and Doncaster North. The Deputy Prime Minister has had a mixed record when it comes to waste, supporting the work of the Cabinet Office to crack down on procurement mistakes but then handing out millions on a variety of headline-grabbing policies. And with a general election just 10 months away, taxpayers will be hoping that Ed Miliband and the Labour Party are as committed to cutting out waste in the public sector as we are.
It’s onwards and upwards tomorrow – to Hull and York, and then on to Stockton-on-Tees and finishing up in Newcastle.