It’s the 20th April 2010 and an eight minute telephone conversation has just confirmed my plans for the following day. Tomorrow is the day that I shadow the Green Party candidate for Croydon North – Shasha Khan. As I click down the receiver (feeling immensely relieved – Shasha seems like a friendly, approachable sort of man) I quickly note the time and address of our meeting: 1:30 p.m. at his Croydon home.
I arrive at Shasha’s house, a small mid-terrace, at twenty past one and am greeted at the door by Gordon, a Green Party supporter. Walking through the hallway I can see piles of luminous green posters, fresh off the printing machine, emblazoned with “Vote Green Party”. When I arrive in the kitchen Shasha Khan is conversing with another supporter, who I’m later told was Jim, but breaks off mid-sentence with a wide grin to shake my hand. “Welcome to Green Party HQ Aimee.”
I settle down at the kitchen table with my notebook and a few Green Party leaflets whilst the three men discuss the plans for the day. One postcard sized leaflet displays their national and local pledges, which range from “No incinerator for Croydon”, to “Bring the troops home” and “Cut bankers’ bonuses not public spending”. The reverse of the leaflet boasts a quote from Barry Buttigieg, a former Labour Party candidate: “I joined the Green Party because I really like their common sense 21st century policies… I am much happier being a Green.” The three men conclude that they do indeed have enough posters and leaflets for a full day of canvassing (an issue which seemed to be of great importance) and Jim leaves for the day, followed closely by Gordon, fully-laden with Green Party paraphernalia.
I’m handed several more leaflets, “Vote Green Party – Change London for Good”, “Bensham Manor Matters”, which I read as Shasha makes us tea. For a political candidate I’m struck by how humble he is and ask how he feels about his chances in the upcoming election. His reply is unsurprising: “Well, the thing is, we’re punching above our weight here. We only have three candidates in Croydon. But, you know, we’re out there campaigning and giving it a go”. Before leaving to get changed, the candidate shows me www.voteforpolicies.org.uk, a website designed to help the public decide who to vote for. Shasha delightedly tells me that the Greens are topping the poll with 27% and encourages me to take it while he is gone. Thirty minutes later he emerges in a blue shirt and jeans, asking “Do you think jeans and a shirt will be okay?” Bemused, I reply “Yes… yes I think so.”
“College students won’t think I’m trying to impress them?”
“No, no Shasha you look fine…”
Looking unconvinced he gathers together his propaganda and pins his green rosette to his jacket. “Ready?”
We take his car on a ten minute drive to his canvassing area. On the journey I initiate the conversation, asking about the foundation of the party and Shasha’s own experience of it. I learn that it was founded in Coventry in the 1970s, but was named “something like the Equality Party”, and that Shasha has been a member since November 2006. We talk of university – he adored studying Politics and Economics at Wolverhampton University. A phone call from Gordon sends us on a detour; it appears he forgot a bag of pamphlets, which luckily were left in Shasha’s car. Our canvassing then begins as we pull up outside number 87. “Do you ever get nervous before going door-to-door?” I ask. Shasha explains that he was previously employed as a door-to-door salesman, “I got rid of the nerves long ago” he remarks.
Looking less confident than I would think was necessary to successfully canvass, Shasha walks up to the door. A teenage boy answers, calls for his mother, and I watch as the candidate’s demeanour changes completely. He begins by introducing me as “Aimee- a university student who is shadowing me for the day to find out about politics in Croydon” and goes on to give a fluent, confident speech. I almost forget to take notes as I stare in, for want of a better word, amazement. The woman, who seems open to discussion, is aware of the Green Party and their policies. They talk at length about the campaign to stop the building of an incinerator in Factory Lane – an industrial area of Croydon surrounded by houses and schools – which I soon realise, is the biggest local issue for the Greens. After ten minutes we leave the woman with six different leaflets and a poster to put in her window. I’m intrigued: “Is it always this successful?” Shasha chuckles, “No… no not always. I’m considering paying you to come out with me. You’re obviously good luck!” he jokes.
After knocking on two doors to no reply, Shasha finds luck with another female resident. The patter isn’t so well received this time and I get the impression that Shasha is working hard for this vote, but once again we leave a woman with a fluorescent green poster in hand. As we discuss how difficult the last door seemed to be, a man interrupts asking if we’re from the Green Party. Shasha seizes the opportunity and we stand for ten minutes going through the same, well rehearsed speech. The man, who we later learn is Sri Lankan, is sceptical, asserting that “People only bring up these issues at election time” when confronted with the ‘Stop the Incinerator’ campaign (to which Shasha acknowledges, but politely disputes: “Well yes, but actually I’ve been campaigning on this issue for three-and-a-half years”) Once again we walk away from a resident, who is left clutching a multitude of paper. “The poor man was only walking his son home from school” I joke.
Looking at the time I ask Shasha whether it would be best to leave for Harris Academy, a secondary school in Crystal Palace which forms the next stop for the day. It’s nearly 4:30 p.m. when we arrive at the school and are greeted by a teacher, who leads us down corridors and into his classroom. Shasha was invited to the school to aid the pupils in their mock election campaign and is thrust into helping the student Green Party after a mere introduction. Speaking confidently he takes the seven pupils through the ins-and-outs of a campaign, constantly referring back to his party’s own policies. After just over an hour I once again remind the candidate that he has other engagements to meet and we depart, although not before a photograph is taken – Shasha is clearly never one to miss some free publicity.
Once in the car again I remark how well received he was, noting that stereotypically young people aren’t interested in politics. Shasha aggress whole-heartedly, stating that “was really successful. Couldn’t have gone better to be honest”. When asked if today had been a typical day Shasha replies with a smile on his face: “Yes. This is what I’ve been doing, day-in day-out for a while now”.
A brief visit to Thornton Heath train station to meet Ross, a new recruit to the ‘Green Team’, and my day is coming to a close. As I considered the day as a whole, I was struck by the oxymoron that Shasha Khan is. A quiet man who was constantly dropping his reams of leaflets, had poor-time keeping (I was told by Jim and Gordon to expect to be late to everything – it would seem they were not joking) who had absolute affinity with the public – he won over every person he spoke to with his confident manner and likeable personality. My parting with him was typical of the day – jumping out of the car, whilst at traffic lights, because he was late to yet another meeting and so was unable to drop me home. I walked along chuckling to myself, as I recalled anecdotes from the day and was shocked to find that I had enjoyed myself. I was left with this final thought: Shasha Khan – a man who it is impossible to dislike – and a worthy candidate in the election.
