Jack Pringle's Election Day blog

7.30am

Off to the Camberwell local Polling Station in Love Lane. Not so appropriate. Now the dithering has to stop, eeny meeny miny mo... Gordon Brown fought a disastrous personal campaign, looking like a very tired “yesterday’s man” singing a song on one note; “the economy’s safe in my hands”. The economy is the most important issue, but leaders have to have vision too. Gordon looked like a recycled Chancellor of the Exchequer trying to act like a Prime Minister.

How the Labour party must have longed to see a fresh face like either of the Millibands debating with Cameron and Clegg. My local MP is Harriet Harman who, curiously, like a lot of the Labour front bench, has hardly been seen in the campaign. Not much of a team effort, and where the cabinet has been heard, like on tactical voting, they have not been “on message”. Not good.

The 97 campaign was famously coordinated by text messages to keep the troops in line. Maybe Gordon’s no good at SMS. Still, Harriet has a monstrous majority making hers just about the safest Labour seat. Camberwell and Peckham is one of the most deprived constituencies in the country with nearly 70% of families living in rented, often terrible council owned, housing.

There are about three Tory voters making the Conservative candidate a dead duck and although the Liberal chap looks interesting, he has no real chance either – pity. In any case I think Harriet is a trooper and I’d like to see her in Parliament even if it’s on the opposition benches. So, she gets my X. Phew, decision over.

The polling station is deserted, for most of the time I’m the only voter in the place. Maybe Camberwellians are not early risers, or maybe the national mood of indecision is putting them off. After all they have until 10.00 pm to make up their mind. I’m off to work - why isn’t Election Day, of all days, a Bank Holiday?

Looking forward to the “swingometer”. I think it’s going to get some exercise tonight!