MM caught up with Simeon Hart, the Green Party’s deaf candidate for the Oldham West and Royton constituency.
Speaking about the campaign experience and how today’s panned out for him, Mr Hart said it had been ‘a really big experience, really important’.
“Yeah, I’m proud of what we’ve done, because I’m the first deaf candidate – well, the first candidate, in fact – for Oldham West and Royton. I’ve learnt a lot from it,” he said.
“When you read the newspaper or watch it on TV, it’s different – but because now I’m actually involved and I realise what peoples’ concerns are, what the issues are that people are worried about, I understand how the process works.
“Before I’d been involved in a councillor campaign, but to be involved in a parliamentary campaign, it’s very different, the level is much different.
“I’m getting lots more emails and correspondence from people, and I have to respond to them quickly. It’s been an interesting experience and very challenging, but I feel confident that in the next campaign, if I were to be selected again, I think I would do better than this time.”
Mr Hart, who lives in Liverpool but was selected by his party to contest the seat in Oldham, was keen to stress the importance of having deaf MPs.
“I would love to be in Parliament because I think that we need to provide a deaf voice within government.
“I don’t want it just to be people talking on behalf of the deaf community because hearing people may not have the empathy or realise what deaf people experience,” he said.
Citing Labour’s deaf ex-MP for Widnes, Jack Ashley, as an example of the representation of deaf people in government, Mr Hart said that since he retired there’s been nobody providing that voice for the deaf community.
“I was shocked at the impact of my campaign on the deaf community within Britain.
“So, for example, on social media, I’ve been uploading information online, deaf people have been watching that information; lots of deaf people who’ve had no experience of politics before and hadn’t realised.
“And so now my name has really grown within the deaf community because people recognise that I’m standing for Parliament.
“Who knows, maybe it’ll encourage other deaf people to stand or get into politics hopefully in the future!”
Although he doesn’t live in the area, Mr Hart said that it’s been great to get out and about door knocking and talking to residents in the Oldham and Royton districts of north Manchester.
“It’s been lovely meeting people, it’s really had a positive impact,” he said.
“I expected some people to not want to talk to me and slam the door in my face, but then even those that have said they’re voting Labour have given me time and we’ve still been able to have conversations on the doorstep.
With hours still to go until the result is announced, the day isn’t even over for Mr Hart, but as for his plans for tomorrow?
“Relax! Relax with my two sons. I need some time to just relax with them. And then next week back to work!”
