Thread by @Layo_FH

Over the years canvassing for Labour, I’ve been heckled, shouted at, I’ve had doors slammed in my face. I’ve had dogs chase me down paths and I’ve had people weep in front of me.

But tonight I had probably my worst ever exchange on a doorstep.

Let me explain…

Our leaflet in Rochester had a promise on it about getting more NHS dentists in the area and tackling anti-social behaviour… along with some other stuff. Like most voters, I barely glance as what’s on these leaflets.

I am just here to data harvest!

I open the door to a middle aged woman in the suburbs of Strood. She explained that she was undecided, leaning only 5/10 for Lab. I intend to try and get her number, for a candidate call.

I asked her if there were any issues weighing on her mind, fishing for intel to pass on…

She sighs and says not really and then flicks through the leaflet. She says the problem is, you promise things like this, like new dentists - "I need a dentist" - but how are you going to deliver this? Where are you going to get this new money for NHS dentists?

How will you attract NHS dentists and staff to move to Rochester?

I pause. I know Labour have ruled out any major tax rises. Where are we going to get the money from?…

I say, "well, Labour’s focus is on getting the economy growing again, after years of stagnation…

if we get our economy growing again, we will have more money to invest in…"

She cuts in, "but how will you do that?"

I splutter. I’m worried that planning reform isn’t really a vote-winner. It’s a bit esoteric and explaining how the housing crisis is impacting the economy…

well it’s complicated… and I don’t think this voter will be moved by
talking about building more homes.

I’m correct here, as she later dismissed the point on housing on the leaflet, because she "doesn’t need housing" and so that doesn’t affect her.

I could talk vaguely about allowing for more infrastructure development by cutting planning red tape but I don’t, as I get a sense this isn’t just a curious chat from an engaged voter, but is a bit of a quizzing…

I feel my blood pressure rising a little.

She continues…

"Anti-social behaviour? Luckily it doesn’t affect me here. But what exactly are you going to do?"

I attempt to row back and divert. I say, "I tell you what, I think Lauren Edwards, our candidate, is best placed to answer these questions."

I ask for her contact number.

She declines dismissively. I’m paraphrasing here but she says, "l’m sorry but you’re trying to get me to vote for this party and you cannot even answer these simple questions."

I apologetically explain that I’m just a volunteer, not the candidate.

Most people are receptive to this line and don’t expect volunteers to be across policy like a front bencher.

But she isn’t. She starts twisting the knife, "you’re meant to believe in this party, *points at labour logo*, but you come out and can’t even explain your policies."

I’m now crumbling. I explain that I’m just a volunteer, down from London. I again say if she wants answers to policy, Lauren would be best to speak to, or perhaps I can see if a local cllr is with us?

She declines again, shakes her head and implies that I’ve just lost us a vote.

My fellow canvassers said I did everything right and that they would’ve offered up similar responses to me.

The board runner tried to reassure me by suggesting they were likely an activist from another party, acting in bad faith and were purposely trying to undermine me.

Personally I’m sceptical that I was speaking to an activist. We had no data on her, she wasn’t down as a supporter of another party. I asked to see if we had a local councillor with us, as they might know the individual if they were an activist. There wasn’t a councillor with us.

I’ve never had someone on the doorstep make me feel so small. I find it difficult to shake the exchange from my mind. I summed it up to the board runner - "I would rather be shouted at than be condescended."

One line of hers stuck in my head…

"You (as a volunteer) are meant to have faith in this party, but you can’t even explain your policies"

In my defence, the new dentists for Rochester was totally new to me. But across the country Labour candidates will be making similar pledges to this…

Labour won’t raise any of the big taxes. The sums raised on VAT on private schools are tiny. And I started to ponder that I do have ‘faith’ in Labour but the problem is, I’m just out here on faith. ‘Faith’ that a Lab gov will somehow get the growth necessary to end austerity…

Labour have made it clear it won’t commit to any tough choices to shift to a more progressive tax base based on wealth as well as income, and then raise spending.

Apart from planning reform, all politically tough choices have been dodged.

But I still have faith, I guess.

Time will tell whether this takes the top spot as my worst doorstep experience. As I said, I can take a heckle, a shouty angry person hating Labour, cos it isn’t personal. But this was personal, cos I was made to feel like I was inadequate and foolish. It was ‘on me.’

An insight into my personality and psyche for my followers there.

Anyway, I don’t actually think this is my worst experience, that would’ve been the person who broke down in tears. But that is a story is for another night.