IF there was one new thing I learnt whilst canvassing with Labour’s Phil Barlow, it was the art of leaflet folding.

“There is an old trick of folding leaflets so dogs don’t bite your fingers off,” Phil says as he sticks a campaign leaflet through the door.

It was good advice, as there are a lot of dogs in Foxglove Close and Speedwell Close in Witham.

The sun certainly lifted everyone’s spirits, and the team of four managed to secure a Labour voter on their first knock.

It was dinner time, so the neighbourhood was quiet, but following a shaky start Phil was pleased with the success.

“A lot of people think we want to spend half an hour with them, but we want to do it as quickly as possible,” he said after knocking at a few silent houses. There’s some people who almost freeze in front of you.”

However Colin Garner, a former UKIP voter, was more than happy to stop for a chat.

He said: “I vote UKIP as I like to keep people on their toes.”

Witham has no UKIP candidate, so Mr Garner said he would be voting Labour on June 8.

After chatting about having former Labour candidates round for tea, he left us to crack on – “I’m glad to see you, old chap.”

Residents had healthcare and policing on their minds, two topics Phil, a Witham town councillor, feels strongly about.

As he has lived in Witham for more than 40 years, he knows better than anyone what gets residents riled.

One resident was thrilled to see him on her doorstep.

“I have been a Labour supporter all my life, I hope you have lots of people support you,” she said with a beaming smile.

It was good news for Phil, as he said 20 years go the whole street would have been Labour supporters, but he was aware times had changed and he was grateful to still secure votes. Phil’s evening was made when one resident changed her stance to Labour when she saw his photo on the glossy red leaflet.

“I didn’t realise I was that photogenic,” he said, as another name was ticked off the list.

With 28 years of experience, he is confident he can paint the town red come election day.

He is standing against Conservative Priti Patel, Green candidate James Abbott and Lib Dem Jo Hayes.