It’s freezing, but they warm to Freer

V IT MIGHT be just about the coldest night of the year but the freezing weather only seems to have added verve to Finchley and Golders Green Conservative candidate Mike Freer’s campaign.

Out on the doorstep in the Golders Green streets close to the Kosher Kingdom store last weekend, a couple of hours after Shabbat had gone out, there is an overwhelmingly friendly reception for the man battling to continue in the seat he first won in 2010.

It is fair to say the JC had joined Mr Freer in one of his strongholds in the constituency but there is no disputing the fact that as his team of around 18 local party activists knock on doors, the electorate that emerge to speak with him are both familiar with his face and responsive to the promises he makes.

The first house belongs to Mr Feiner and his family. He greets the Tory candidate like a friend. “Mike is a friend of the Jewish community,” says Mr Feiner on the doorstep, as other family members nod agreeably from behind.

“We will be voting Conservative as we always do. We can’t have Corbyn can we!”

As we walk off, two of Mr Freer’s helpers remain behind to ask the family if they need any help with proxy votes for relatives living abroad. But on this occasion there is no need for assistance.

Over the past few weeks, the election battle for Finchley and Golders Green has been the subject of national newspaper headlines — with much focus placed on the decision by Luciana Berger, the former Labour MP, to stand for the Lib Dems in the constituency.

Mr Freer tells me he had seen Ms Berger earlier that day in the local Kinloss Synagogue. He is also keen to disassociate himself from the conduct of the lawyer Jonathan Metliss, who, as the JC revealed last week, had stormed into the Lib Dem campaign office and protested about Ms Berger’s decision to stand in the seat against Mr Freer.

It is behaviour that Mr Freer says is “a disgrace and unacceptable.” He adds: “This was not done in my name.”

At the 2017 election the Labour candidate, Jeremy Newmark, came within 1,600 votes of landing the seat, but there is no sign of any support for Mr Corbyn’s party here.

One woman confirms Mr Freer will have her support but suggests that her husband, who does not come to the door, would “consider” voting for Ms Berger. But there is no more anti-Freer sentiment to be found over the next one hour.

When he is required to show his experience as a politician, Mr Freer can be very impressive. On one doorstep a vote expressed concern about a “mega mosque” that some locals fear may be in the planning stages for the local area.

Legitimate concerns are raised about parking issues but the Tory candidate is quick to counter more problematic conversations about fears over extremism.

He mentions the excellent relations he has with a local imam and stresses how people generally live very happily together in the seat.

Freer out canvassing