Should you thank an election volunteer? It’s a question I ask myself as people return from delivering leaflets, hand in their canvass sheets or finish another marathon envelope stuffing session in our magnificent basement office.
Obviously, if people make me a cup of tea, buy me chocolate, remind me what day of the week it is, or point out that the glasses I’m looking for are on my head – then I thank them. That’s polite.
But the other stuff?
Most nights as I leave Highbury the last thing I hear is Caroline saying “thank you Seb, you’re awesome.” As I walk down through Highbury Fields to go home I think “Why are you thanking me? I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for me.”
In my time I’ve been represented in Parliament by John Major, by George Galloway and even briefly, by Neil Hamilton. I know what it’s like to have an MP who needs reminding regularly what the right thing is to do and why I object to the way they propose to vote.
It’s wearisome.
Emily Thornberry needs fewer letters than John Major I grant you, but she needs more than Benali would. If I’d lived in “the North” these last couple of years the stamps alone would have bought a small house in Newcastle. If Caroline was my MP I doubt I’d need to write her about anything. Ever.
I do what I do because I want more Greens elected. I do what I do because I enjoy it. I do what I do because I enjoy making a difference. I don’t need to be thanked for it.
We are trying to get the best candidates we can elected in Islington, but I don’t need thanking for it. It is in our interest that Benali and Caroline are returned to parliament. Not theirs.