By Cleomines why-give-them-normal-names

Labour leader and candidate for Manukau fartoomuchpressure was out knocking on doors in the Manukau suburb of Manurewa this morning. I was able to follow him around.
“I enjoy going around talking to people around this time. I really get a good sense of what issues people care about. When you’re a high-ranking politician you can so often get wrapped up in big issues and you begin to lose sight of what’s important to everyday New Zealanders. It helps you keep in touch. People are confronted with issues every day that I might never experience because of my privileged position. This is a really good way to hear from people about what really matters to them.”
While I was with the Labour leader, we were invited in to the house of a single mother with 5 children. She was very happy to offer FTMP a cup of tea and told me how the government’s tax package had changed her life, “just a year ago I wouldn’t have been able to do this. There wouldn’t have been tea in the cupboard, I probably wouldn’t have been home. The government’s family’s package definitely made things better but it’s still not easy.” FTMP explained to the woman about Labour’s plans to reduce GST on essential items, which she was very appreciative of.
Many of the people we talked to were very happy to see the Labour leader, this is, after all, a quite safe Labour area, but there was one young man who scolded the Prime Minister for not having done enough. “You’d better pick up the pace in your next term!”
It was a pleasure spending time with FTMP, he was absolutely in his element. For all he talks of worrying about losing touch, he does a very good job of listening to his constituents. His patience was unending, never once did he seem uncomfortable. This is a MP who cares about his electorate.