Tuesday 18 May 2010

Chip Shops Don't Sell Carrots

This guest post from Sister C discusses the hang over of a 'general election diet'.

So the election is over. Campaigners who've worked all hours to get their candidate elected will be coming to terms with the emotional effects of the post-election come down.

Firstly, campaigners feel relieved. Finally its over, the results are in and there is nothing more that can be done. Heaven knows we might be able to have a few days rest from the 16 hour day slog of the campaign. Our eyes can rest from looking at the computer inputting data, designing leaflets and drafting direct mails.

Secondly, campaigners reflect. We review what we could have done better. For instance, should we have done more door knocking than telephone canvassing? Could we have got out one last leaflet?

There's the physical effects too. I recommend that after a long sleep, campaigners should take a good look in a mirror. For key campaign organisers the reflection that stares back can be very different from the one they faced at the beginning of the campaign.

The dark circles under the eyes aren’t just visible, they're screaming "Panda!" at me. And then you look down and sigh. Not only have your eyes assumeda dusky, Skeletor aspect, your waistline has expanded. And in my case it was by a massive amount.

During the campaign when a key campaigner is trying to do 26 things at once, you only have the time to do one of two things when it comes to food. The first is forget to eat entirely, losing a massive amount of weight during the campaign in the process. The second, and the path I went down, is to gorge oneself on whatever happens to be convenient and readily available. Salads are out, bacon sarnies are in. And while the weeks past have seen Labour’s vote share fall, for many of us our waistlines have held their ground. And increased their margins.

For any aspiring activists who might be reading this, take heed. Make sure it’s your party that gains, not your weight.

In the meantime, I can take solace in my new exercise bike. Viva la Slim Fast!

5 comments:

Brother S said...

Regarding the picture, didn't Orwell write in The Road to Wigan Pier that the availability of cheap fish and chips saved the proletariat from starvation?

Also, I have read that a plentiful supply of cheap pickled herring alleviated malnutrition for the poor in 19th C London.

andy newman said...

My expereince is that the extra exercise trudging the streets means I lose weight.

Aphrodite said...

An interesting contribution Brother S. I saw in the news the other day that sales of 'wartime food'such as corned beef and custard powder have risen due to the recession. Maybe if Labour politicians really want to reconnect with the working class they should ditch the croissants and eat real proletarian food like corned beef hash!

andy newman said...

or have a war with Germany

Phil said...

Depends what food you eat when you're pounding the streets, Andy. I remember comrades who worked full time on an SP campaign who were fed nothing but fry ups and cream cakes by the candidates' family. All concerned were a touch more portly than when it began.