Last Saturday saw the Young Fabians begin in earnest our campaigns programme, as we headed to Ilford North for some canvassing on behalf of Wes Streeting, the Labour candidate. For some of us, including myself, this was effectively an introduction to canvassing and an opportunity to experience the kind of door to door campaigning that is so crucial in winning votes and seats.
In the lead up to the forthcoming local and European elections, and with 2015 obviously in mind, putting in the hours and miles will be pivotal. Having been given some training from Wes and Matt Goddin on how to canvass effectively, we spent the rest of the day out asking local residents what it was they were looking for from their future councillors, MPs and government.
To those more experienced at campaigning, the following will seem obvious but for the uninitiated, like myself, it was rewarding to hear actual voters' concerns. Amidst the clamour of national politics and the partisanship that comes with it, it is easy to lose a sense of what it is that motivates people to vote and what issues affect them. Saturday provided the chance to hear the kind of local problems that Labour will need to address around the country if it is to succeed over the next year. And not being too well versed in macroeconomic theory myself, it was something of a relief that as we canvassed from door to door, we were not being asked questions on the finer details of Labour’s tax policies.
This was the first Young Fabian campaigning session and hopefully a solid foundation for the future.
The next Young Fabian campaign day is on 19 April in Croydon Central. Contact Alvin Carpio ([email protected]) for more information