Many years ago when Noah was a lad, I was canvassing in my first election as a Candidate. I was out canvassing with the senior Councillor of the Ward and we came across one of my opponents residence festooned with Vote Labour posters, I was all for bypassing it and moving on, but my fellow Candidate said that his wife might be a Conservative, so it was decided we knock on his door. The door opened and there his wife stood and saw before her two Conservatives on her doorstep resplendent with two huge blue rosettes and an electoral roll in hand, that was our VoteSource and we were experts in using it. We asked her if we could count on her support come May 6th 1976. She politely declined pointing to the "Vote Labour” posters in the window and proudly announcing that her husband was a Candidate also, we bade her a very good evening, because one thing us Conservatives are good at, is being very polite. The following evening, I returned home after canvassing and my then wife said that the Labour Candidate had called and asked if I would kindly put his poster up in our window which he had left for me. I can remember thinking I like this, it's a bit of fun, that Labour Candidate and I remained friendly for many years. We fought a tough election but it was always fair but the difference from then till now is the dreaded social media. I haven't fought an election as a Candidate since 1991 and it wasn't till I stood for the Parish Council that I realised how things have changed. My opponents here in Pill hide behind their keyboard and throw out the personal attacks that are cruel and unnecessary, the hatred of anyone standing as a Conservative is plain to see as many of you know I have received poison pen letters and my current nickname is "that Pothole, Jeff". What does that all tell me? It says that I am winning the battle but I haven't won the war. There have been a few times over the last eighteen months of me campaigning in Pill, I thought seriously about giving up to these left-wing trolls and bullies, but the one thing that keeps me going is the thought that they mustn't and cannot win, because if they do that is an affront and a threat to democracy. The best way to beat them is through the letterbox and on the doorstep and that is how we achieve our goal and get a Conservative Council elected once again and keep our wonderful Liam Fox as our Constituency MP for many years to come.
Jeff Stott-Everett
Conservative Candidate for Pill
