It’s not possible that a single 90 minute television programme could alter the next 20 years of UK politics because if it is, the opposition will request them on a monthly basis. That’s how it seemed, um, only two weeks ago when Clegg legged it.
Since then Team Cameron has tried a number of different strands. It has given up on policy. We have no idea how they will save £70 billion or more. And the rather creepy Tory newspapers – Sunday Times, Sun, Mail, Telegraph and Express – have just decided that anybody but Labour or Lib Dem – will be good for them. Given that two of these owners do not pay UK taxes we can guess why. The pity is that even the television and radio coverage has been so poor save C4's excellent programmes. We’re sleep walking into a Tory government without knowing what they really stand for.
As a former Labour MP, I am disappointed with our campaign. We should have offered a view of where the UK will be in 2020 and then put in place the bricks in the wall. What are we going to do about China and India’s economic and political power? Why are we in Afghanistan? Why are our too many of our secondary schools and universities devoid of excellence? What are we going to do to re-boot our manufacturing? Why do we put up with a second rate EU system with corruption everywhere? Why have we delayed and delayed constitutional reform in both the House of Commons and House of Lords over the past 13 years – because successive Cabinets weren’t up for it or were so in awe of the leadership that they daren’t utter a comment. Why are there more families waiting for social housing in 2010 than in 1997?
I hope on Thursday that we have a hung Parliament.
We need it to renew our democracy.