Khalid Arar from Salfeet meeting Sal Brinton

I had the privilege of meeting Khalid Arar from Salfeet on the West Bank on Thursday, with Mike Barnes and Keith Douglas of the Watford Friends of Salfeet. Khalid manages the Palestinian Medical Relief Service in the Salfeet District, organising the doctors, nurses and supplies for the various regular village clinics.

For some time now there has been increasing worry about the activity of the illegal Israeli settlements which have been taking more and more land from the residents of Salfeet, especially their fields and olive groves, on which they rely for income.  In Watford we've recently set up a campaign to fund more olive trees for them.

However, Khalid had a text on Thursday when we were meeting in the House of Lords, saying that bulldozers were working in Deir Istiya (part of Salfeet)  to flatten land for expansion of Rebaba settlement, destroying more of the olive groves. It is outrageous that this is allowed to happen. and yet gets no publicity or official international support for the Palestinian farmers.

We also talked about the delay to building the new school Deir Baloot: some months ago the building of the new school was stopped by Israel because it was being built in Area C. (Area C is a notorious part of the West Bank where Israel refuse to allow the Palestinian Authority to manage their own internal affairs, and where land incursions are at their worst.) Education is vital, and should not be in the gift - or denial - of another nation.

I shall be asking a question in the House about why the new demolition in  Deir Istiya was allowed to happen, and what the Israeli authorities propose to do to not just halt the demolition, but to return the land to the farmers who own and farm it. Their olive oil is wonderful for us a customers, but to the farmers and their families, it is their livelihood which is at risk in an already almost impossible situation.

The AV Bill (more accurately the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill) went through its Third Reading in the Lords on Monday, back to the Commons on Tuesday, and then the delightfully named Ping Pong in an extended session on Wednesday. Ping Pong is the final stage where final amendments are considered by Lords, and then have to return to the Commons, who consider them and return them to us. It goes back and forth until the Lords agree to the final Commons version. It is rare for it to happen more than twice, because the convention is that the Commons, as the elected chamber, takes precedence.

The difficulties with the Bill since Labour peers started to filibuster on 10 January have meant lengthy evenings and an ever growing number of amendments.  Their determination to block the Bill has resulted in very un-Lords like behaviour, throwing into question whether things will ever be the same again.

The small part that I've been able to view over the last week seems completely at odds with the whole style of the current courteous style of scrutinising and polite recognition of difference that is the Lords trademark. Inadvertently, I believe that these Labour mavericks are hastening reform. I welcome reform. I don't welcome their tactics.

Ping Pong on Wednesday went on until 11.30pm - just over 12 hours. They had been supported by some senior Tory rebels earlier in the day (notably some of Mrs Thatcher's Cabinet), but late at night, it was finally agreed that we should recognise the will of the Other House.

Some of us stayed to await Royal Assent, with officials going to Buckingham Palace to receive the Queen's approval. Recognising the constitutional significance, Nick Clegg came to the bar of the House to hear the Royal Assent being read, and at last, the Act came into being to give us a referendum on AV on 5 May.

It's been an extraordinary first week in the Lords, and now to the campaign for Fairer Votes!

Mosts of the family were able to join me, and friends Val, Heather and Candy. We had a lovely lunch to celebrate - both the Introduction, and Tim and my 28th wedding anniversary.

Now down to work!  I'm really looking forward to being a member of the House of Lords Liberal Democrat team. They have been so welcoming and helpful over the last few weeks, and there will be plenty to do.

If you add in all schools in England (25,000) it isn't 10%. it's actually 0.16%  (407 divided by 25,000) Oops! Not quite such a roaring success.

I asked the Academy Network to change their headline, and so far they have corrected their twitter on it, but not the website, blaming the headline taken from the BBC (http://tinyurl.com/3yfrve4). Other lazy journalists, including the Guardian (http://tinyurl.com/3xo9x4n) have just used "one in ten". To be fair to Michael Gove and the Department of Education, their press statement is much more considered and makes it plain that it is only secondary schools they are talking about.

So this story actually turns into an extremely good news story for the vast majority of schools, 99.8% of which are happy to remain within their local arrangements, whether local authority or church/faith grouping.

Sal is supporting Tim Farron for Lib Dem President

I am delighted that Tim Farron MP is standing for election for the presidency of the Liberal Democrats, and I want to give him my full support.

Tim is a man of absolute principle, who is a real liberal radical to his fingertips. He's also a brilliant campaigner, who has shown how a dedicated local MP can turn a marginal seat that he took off the Tories into a 12,000 majority in 2010.

But equally importantly, for the key role of the President he really understands the party, what makes it tick, and how we need to work together to keep our party's voice distinctive during the Coalition, and work together for future success.   Following Baroness Ros Scott will be a tough act, but I am confident that Tim can do that. And he'll do it with passion, humour and dedication.

If you want to join us in supporting him, his website is here: http://www.timfarronforpresident.org.uk/

and do join his Facebook group at Tim Farron for Lib Dem president

With six of us answering most of the questions, there wasn't much time for many issues but we covered a wide range of topics. Inevitably school places and the hospital and health campus came up, as well as the effects of the recession on Watford. I raised my continuing concern about support for the young unemployed in our town, now a shocking 24%.

Simon Hughes speaking to the Watford Liberal Democrats at my Adoption meeting

Monday evening saw the Watford Liberal Democrat Adoption Meeting, and we were very fortunate to have Simon Hughes, from Bermondsey and Old Southwark and former President of the party as our guest speaker.

Simon is much loved in the party, and is a brilliant speaker, combining humour with a very liberal vision of Britain. He's travelled the country in support of  Liberal Democrat candidates over the years, and some of his train journey stories of sharing trains with his beloved Millwall supporters had us rolling in the aisles.

Candy Piercy chaired the meeting, and asked the members to formally adopt me as their candidate for  the General Election, and it was wonderful to be unanimously elected.

I spoke about the long journey that we've had in Watford over the last five years, and how much we want to see a much fairer Britain. In particular, parents have found it harder to get their children into the school of their choice, and the County Council had to admit in December that it is 1500 places short (and are proposing a shocking 41 temporary classrooms to solve the problem, rather than opening new primary schools to replace the ones that they closed in 2004.

I also talked about the importance of the Health Campus, and how Dorothy Thornhill had led the partnership that has made the scheme possible. Through my role as Deputy Chair at EEDA in 2003/4, I was able to see the land deals completed to make the whole health campus and affordable housing scheme fit in with Vicarage Road.

There were a couple of hundred members in the room, and Simon ended the evening with a fundraising appeal, which raised a very generous amount for the three campaigns we are running for 6 May, the Parliamentary, Dorothy Thornhill's relection campaign as well as 16 councillor elections. Thank you all!

at the Watford African Caribbean Association hustings

Sunday afternoon  saw a busy meeting of the Watford African Caribbean Association, with four of the six parliamentary candidates attending.  Clive chaired the meeting very well, and we managed to get a reasonable number of questions in, including the responses and some debating with the members of the association which was very welcome.

Questions covered parents concerns about the lack of school places in Watford; antisocial behaviour; how we ensure that young people (especially from the African Caribbean communities) don't get caught up in the criminal justice system; and how the UK manages to look after our increasing older population.

It was also good to chat to people afterwards, and talk further about the issues that mattered to them.

Liberal Democrat women helping women at the Watford HQ

Today the Liberal Democrat Campaign for Gender Balance have come to help in Watford. Their campaign is called "Women helping to Elect Women", and I'm very grateful for their help.  Some of the women who've come to help can be seen in the photo - others are out delivering and canvassing.

The Campaign for Gender Balance has been doing sterling work over the last decade, providing training, mentoring and support for women candidates, so that the Liberal Democrats can increase the number of women in parliament. I've been training women candidates since CGB was formed, and it's wonderful to see some of them in parliament now.  Candy Piercy, my campaign manager, is head of training, and Ros Gordon is the Chair. Vicky Booth is the staff officer who is doing a fantastic job supporting target seat women, and I'm very grateful for all their help.

Liberal Democrat next generation! Reporters have commented on how many women are helping Sal's campaign

Ros arrived today with her lovely baby Alex, who is now four months. This photo shows them with Zoe and 11-month-old Katie Salter - the next generation are already active in Lib Dem campaigns!

Yesterday the reporters from Dow Jones commented that they had never seen so many women in a political HQ. We pointed out - tongue in cheek - that Sam, my Agent, is our token male!

At the Watford Asian Community Care lunch at the Stanborough Centre

Zaheer and I dashed from the DRUM  exhibition up St Albans Road to the Stanborough Centre, where Watford Asian Community Care (WACC) had brought together their four groups for a special lunch. There were about 100 elderly people from the asian community, who rely on WACC for the lunches, and the social contact that this provides.

There was live music - very loud, and taking requests for songs, mainly (but not only!) from Bollywood movies, and some dancing by the members. I chatted to a number of the volunteers and trustees for WACC, who were excited about the growth in the groups, and how the lunch clubs are extending help, either medical or social, for many of the elderly residents who were often feeling isolated at home.

The food was delicious. We were served vegetarian dhosas, typical southern Indian cuisine which is a cross between a pancake and a wrap made of rice flour, which I and the family love. Tim's Mum and Dad were both born in Hyderabad, and we try as a family to eat at southern Indian restaurants, but they are few and far between. Please can we have some in Watford!