On Friday night I came back from a family ‘do’ celebrating my cousin’s 10th wedding anniversary. It was a lovely occasion, but I had to leave early because I had the children with me. Not having eaten since breakfast I ordered a healthy chinese for home delivery.

Much to my amazement, the delivery man recognised me as the Labour candidate and asked why wasn’t I at Edge Hill University where there was a big Labour event taking place. “Gosh”, thought I – since I hadn’t been told that the event was taking place and, quite irritated, tweeted my frustrations.

Apparently there had been a fundraising event which was attended by Alan Johnson. Tickets were £35 per head or £350 per table of ten.

I spoke to a few comrades in the local party on Saturday who also hadn’t been invited – and I was feeling a bit peeved that perhaps only a select “few” had been invited. Peeved, because these events are usually very sociable occasions and a great opportunity to add to the coffers for the forthcoming general election. Ironically, I wouldn’t have been able to attend because of the earlier family and childcare duties that night.

While brushing the back yard this morning I remembered that there had been an email from the regional party advertising party printing services (Christmas Cards, Out Cards and leaflets, that sort of thing). I scrolled past the sales stuff to find a mention of the constituency dinner. So it turns out that I had been told that the dinner was on and simply missed it because I’d thought the message was about regional printing services.

On that basis I thought it best to apologise fully and unreservedly for even suggesting that I might not have been told that the dinner was on. Sorry.