In this edition of ‘Views From The Ground’, we hear from Bim Afolami. Bim is the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Lewisham Deptford.
Lewisham is not a Conservative stronghold. In fact, they haven’t elected a Conservative MP in Lewisham Deptford for a long time. A long time indeed. Yet, every day as I embark on this genuinely daunting task I keep hearing the most positive, amazing and wonderful things, which has given me a perspective on the campaign that the newspapers don’t always record.
What do voters care about
People are genuinely interested in national issues. Over the past few months most candidates (myself included) have campaigned in a very local way, showing their commitment to the local hospital, or to local schools or jobs – and these are obviously very important. It is what you are supposed to do. Yet as Election Day closes in, the voters’ minds seem to have focused on one principal question – which government will be best for the country? Now, as a candidate this can sometimes be disheartening. You realise that the ten minutes you have spent discussing your intimate understanding of how to get National Rail to sort out the train line between Crofton Park and London Bridge may well not sway the vote of the person you are chatting to!
However – the more you have discussions on the doorstep you realise that the key to engaging voters is not necessarily to agree with whatever they say (although if party policy allows it, that can be nice). It is to frame the relevant issue in the right way. That basically means getting the voter to think about the election in the (usually positive) terms in which you want them to think about it, rather than accept your opponents’ narrative. Let’s take an example I had recently in Lewisham.
One young first time voter was worried about the impact of student fees on some of her friends’ decisions to go to university next year (not hers, as she realised that a place at Cambridge is not to be sniffed at). As a result she had resolved to vote Green because of their stance of wanting to abolish tuition fees completely. Now there are two ways to respond to this. First, while stating that there was a growing gap in funding for universities, you can take a defensive posture and explain that as “difficult decisions” had to be made because of the terrible inheritance of 2010, then it is only fair to ask the students to make a greater contribution (and only pay it back when earning a decent graduate salary).
The Lewisham Deptford Constituency
Now, as a first time voter, she was not even a teenager when the financial crisis hit – so referring back to 2010 is unlikely to have much salience with her. In any case, to suggest that we increased tuition fees simply as a way of plugging a financial hole in (much needed) funding for universities is unlikely to win her round. However, when I explained to her that if you abolished those fees the money for universities would have to be found from increasing taxes on everyone – most of whom have not been to university and won’t receive a commensurate financial benefit from her attendance (unlike her, who as a Cambridge graduate would command a premium in the workplace), she was willing to think of that issue in different terms. Now she may still vote Green. But the way in which she thinks about that issue will (hopefully) be framed by our conversation. And this is why it is so important for candidates to have as many conversations as possible up until polling day. We are right on the issues. If we can frame our message properly, we will win.
Your values matter
People care about you. They care about who you are and how that influences your politics. Let’s not be shy about explaining why, in my example, my father coming to this country in the 1980’s from Nigeria and working as an NHS Consultant means that I have a personal and familial commitment to the NHS. I have learnt to explain my political policies in value – based terms. For example, when talking about how I am campaigning to improve the climate for small businesses in Lewisham, I say how this matters to me because I strongly believe in the value of every parent (I am the father of an 11 month old boy myself) having the security of a decent pay packet to provide for your family. I am lucky and am a lawyer, on a good salary. Small businessmen (and women) need not only to do that for themselves but also for the people they employ. Let’s help them out. We can do more. When I have tried to explain this issue in these terms, it seems to have more resonance than when, earlier in the campaign, I would explain my positions in more directly policy based ways, and expected voters to agree. It may not make a difference in the end. But it feels like I get more of a hearing from people who are not natural Conservative voters.
What has been surprising
How well informed so many voters are. Now even well informed voters can’t go through every single aspect of Government policy (and, frankly, how many candidates could do so either). Yet on the one or two issues on which a voter cares deeply, you will quite often find yourself discussing government policy on taxing classic cars (Embleton Road, Lewisham), or the finer points of adoption and fostering policy (the Brockley Jack pub, Crofton Park, last Sunday). You need to know your stuff. Or be willing to admit that you don’t, listen, learn something, and follow up with an honest follow up email once you have discovered a bit more about it. Highly enjoyable experience. Our democracy is by no means dead – people do think it matters (even if they have issues with many of the politicians involved in it!).
How many people haven’t decided
Now there are two things that all candidates, of all persuasions, standing in all different types of seats always say, at every election. First – this is either “the most important” or a “really important” election in our lifetime. Second – and they will say this until polls are shut – that many voters haven’t yet decided and everything is still to play for. Nothing is in the bag. Need to fight for every vote etc etc etc. You have heard this before.
Now, as this is my first election, I say this with some trepidation, but this time it genuinely seems like an incredibly high number of people are still undecided of how to vote. And when asked about what issue, if any, could help decide their vote one way or another – they often say that they don’t know. They say that they will decide closer to the time or on the day. This means that these remaining days out on doorsteps or leafletting really matter. They do. Because, in an age with weak class – based ties to either of the main parties, many people’s votes are still to be won. Let’s keep having the conversation.
What is going to happen
The election feels a bit like a dam wall against which an increasing amount of water is piling up, and it isn’t quite clear when, if at all, the dam wall will break. However, if it does, it will do so decisively. Recent political history tells us that if there is a late surge, it will be in the Conservative direction.
Find out more about Bim and his campaign to become Conservative MP for Lewisham Deptford by clicking here
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