I'm not interested in politics and I'm not going to vote

Whilst out campaigning and knocking on doors in Mill Hill I've learned a very interesting thing. I learned that many people who think they have no interest in politics are actually passionately interested, they just aren't being listened to. In the course of the week, I've spoken to two people who have given me a huge insight into how the people of Mill Hill think and how they view politics. Both started by saying "I'm not interested in politics and I'm not going to vote". In both cases, I asked why they felt like that. In both cases it turned out that they were highly interested. They just felt no one spoke up for them.

I explained my reasons for standing for the local council. I've lived in Mill Hill all of my life and I'm interested in making sure that it remains a good place to live. Both of the people I spoke to felt that it had become a less nice place in recent years. When I discussed the issues, many of these were beyond the scope of a local council to sort out. I discussed what a local councillor does and how a good local councillor spends many hours dealing with problems local people have with the council. Neither of the people I spoke to realised that local councillors hold open surgeries where people can come to discuss their problems with the council. My Lib Dem colleagues spend every Saturday morning at Mill Hill LIbrary. Anyone can drop in and discuss any issue. Many people have been helped as a result of these sessions. It is fair to say that councillors of all parties do the same.

I asked about what they felt a councillor could and should be doing. They told me of various things which they felt to be important. Both agreed that issues like potholes should have been dealt with in a more timely manner by Barnet Council. Both were worried by the effects of overdevelopment. Both were disgusted by the refusal of the Barnet Conservatives to add the names of servicemen who have died since World War II to local war memorials. One of the residents was a serving police officer. I asked him if he had any advice for me if I was elected.He said "Go out on a night shift with a patrol on a saturday night and don't go out with the chiefs". He said then I would see the real issues for normal police officers. I am a firm believer in seeing things from the ground level. This is one suggestion I will most certainly follow up if the people of Mill Hill see fit to give me the opportunity.

Both of the respondents were formerly in the forces and were scathing about the treatment of former servicemen. I would like to see a veterans bureau established which would put dealing with our servicemen at the forefront of our priorities. This is what happens in the USA and it works well. Suicides and depression is prevalent amongst our ex servicemen. I personally would like to see Council such as Barnet actively recruiting ex servicemen as they are hard working, punctual and committed. Again both of the people I spoke to agreed with this concept. Both would like to see low level crime addressed.

In both cases as we parted company on the doorstep, after a long conversation, I said "I though you weren't interested in Politics, we've been chatting for a half an hour" Both responded with the same comment "No one's ever listened to us before". Maybe there's a lesson in there for us all.