They keep saying that there are millions of people who haven't made up their minds how to vote yet. I've not heard even one person say that and I'm not so sure that it's true at all. In fact, at least three of our family have already voted, as they opt for postal votes. I would only do that if I were actually going to be on holiday (as Ro is this week, as it happens). I like to mark my cross and put my paper in the ballot box in person.
We've not seen any candidates here. We had Lib Dem fliers in the post yesterday, and the Conservative candidate was in Yagnub a couple of weeks ago (that's the other side of the county border, so not the same constituency here). Few people in the village have posters up in their windows or gardens.
South Norfolk has always been Conservative, with Lib Dem in second place. Labour trails in the rear. There have been boundary changes since the last election which could disadvantage the Tory candidate. Waveney, where Yagnub is, used to be Conservative but changed to Labour in the election when Blair got in. The MP there is an energetic and dedicated constituency MP, but may lose this time - if so, I'm sorry for him as it isn't his fault, but then nor was it the fault of the man before him whom he beat. It's just the way things go.
I haven't been talking about the election or politics much - a few people have raised the subject, otherwise I wouldn't have at all - and I didn't watch any of the leaders' debates, largely because I didn't care for the format. Pre-arranged questions and no follow-up points made from the floor, and standing there like idiots - nah, didn't appeal. It would just have made me cross. A friend, having watched the first one, agreed that he'd shouted at the screen rather a lot.
I've met a few MPs over the years and rather enjoyed talking to them. Engaging, articulate and interested in having a conversation rather than just imposing their views. One of the more flattering occasions was, when our MP was the Education Secretary, being asked my opinion on a matter of the day (it was relevant, as he had come to open an extension to the village school, being a friend of the then chairman of governors) and then hearing him say exactly what I'd said in the House of Commons the next week.
So it's not individuals I'm meaning when I say I'm completely fed up with the lot of them and I've heard more than enough, even though I avoid most news broadcasts, to see me through the next four or five years. I hope there's not a minority government, come to think of it, because odds are it wouldn't last long and we'd have to go through it all again in a year or two.
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my children were fascinated by the leaders' debates; each of them took far longer than the broadcast time to get thru, because we kept stopping (using the Sky live pause facility) and discussing what was being said - or to point at the audience and count how many representative individuals from the population/demographic there were in the audience
by round three, they felt that they'd heard it all before and just wanted to know the details that the leaders seemingly weren't prepared to go into
we were not allowed to have conversations of this nature when I was growing up, because my father could not tolerate people disagreeing with him or conversations that led to heated debate and the raising of voices that that sometimes entails
at his school my eldest attended a debate with all three of the major party local candidates, he said enjoyed that far more than the tv "debates"
I am not commenting on politics.
I'm with Dave.
I'm afraid we've forfeited our right to vote in UK elections. Whatever happens, no possible blame can attach to us.
I think it's the most exciting election for a long time as there is no certain outcome.
I wish I could vote for policies as I cross several party lines with my quirky views.
I agree with Roger! Sorry. I too think these are potentially exciting times, with a potentially exciting outcome. But I never thought that the possibility of a hung parliament would see me hesitating over my vote. I'm almost decided, but still have some lingering... not doubts, but anxieties.
@I, Like The View: it's great that your children have been interested, especially the school holding a debate. There's hope for democracy yet!
I'm glad that some people are engaging with it, certainly. My youngest is the most determined to vote - was, I should say as, being on holiday, he already has. I don't know which way he's voted though.
I don't think, Dave and Mago, that I said anything about politics at all. And only polite things about politicians as individuals. Around here, I've seen fewer posters than ever before. I don't know if that indicates that people are undecided or simply fed up.
I'm with Roger up there. I'd like to vote for policies. I'm also with you Z - not relishing the possibility of all this palava again in the near future.
Rog probably isn't quirky at all, he's simply right. Perhaps.
I am probably just too old and too cynical and I hate everything about it, the point-scoring rather than genuine statements and the mischief-making and knicker-wetting excitement of the pundits.
Thank you all, darlings, very much, for not starting on anything party political or even policy political in the comments. We could all do a whole lot better than most of our MPs because we're not so close to it - you can see clearer from real life.
#IAgreeWithZ, Enough already. We all know who we're voting for. Can't wait to get my hands on that ballot paper.
Lenin has been seriously interested as she has turned 18 just in time for this election and she has spent ages making up her mind who to vote for - which is quite sweet given that we live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country so it is really academic. I was pleased that she finally decided to go with our longstanding family traditions - her grandfather was an MP for over 30 years. He rang the other day to check that she had a vote this time then canvassed her vote for the local candidate for his party! We had a good laugh about that - old habits die hard.
Well, for good or bad or somewhere in between, we've all voted now.
I bet Dave voted before 8.30. Mind you, so did the Sage.
When I say "all" of course I don't mean Christopher.
I mean Chris, of course.
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