Save Ashford International

10.00 leave for Heathrow. I am on BMI today and the plane arrives ahead of schedule and as it is a tad earlier than the BA departure I get to the Parliament by 2.45, which would be in time for a 3.00 committee meeting in other weeks. Now that they also do online check in and they go from terminal 1 which is nearer and cheaper taxi ride, the balance of convenience swings to them again, bad luck BA.

15.00 Check through amendments on roaming and the latest timetable proposals for the Payments Services Directive. Compose letter to businesses concerning the proposed stopping of Eurostar services to Brussels from Ashford. Check though emails and various other upcoming amendments.

18.00 Leave Parliament and go to a meeting about Eurostar via my flat to drop off suitcase. The meeting is at the new offices of Kent County Council, not far from the old ones. They are obviously one of the first in to the building and the refurbishment is not complete. The lift still has cardboard all over the inside with hole poked through to get at the controls. We have a cross party meeting on the save Ashford International campaign with a local campaigner Edith Robson. Assistants are there for Peter Skinner, Caroline Lucas and Richard Ashworth, but I am the only MEP that turns up. I tell them we have drafted a letter. We finish at about 8pm which makes it too late for me to get to the European Cruise reception.