Harriet who? Low-level view of market walkabout

Published: 16 April 2010
by JOSH LOEB

IT was billed as a “walk through Whitecross market” by Labour’s deputy leader Harriet Harman, but the market was shut and the street mostly deserted. 

With few people about, it was hard to avoid the impression that the visit to Finsbury at 10am on Saturday was mainly about photo ops. 

In St Mary’s Tower on the Peabody estate Ms Harman did encounter voters, the majority of whom expressed backing – albeit vague support – for Labour.  

At the Elite Café, a group of electricians were underwhelmed. 

“Harriet Harman?” said one. “MP is she? I don’t know if she’s Conservative or Labour.” 

He then turned to a blonde Labour volunteer and said: “Sorry, Ms Harman. I don’t know who you are. I don’t do politics. It doesn’t seem to affect us low-level people.”