I suffered vile homophobia and more than 100 assaults before the poll, 40 years ago. But I also learned the value of grassroot politics

The 1983 Bermondsey byelection took place 40 years ago today and was a key moment in modern British political history. It’s widely regarded as one of the dirtiest and most violent elections in 20th-century Britain.

As a leftwing gay Labour candidate, I was subjected to more than 100 assaults while canvassing. There were also nearly three dozen attacks on my flat, ...