黑洞社区

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 鈥測esterday鈥檚 man鈥� singing a song on one note; 鈥渢he economy鈥檚 safe in my hands鈥�. 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 鈥渙n message鈥�. Not good.

The 97 campaign was famously coordinated by text messages to keep the troops in line. Maybe Gordon鈥檚 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 鈥� pity. In any case I think Harriet is a trooper and I鈥檇 like to see her in Parliament even if it鈥檚 on the opposition benches. So, she gets my X. Phew, decision over.

The polling station is deserted, for most of the time I鈥檓 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鈥檓 off to work - why isn鈥檛 Election Day, of all days, a Bank Holiday?

Looking forward to the 鈥渟wingometer鈥�. I think it鈥檚 going to get some exercise tonight!