I am standing for election AMA (except what party I'm standing for!)

[CandidateX]

Any questions at all about the process, but not about the politics, which are talked about all over MN already. I have a very busy morning ahead, but should be back to answer questions around lunch time, or a bit later.

Should you really be standing for election if you don't know what checks and balances are? That is third year modern studies stuff (for viewers in Scotland).

It's quite possible that the OP answers these questions when standing on a doorstep representing the party she is representing.
She is not looking for votes here just offering an insight into the process.

If you think the OP's post is too narrow, you could request it is moved from AMA to chat.
I am interested in the process and have enjoyed OP's answers so far.

Would you join a picket line if you were elected as an MP?

Would you take on a "consultancy" role as a second, or third job?

Would you employ family out of the public purse?

Are there any saucy secrets in your past you think could get out and be a minor scandal? (You don't need to say precisely what, lol)

And second question, what was the tipping point in your life that made you decide to be a politician?

Thanks very much!

You can't talk about politics without y'know talking about politics. Process is actually about politics.

I don't think the recommendations come specifically from the party, and I have friends in different parties who have the same recommendations. We have several pages of security recommendations, it is quite alarming. But you can keep your address confidential, up to a point. Obviously, if someone is really set on tracking you down they probably could. Is your friend's address on the ballot paper? Mine just says I live within the constituency, that is all.

To be honest, I am a bit confused about the leafletting myself. As far as I know, I am entitled to a "freepost" allowance, the Royal Mail pays for one letter from me to each voter - they are very specific about the size and content of what they will deliver.

And in spite of it being called a "Free Post" the party has to pay a deposit - I don't know if we get this back, but I think we should - however it is quite a lot to find in the first instance. I think we lose the Free Post deposit if something prevents us standing on the actual day. I don't think it is related to the election deposit in any way.

Anyway, what I can tell you is only half of my constituency has had my leaflet - I was given a Free Post deposit by the party, but not enough for the whole constituency - only enough for half of it. We chose which half, as the half that we are likely to get the most votes from, as the hope is those votes will carry over to the next local election.

To the best of my understanding, this is what happened. However, it was the last thing on a long agenda of a very late meeting, and I might have misunderstood! I do know that half of my constituency has received leaflets, and I am not expecting the other half to.

@CandidateX Thanks for replying.

Nothing, sorry! We have an outsourced social media screening as part of the selection process - I didn't think I had ever been indiscrete on social media, and the screening confirmed that.

I don't think I have any other secrets off social media either!

although silly mistakes in the past don't prevent you being selected, you are just given guidance on how to handle questions about them.

I chose to stand because I want safe, secure affordable housing further up the political agenda. I mentioned that before, but won't say anything else about policies.

She said in the title not to ask what party. I never asked her or him what party. I asked about t their stance on a topic that is at the forefront. It is AMA. If they don't want to be asked 'anything' then they should write in a different area!

Have you always been involved in your political party or is it a recent decision to join? How have you found your local party / organisation? (Not sure of the right term!)

Has door knocking been eye-opening? For whatever reason. Emily Thornberry in Labour says there is always at least one naked man opening the door each election in her constituency!

I've party hopped a bit in the past. I've been a member of this party for a while, but not really an active member the whole time. I have been involved in various cross party campaigns locally. I find them all quite friendly, and some are very knowledgeable. I can be a bit of the odd one out not being able to quote bits of legislation, and stuff like that, but on the other hand, party agents scored me highest in mock hustings, because they said I was natural and relatable. So I have other strengths instead of a legal back ground, or things like that. I think we are quite a good team, because there is such a big mix of people. There is normally somebody that knows something about any specific topic, and sometimes it is me.

Door knocking is an eye opener. You just don't realise what a wide variety of people live all around you, extreme poverty and massive wealth in the same street, often in homes you can't really tell apart from the outside. I have found beautiful mansions on streets I use regularly, and I didn't know they were there - sometimes set back from the road slightly, or behind a hedge. It is lovely when people want to talk to you and tell you about their life and their struggles. You feel like you have travelled to many different planets within a couple of miles!

Unfortunately my friends full address is on the ballot paper yes, which is why I am concerned 😕

@CandidateX thank you for your reply. Very interesting to hear your Pov.
On question 2, I wasn't asking about your politics, I was more interested in an actual point in your life where you thought, 'ok I'm standing.'? Where were you socially, work wise, family wise etc.

Also can you answer one more...
Do you have any politicians or political employees in your family? Are your family of the same political persuasion as you? Do they support your political career?

Thanks again!

Could I ask about what a doorstep conversation actually looks like? I've never had someone knock on my door (live in a tiny hamlet so I don't imagine they spend their time coming my way!).

So say, if someone was very sure who they were voting for, or had already sent in a postal vote, would you still have a conversation with them? And what would you talk about? How does your opening 'script' go? How long does a typical conversation last? Do people tend to invite you in, offer tea etc., or is it really on the doorstep?

My constituency is now a marginal thanks to the boundary changes so I was hoping for some door knockers, but no luck so far.

Thank you!

No politicians in the family, no. And we don't all have the same politics, although there is overlap. Yes, friends and relatives support me, and many have said they will vote for me, even thought they don't always vote for my party.

Well, we knock on the door and as soon as it is opened we say hello, we are from the *** party. Sometimes people say they don't want to talk to us, then that is fine. If the door is still open we say " We would like to know what your main concerns are in this election" and that normally starts a conversation going. At some stage we ask if they have ever voted for us? would they consider voting for us this time? If the answer is no way, then we say thank you and leave. if they say yes, they will, then we say thankyou and leave. If they are undecided, then we ask if there is anything they would like to discuss with us. And so the conversation goes on.

You do have to be on the look out for people who are voting for other parties, but think it is helpful to their party to keep us with them trapped and answering questions for a disproportionate length of time

@CandidateX you sound like someone I could vote for OP. I was a single parent and homeless through no fault of my own years ago. It was terrifying . I was so scared my 12 year old son was going to be put into separate accommodation from me on that first night but fortunately , we had a homeless worker who got the three of us (me, him & my daughter) together )so I know exactly what you are talking about. I will never forget it and folk think it will never happen to them. Thank goodness we have good people like yourself standing. Good luck.

Do you intend to stand for other things after 5th July?

What have you learned about yourself from this process?

Perhaps you can try and explain this to me. I thought all candidates had to be local? Why were there people on my ballot paper with addresses not in my constituency? (Or for security a central London address? Which I've seen before. )

What proportion of properties in your area do you think you will have covered during the campaign? I have never had a single door knocker during a GE campaign (I'm in my 50s). Maybe because I live in what has always been a safe seat. We have had a ring doorbell installed since the last GE so I know no one has been even if we've been out. I'd talk to you whatever party you are from.

No she said: “Any questions at all about the process, but not about the politics, which are talked about all over MN already.”

You asked about a political topic, not a political party. There are plenty of people who offer AMAs with certain parameters, that’s not unusual.

Love the political party podcast.

You can't talk about process WITHOUT talking about politics.

I've seen enough of process to know this.

The fact you are not prepared to talk about certain issues 'because they are too political' says a huge amount about process and selection of candidates who have to be robotic unthinking beings who tow party line because to voice another opinion is totally unacceptable.

Thats not good. The process is fundamentally undemocratic if we have that to such a degree that certain subjects are viewed as too polarising to have an adult conversion about.

I don't think its good for a candidate to come on a forum and say AMA but not about politics for that reason

It just shows up how screwed up the process is...

This is a relatively new thing. In the past candidates were allowed to speak about difficult issues as they saw fit - provided it was intelligent and had a point.

This is authoritarianism through process.

Its not a good look.

Re door knocking. A constituency has roughly 70,000 registered voters.

Thats probably around 35,000 - 40,000 houses.

A team of 10 canvasers will probably get through 100 - 150 houses in an hour. They can only canvas between 5pm and 8pm in the week. Longer at the weekend.

Do you start to see how the numbers on this stack up? This means they will only target certain areas and streets they think are worthwhile, as the number of canvasers available is limited (they won't be able to canvas every day).

People get annoyed about a lack of canvassers. The reality is that its impossible to door knock everyone and there is a lack of awareness about how unusual it is to get canvassed.