01 Jul 2024
Pounding the streets, knocking on doors and engaging with the voting public is an essential part of most candidates’ election campaign…
From the moment Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the date of the General Election, political parties of all persuasion have been actively targeting constituents in a bid to sway their votes in their favour.
For most residents, this translates as a two-minute chat on the doorstep with whoever has come a-knocking on that particular occasion, but for the candidates and their supporters on the other side of the door, it’s weeks of walking around their target area and speaking to hundreds of households over the duration of the campaign.
It’s also the first Ring doorbell election, with people able to scrutinise callers before answering the door, and the first since the rise of working from home post-pandemic, meaning more people are around during the day – albeit often caught up on Zoom calls.
Liberal Democrat candidate Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans until the recent dissolution of Parliament, says it’s actually one of her favourite aspects of the role.
“I love doing it. There are so many people who don’t ever contact their MP because they are fortunate not to need any help, so by canvassing you get to speak to them and get a real sense of the public mood, the key issues and the veracity of their feelings.
“As I’m no longer MP I currently can’t pick up on any concerns they might raise, but I can signpost them to their local councillors or feedback to HQ with any policy questions.”
This also includes a duty of care to some of the more vulnerable residents she speaks to, such as the elderly woman who had suffered two falls in the space of a week, with Daisy checking to ensure she has help with shopping, medication and transport.
“Sometimes you experience something quite upsetting,” she reveals. “I’m generally very chirpy, but it’s hard not to be affected by some of the stories people tell you.”
The Lib Dems use a central database to check through the electoral roll and determine who they have spoken to already and whether they know which way a person might vote before heading out in a particular patch.
Over the course of the campaign they will cover every ward in the constituency in the run-up to polling day, and for those houses where nobody is in, a campaign leaflet is pushed through the letterbox in the hope it will be read before being recycled.
We joined Daisy, Cllr Giles Fry, and other party activists working the Cottonmill area of the city one sunny evening, knocking on doors and talking to residents about the forthcoming General Election.
Clad in her trademark yellow puffa jacket and scarf (always on-brand is Daisy) and wearing a decent pair of trainers to cope with the walking, she fuels up on vitamin tablets and Dairy Milk, and says the vast distances covered while canvassing means her calorie intake doubles during the campaign.
It is a very different experience to the election of winter 2019, Daisy recalls: “It was just so cold and wet. At the time it was very much about Brexit, people were highly charged and angry, and it was a change election in terms of who ended up as MP.
“This time round, having met and helped lots of people over the past four years I find I’m having longer conversations, with the sentiment coming across really how overwhelmed people are, and how exasperated they feel about how difficult everything is now.”
With more and more homes now featuring video doorbells, she has even spoken to people when they are out for dinner or on holiday in Dubai, but were happy to spare the time to talk about the campaign.
Although she speaks to many existing Liberal Democrat voters, one of Daisy’s objectives is to convince dyed-in-the-wool Labour supporters to switch their votes in order to keep the Tories out, which is sometimes easier said than done.
“I’m not voting Tory or Labour,” says one resident. “I’m done with all of it.”
“I’m fed up with the two of them,” reveals another 85-year-old lady, referring to party leaders Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. “I’ve considered voting for the Liberal Democrats for a long time, but I have to listen to all the arguments. I believe it’s a privilege to use my vote, and I want to make sure I use it wisely.”
At another time and place, Harpenden and Berkhamsted Conservative candidate Nigel Gardner is joined by former councillor Mary Maynard in canvassing his potential voters.
It’s Grasmere Road in Harpenden on an overcast Tuesday lunchtime, and surprisingly there are more people in than out. Nigel is spending an hour or so here before heading out to Little Gaddesden and Potten End, trying to ensure he covers the length and breadth of the vast constituency.
“I’m a Tory!” he bravely announces to one resident, only to discover “he’s not one of us” and moving swiftly on.
“There are a lot of people who are disillusioned with the Tories but not convinced by Starmer,” he admits. “Some people are still thinking about how they are going to vote, the old tribal politics have broken down and they are genuinely thinking about their choice.”
Grasmere Road was previously a very traditional street occupied by doctors, teachers and other professionals, arguably the Conservative Party’s heartland, but as people have moved out to Harpenden from north London it is becoming increasingly filled with young, upper middle class families who are perhaps not as true blue as their predecessors.
“If they’re in doubt I encourage them to vote Green!” quips Nigel, and it’s not obvious whether he’s serious.
One of the key issues he’s keen to discuss on the doorsteps is the controversy over removing free parking in the town: “A lot of people still don’t know about it,” he explains.
One resident agrees: “Why cause another problem? There are a lot of good reasons not to do it, so can’t they raise the money somewhere else?”
Nigel makes sure to emphasise his local roots when speaking to people, believing this will encourage those sitting on the fence to recognise his commitment to the area.
“When they say they’ll vote for us we move on,” says Mary, whose role seems to be to gee things along when Nigel gets caught up in doorstep conversations. “I like to get on with it,” she adds.
One voter tells Nigel she is not very impressed with the Tories. “Boris Johnson is a liar, and there’s the whole Liz Truss interest rates debacle, I do feel it must be very difficult for you.”
Nigel takes it on the chin: all teeth and smiles.
Back to St Albans with Green Party candidate Simon Grover, also a district councillor, who is joined by colleague Juliet Voisey in Alexandra Road, Inkerman Road and Gabriel Square for a blitz of the area ahead of England’s clash with Denmark, at which time there really is no point door-knocking.
Simon’s been spending a lot of time in the party’s target seats over the duration of the campaign – Bristol, Brighton, North Herefordshire, Waveney Valley – in the hope that should the Greens win these constituencies in 2024, it will result in better finances and increased membership.
“St Albans is a very different seat from before,” he says.
“The Lib Dems have a big majority here, so people should vote for whoever they like,” he explains.
“Lots of people have told me they would like to vote Green but are worried that if they do that they might let the Conservatives back in. But the fact is that the polling organisations are predicting a huge victory for Daisy Cooper here – over 50% of the vote. And they’re predicting around just 20% for the Conservatives. That means there is plenty of room for thousands of Green votes. So I say to people if you think climate, nature and public services are the top issues today, as I do, then show it by voting Green.”
The Greens’ local campaign has involved reactivating their base support in areas like Clarence, Batchwood and St Peter’s, speaking to existing supporters rather than actively attempting to win over voters.
“The election period is so short that we’re largely focusing on where we already have support,” he says. “It’s all been a bit crazy! I’m trying to save the world, attend hustings, carry out election canvassing and hold down a job!”
With the Greens and Independents now the main opposition group on the district council, he says it will be interesting to see how the election pans out locally.
The sun is beating down on Liberal Democrat candidate for Harpenden and Berkhamsted Victoria Collins, but she is fully prepared with hat and bottle of water, although she’s still awaiting the delivery of a lightweight linen suit.
“The doorsteps are a whole different world,” she explains. “You get to go out and hear what people really think instead of just a small number on Facebook.”
One lady tells her she has yet to decide which way she’ll vote, and wants to see how the candidates perform at the hustings due to be held in Harpenden’s High Street Methodist Church on Wednesday.
“I’m reserving judgement, I want to take a long hard look at all the candidates and assess them before making my mind up.”
Victoria says the biggest group of people she meets are like her, the undecided voters, but she has also been trying to convince lifelong Conservatives to make the switch to Lib Dem.
“I can feel the momentum of people changing the habit of a lifetime. There are a lot of people who have lost trust in politics, and that’s why I’m canvassing until the last minute to try and win them over.
“My presence on the doorsteps is so important, I don’t take any votes for granted, my hardest mission is to ensure there are no wasted votes.”
Over the last few weeks she says she’s spoken to around 1,000 residents across the constituency, having given up her job to focus on the campaign: “It’s a risk but I’d rather do that than let the opportunity pass me by. I want to give it my all!”
“Oh you’re Victoria!” says another householder. “I’ve seen your image loads of times. I’m going to vote for you! It’ll be wonderful if you can push them [the Tories] out.”
Finally, putting in the legwork across St Albans is Conservative candidate James Spencer, who promises he’s in it for the long run no matter what happens on polling day.
“It is essential that those seeking political office maintain direct contact with voters. Not only is it important because it makes you a visible presence, you get a real grounding in the issues that matter most to the electorate.
“Whatever happens on 4th July, I’m not going anywhere and am looking forward to continue campaigning in St Albans. One of people’s biggest bugbears with politicians is that they only ever come knocking around election time, well I can assure them that this won’t be the case with St Albans’ local Conservatives.”
He says his team have picked up real concerns about Labour winning a super-majority in Parliament, particular in relation to the threat to the Green Belt and VAT on independent school fees: “Labour have committed to building 1.5 million houses and have admitted that they want to ‘bulldoze’ over the Green Belt. So much of our local Green Belt has gone in my lifetime, we must put a stop to it.
“Parents are genuinely petrified that they are either going to be priced out of the school they send their child to, or, if as I suspect will happen, thousands of pupils will be displaced into the state sector, it’s going to be increasingly difficult to get their child into an excellent local school.”
As with all the other would-be MPs, he tries to persuade undecided voters to lend him their support: “You always get the occasional person who says they will decide on the day, but for the above reasons we’re seeing quite a bit of last minute support. The people I speak to on the doorstep are very clear
when they explain why they are voting for me. First they like that I’m a born and bred local, and second, they know that I’m the only candidate on the ballot who can stop a Labour government.”
His local credentials – James was born in Jersey Farm and attended Wheatfields and Sandringham Schools – mean he has inevitably door-knocked at the homes of various old friends and associates.
“Re-connecting with so many old friends has been the best part of the campaign to be honest. I’ve knocked on the doors of former primary and secondary school teachers and have had old classmates get in touch to say they’ve seen me in the paper – and remind me that I was voted in our school leavers’ awards as the most likely to become PM!
“I’ve also been shocked at the number of people I’ve met who remember my mum when she was a teaching assistant at Wheatfields, and have been touched by all the kind words and memories people have shared with me.”
As a Conservative candidate, has it proved challenging to canvass in the wake of recent events in Westminster, including Rishi Sunak’s D-Day disappearance and bets being placed on the date of the General Election?
“I’m not going to lie, it has. People are rightly disappointed with the party leadership, and quite frankly, so am I. I got involved in politics at the age of 18 when a family friend asked me if I wanted to serve on Sandridge Parish Council. Since then, this commitment to public service has been the driving factor which has seen me go from a local parish councillor to the city’s Conservative Parliamentary candidate.
“I know people sceptical of politicians of all parties, and for many, faith in politics has been eroded altogether, so I never take for granted the trust people are putting in me when they pledge their vote. St Albans means the world to me, and I’ll never let this city down.”
For all the candidates running to become MP in St Albans or Harpenden and Berkhamsted – and unfortunately we couldn’t accompany every single one of them on their canvassing rounds – the next week will see a last-ditch sprint to the finish line in order to convince as many people as possible that they deserve their vote.
The election count is taking place at Batchwood Sports Centre late on Thursday night and into Friday morning, with the result for St Albans expected at 4am and Harpenden and Berkhamsted at 5am. Check out the results at www.stalbanstimes.co.uk
