Back in April 1992
Nick Clegg is not the first Liberal Democrat leader to visit the Seal Sanctuary as back in 1992 the Cornish Seal Sanctuary was inundated with reporters and photographers. Cast your mind back to April that year and you may just recall the smaller matter of an election!

The Sanctuary made it clear that, by agreeing to his visit we were not affiliating ourselves to his party, or indeed any political persuasion - had Seb Coe, the local Conservative candidate, or John Cosgrove, the Labour candidate wanted to visit we would probably have also agreed.
Paddy Ashdown visits the Seal Sanctuary on 7th April 1992
Paddy Ashdown visits the Seal Sanctuary on 7th April 1992 The visit brought a lot of publicity, which is always helpful, and although the Sanctuary only received a very brief mention in national newspapers and news programmes, the visit was more extensively covered by local media and hopefully gave people one idea of where to go when their children next complained of "being bored" and wanting "something to do".
Although Mr Ashdown flew to Culdrose, the air station near Helston and only a mile from the Sanctuary, he arrived at the Sanctuary in his "battle bus" complete with resident journalists.

These swelled the already high numbers of paparazzi waiting in the car park who swarmed around the politician on his arrival and dogged his every step onto the safari bus and down to the pools for a photo call.
Paddy Ashdown visits the Seal Sanctuary on 7th April 1992
Paddy Ashdown visits the Seal Sanctuary on 7th April 1992 Mr Ashdown and Terrye Jones, the local Liberal Democrate candidate, went into the convalescent pool enclosure with Mike Thomas (the Manager and part owner of the Seal Sanctuary), where they fed mackerel to Magnus, Charlie and the others.

Pun of the day was that Mr Ashdown was "trying to catch the floating voters!"


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