Election day

I've deliberately not blogged about the election. I haven't been actively involved this time round, other than attending a hustings meeting. That's what comes of being moved from a marginal to a safe seat in the boundary changes

I am in a difficult position. On balance I think I want to vote Labour. Not particularly enthusiastically , and if there was a Green who could either win, or it was a safe seat one way or the other, I'd vote for them

However, in this constituency we have a choice of

Labour - but an MP with the worst voting record amongst Labour MP's on gay issues
LibDem - surprisingly inept public speaker, really made some howlers
UKIP - far right, not even on my radar
BNP - same
Conservative - same
Then there is the Trade Union & Socialist candidate. Way to the left of me but a decent bloke, and frankly, I've moved considerably to the left over the past two to three years

So it looks as if I'll be voting TUSC this time, and hoping that when this Labour MP retires - which may not be far away, he is already 78 - the local party will pick someone without his prejudices

As for the election itself, there are not enough differences between the parties all of who are mildly socially liberal (except on immigration) and economically orthodox and in hock to the banks. There is no social democratic party standing here which has any sort of critique of the way that international finance doesn't work

Apart from the Greens - so for what its worth, I'd say
Vote Green if you live in a safe seat or if they could win
Vote Labour if you live in a Tory-Lab marginal
Vote LibDem if you live in a Tory-LibDem marginal
Vote for any left wing candidate if you live in a safe seat and can't stomach Labour
Don't vote Tory, UKIP or BNP. Anywhere

The realities of the electoral cycle means the Tories will probably get in, but I have every confidence they will make an utter hash of it and be terminally unpopular very soon. beneath the surface they are deeply divided and its those issues which will cause internal rifts with a minority or small majority