Reflections of a candidate: Phil Hutty on his time on the campaign trail

By Phil Hutty, on Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Ah well that’s that then, the election is over and as I write the news channel is trying to second guess what is being discussed between the parties at Westminster.

I have had a pile of emails and calls congratulating me on our campaign and the efforts I made. Certainly I am grateful that 18,500 voters supported me and my party last Thursday and was extremely disappointed that I couldn’t convince enough ‘floating voters’ to join us too.

But then that’s politics I guess. Mel had a time advantage over me and to be frank, a financial one too, but that aside, clearly the nation felt that the Tories could deliver the change we all want. Well up to a point, that is, as they are still are short of a majority. And now Gordon Brown has stepped down we will all have to see if what happens next.

But I started to write this blog as a reflection of my time as a candidate, and before we all get overwhelmed by events, I would like to do just that.

You see for most of you the candidate is just someone you see at a hustings or someone who knocks on your door during the election.

Most, I’m sure, mutter under their breath that we are all the same (which we really aren’t), while others air their views freely with you as they discuss issues that concern them.

As the campaign got underway I heard all kinds of reasons why people were planning to support me or not, this ranged from the colour of the leaflet to deep-rooted policy beliefs. Before the starting gun had set us all off I had already held nine ‘big interviews’ the 10th was held that Friday, in addition there were hustings arranged across central Devon (10) visits to South West Water, schools, pressure groups, clubs, residential homes the hospice and of course interviews to be done

At one hustings I started to crash, a question I knew the answer too eluded me and lost the thread of what I was trying to say. Later it occurred to me that I had got up as usual at 7am did my morning emails before heading out 10am for a hard day’s campaigning. What I forgotten to do is eat, or stop for that matter, and as normal I had worked on to about 12.30 am the previous day I was pretty tired in fact I wasn’t really sure how tired I was until it was all over and my body just said sleep, which is pretty much how I spent the weekend.

So was it worth it? Of course it was. I had a brilliant time, meeting people discussing issues and listening to their concerns. I have always believed politics is about people and that’s my favourite thing. Knocking on doors I met all kinds of people and while a few were unpleasant most were not.

Being part of democracy is the best thing. Sure losing isn’t great, but then as long as you don’t take it too personally you get over it and you can always have another go and judging on the going on at Westminster, that surly can be only a couple of years away. Just need to find a job for a while…