As there was an opportunity to meet the prospective Parliamentary candidates last Friday at the St Mary’s Centre, in Chessington, I took the opportunity of handing each candidate an invitation.

This is what it said:

Dear candidate, Election of member of Parliament for the Kingston and Surbiton constituency – I may be that voter you need.

I would like to invite you to my home to give you the opportunity to convince me to vote for you.

It is easy to dismiss people like myself as being apathetic or disinterested in politics.

I am not.

What I am is totally disillusioned with the whole political business.

No one seems to keep their pre-election promises.

The ballot card itself refers to the Kingston and Surbiton constituency.

I am not alone in thinking that many forget Chessington even exists.

So, would you care to accept my invitation, take up my challenge and come and meet me?

Explain your policies and convince me to vote for you?

Discuss the issues specific to this part of the borough and neighbourhood?

Shoving a leaflet through my door and vanishing really does not count.

It does not answer many questions that I have.

Dumping a pile of political propaganda in the stairwell here, even less so.

I want to vote for someone who actually listens – who acts promptly and efficiently – and who most importantly of all keeps me informed of what they are doing.

I do not really want to spoil my ballot paper with “none of the above” – but that is what I am likely to do right now.

If you do visit, then I might well suggest to friends and neighbours who feel similarly that they should vote for you.

Thank you in anticipation.

Yours sincerely, Chris Orton.

Guess what? Not one has bothered to reply.

Voters are apathetic? No – voters are disillusioned.

Why would we vote for anyone who cannot even be bothered to reply?

So I am hoping that if I send my invitation to the letters page of the Surrey Comet, and if my letter is printed, someone might then extract a digit and respond.

CHRIS ORTON
Chessington