I let down a novice canvasser on the very first doorstep

After going to speak to Aldershot Liberal Democrats on Friday night, and getting to see their very fine book sale stand at the back of the room, it was Sheffield yesterday to support the ever-excellent Laura Gordon.

It was great to see people from all around the country pitching up to help for the on-again-off-again possible Parliamentary by-election. Like me, others figured that even if the by-election doesn’t happen, this is all good campaigning help in the bank for Laura come the general election.

I was off canvassing for a long stretch with Imogen and Mo, a first-time canvasser. I, alas, set him a very bad example with our first doorstep conversation by being glared out of asking the right follow up questions to come away with proper canvass data… sorry Mo! Despite that, Mo took to canvassing like a star. He’ll soon be the canvasser every team wants to send to the really tricky house or the possible stakeboard site.

I hope I redeemed myself later in deploying my skills to decode the voting intention data given to me by one person in the form of telling me which car outside had the colour closest to the voting intention.

However, I was latter rather baffled later by the door I knocked on where, at first, silence followed. No-one in, I thought. But then I heard a mechanical whirring. Ah, someone in a wheelchair or similar, I thought. But still no answer at the door. Perhaps the whirring was a CCTV camera being turned on me? But looking around, I could see none even as I heard more whirring. And then, the whirring stopped and through the glass pane next to the door… a dog’s head appeared. Real dog. Alive. But… perhaps robotic?!

From the doors with more normal experiences, it was great to hear so many positive comments about Laura. A real tribute to the hard work she and the team are putting in. Although no Laura-themed boardgames were mentioned.

And now, to Haringey for some social media training with the council group…

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