MP hopeful loses two stone on the campaign trail in attempt to knock on every door

Owen Sennitt

28 June 2024 at 1:00 am·2-min read

Liberal Democrat Rob Colwell has walked more than 500 miles in a bid to knock on every door in his constituency <i>(Image: Rob Colwell)</i> — Liberal Democrat Rob Colwell has walked more than 500 miles in a bid to knock on every door in his constituency *(Image: Rob Colwell)*

An MP hopeful has said he has lost two stone in the past few months after attempting to knock on every door in his constituency as part of his election campaign.

Rob Colwell, who is running to become an MP for the Liberal Democrats in North West Norfolk, has racked up more than 500 miles since the election was announced in May.

While he admits knocking on every door is unlikely due to the tight time constraints, Mr Colwell thinks he has reached more than half of households.

Liberal Democrat Rob Colwell cooling off with an ice cream during his campaigning (Image: Rob Colwell)

The Norfolk district and county councillor hopes his conversations on the doorstep will be the difference at this election, as people look for change through choosing a local candidate.

"I've really enjoyed this election campaign - It has been amazing for my health.

Rob Colwell pictured in 2019 (Image: Newsquest)

"I've spoken with people who have told me they haven't had a politician knock on their door for 40 years. All these conversations are having a really positive effect. I don't think any other candidate is putting in as much effort as me.

"As a lawyer, I've been sticking up for local people for 17 years and I will continue to stand up for the area if I am elected as your MP."

Rob Colwell says he has enjoyed being on the campaign trial in North West Norfolk (Image: Rob Colwell)

He says the biggest issue coming up on the doorstep is the rebuild of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, with many frustrated at the lack of progress.

"People are worried it will not get the funding it needs. I think it is a scandal, they have a deadline of 2030 but what on earth are they waiting for?

"Problems with the NHS and dentistry are coming up time and time again. We are left behind in west Norfolk and I will fight to change that."

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is held up with thousands of props to stop the roof collapsing, is a key issue at this election

While polls say otherwise, Mr Colwell believes recent local election results show there is a swell of support for Lib Dems in North West Norfolk, and he fancies his chances to beat the Tory candidate James Wild.

The candidates for North West Norfolk are: Rob Colwell (Liberal Democrats), James Wild (Conservatives), Tim Leaver (Labour), Phil Walton (Reform) and Michael De Whalley (Green Party).

Eastern Daily Press
Lib Dem candidate hopes one Norfolk town will be key to election success
Chris Brown, the Liberal Democrat candidate in South Norfolk, has spoken about his General Election campaign.
HuffPost UK
Trevor Phillips Destroys Nigel Farage With One Devastating Question
The Reform UK leader rejected the accusation that his party is a home for racists.
The Telegraph
Labour vote share falls to lowest in more than two years
Labour’s vote share has fallen to its lowest level in more than two years ahead of the general election, new polling shows.
The Daily Beast
Obama Rode to Biden’s Rescue—but Intervention Could Yet Come
On Friday afternoon, in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate against Donald Trump, private murmurs and public calls for an “intervention” ricocheted through Democratic circles. But then a hold-up emerged.Some 17 hours after Biden botched his big debate moment, his former boss came to the rescue.For many high-ranking Democrats, a single tweet from former President Barack Obama appeared to nix any chance of the 44th president meeting with the 46th and urging him to drop out.Rea
HuffPost UK
Rishi Sunak Left Squirming As He's Confronted With Ordinary People's Lives In Tory Britain
The prime minister had insisted life was "better" now than when the party came to power in 2010.
HuffPost UK
'On The Brink Of Destruction': Trevor Phillips Tells Oliver Dowden The Tories Face Election Wipeout
The party still trails well behind Labour with just four days to go until the election.
The Telegraph
Old, rich and living on benefits: welcome to the state pension capital of Britain
East Preston feels an unlikely stronghold of benefits dependency. The genteel village on the West Sussex coast might be the closest thing that Britain has to a moneyed pensioner utopia.
Manchester Evening News
'My mortgage has doubled... the country's gone to pot': The Greater Manchester neighbourhood where people want change
'I was born and bred here... I've never known the place be as big of a dump as it is'
INSIDER
Biden meets family at Camp David as calls to exit the race grow
The meeting was pre-planned but is a timely opportunity for Biden to discuss the future of his campaign with the most influential people in his life.
The Telegraph
Did Nigel Farage blow himself up in the BBC Question Time election special? Our writers react
It was finally Nigel Farage’s time to appear before a BBC Question Time audience this evening, more than a week after Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer had theirs. The Reform UK leader took the podium in the same hour as a Green Party representative, Adrian Ramsay. Yet only one of these men has excited reaction from our writers.
Associated Press
A private call of top Democrats fuels more insider anger about Biden's debate performance
A sense of concern is growing inside the top ranks of the Democratic Party that leaders of Joe Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee are not taking seriously enough the impact of the president’s troubling debate performance earlier in the week. DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country, a group of some of the most influential members of the party.
PA Media: UK News
Rishi Sunak: I’ll still be Prime Minister on Friday
The Conservative leader defended his party’s record in government against what he described as a ‘declinist narrative’.
The Telegraph
France records highest turnout in 40 years during Macron’s gamble election
France is on course to record its largest election turnout in over four decades in a battle between the hard-Right and Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition.
Business Insider
A grinding Russian assault appears telling about Putin's plan to defeat Ukraine
ISW's conflict experts warned that the West must "challenge Putin's belief that he can gradually subsume Ukraine."
The Telegraph
Joe Biden cannot run again
After Thursday night’s debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, held on terms considered by many to be favourable to the current President, there is only one conclusion that it is possible to draw: Mr Biden should not run again for the US presidency in November.
The Guardian
Who could replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader if he loses the election?
Likely contenders for party’s sixth leader in eight years could depend partly on who survives a big defeat
HuffPost UK
A Rupert Murdoch Newspaper Has Endorsed Labour In Another Blow For Rishi Sunak
It is the first time it has done so since Tony Blair was prime minister.
CNN
A year ago, she drank battery acid to escape life under the Taliban. Today, she has a message for other Afghan girls
Arzo survived a suicide attempt but now faces a new threat that could send her family – and millions like them – back to Afghanistan and a life that has become so intolerable for women and girls that some would rather die.
PA Media: UK News
Reform UK candidate drops out and backs Tories amid racism row
Liam Booth-Isherwood announced he was dropping out of the race for Erewash and would instead be endorsing the Tory contender, Maggie Throup.
The Telegraph
Fears of ‘undue spiritual influence’ on voters as community leaders ‘highlight Islamic values’
Almost a decade ago, the mayor of Tower Hamlets was sensationally removed from office after an electoral court found him guilty of a string of “corrupt and illegal practices” including ballot rigging, bribery and buying votes.

Latest stories