They Really Are Off

Another worst kept secret: the General Election is to be on 6th May. That makes it just 30 days away, 30 days of wall to wall campaigning with every interested newspaper cranking the rhetoric up to full volume. There will be leaders’ debates, analysis of leaders’ debates, and then there will be yet more debates between those who are not leaders, but merely holders of cabinet or shadow cabinet rank.

So by the end of it, the average voter will have had more than enough information than they could ever need prior to entering the polling booth. More likely, they will just have had enough. Already, the media coverage is in overdrive (the Beeb has now got the helicopter out), but from looking at the latest photos, one participant is looking remarkably relaxed.

And that man is Pa Broon, who has been over for a brief cuppa with Brenda before attempting to stress the collegiate nature of his cabinet. This is already being seen as a counter to Young Dave and his chaps, who are trying to make the contest all about Brown – the same idea as the Crewe and Nantwich by-election.

Why should Brown be so relaxed? Well, there’s not a lot more he can do now, except get out there and campaign. Will he still be relaxed come 6th May? Of course not – and neither will Cameron or Clegg. What will the result be? Right now it looks like a small majority for the Tories, but it only needs one big event to knock them out of their stride.

And will it be dirty? As if you need to ask. The last General Election with the parties so close was 1992, and that one really was dirty. Ask Neil Kinnock.