Election nerves

So, Election day is here.

A lot of people have been undecided how to vote - me included.

I live in a marginal constituency, one which was traditionally Conservative but fell to Labour under Tony Blair and has remained in their hands, though with a dwindling majority.

So, how to vote - I've used a process of elimination because I have quite a choice.

First, I can discount any party whose policies I fundamentally disagree with.

My current MP has been (in my opinion) pretty useless whenever I've contacted him about anything, though he does have a knack for finding photo opportunities. He also manages to somehow get himself associated with anything "successful", even if he's had nothing to do with the success other than maybe giving an opinion or turning up to an unveiling. Just my humble opinion, of course.

His campaign seems to have been based on the lines of "There's so much I want to do for this constituency, give me the chance to do it." He has, in my opinion, had the chance to do those things for some years now and has failed to do them. So, why should I believe he'll put any more effort in to actually doing them now?

The final nail in his political coffin (for me) is the attempt(s) made by his government to change the landscape for home education in this country. I contacted my MP about my concerns and let's just say that he lived down to my expectations. On top of that there's the spectre of Ed Balls, and his promise to introduce those changes which were rejected if Labout get back in to power.

Then there's the possibility that if there's a hung parliament Labour will do a deal with the Liberal Democrats and Ed Balls will get just that chance (assuming his constituents actually send him back to Westminster).

Although Mark Field and Graham Stuart have done wonders for the Conservative image amongst home educators, I can't help wondering what will actually happen if their party does get in to power. I remember the days of Maggie Thatcher, and they're not all good memories at all. Well, apart from the Spitting Image puppet which was wonderful.

But the lasting feeling from that time is of people being selfish and self-centred, money-grabbing and materialistic.

However, these days it's pretty hard to see a real difference between the Conservatives and Labour - they were all rather good at claiming expenses (bath plug or duck house, anyone?).

As for the Greens, well, although my gut feeling is that I might want to vote for them, I'm pretty sure they won't get this constituency.

So I'm going to amaze myself and actually do something that Ed Balls has suggested - I'm probably going to vote tactically! You'd expect him to be really pleased at somebody following his advice, but I suspect he won't be because my tactics probably aren't his tactics - I still have my conscience.

However, until I've put my cross on the ballot paper, anything is possible - well, almost anything!