I've just come in from a quick canvassing session, where we attempted to survey local residents on their priorities and worries for the local area. If you don't know about people's concerns, you can't address them, right?
One door was opened by a youngish woman, at home with her small child. I introduced myself with my large smile, told her what we were about, asked her if she was signed up to our LibDem local newsletter. All the usual stuff.
Then I showed her our survey, which consists of a list of tick boxes: Schools, Climate Change, The NHS... Immediately she flagged up Immigration.
"Ah," I smiled. "Would you like to tell me about your immigration concerns."
There was a quick, but distinct scan of my face, my general demeanour.
"No." Came the reply, in a heavy Eastern European accent of some sort. "I don't want to talk about that." She did not add, "To you," but her look implied it.
You get to recognise that look instantly. Some people I canvassed last year at least had the decency to look a bt embarrassed or apologise for saying these things to me. I'd ask you for a moment to imagine the cumulative effect of these looks, this outright scorn, this glee in their barely-hidden prejudice. At least, I hope, my very presence as an aspiring politician of colour it gives people the chance to check themselves for an instant and examine their motivations.
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