The start of the Impossible?

Some aspiring politician I am. I spent Thursday night in the local pub with my would be campaign manager, rather than watch the three jesters in the televisual limelight. Even if my initial intentions were not to vote for any of them, you would have thought that I would have gone out of my way to see what they had to say. But, I knew what would happen; most people did. Brown would lose, Cameron would not move either way and Clegg would come out on top, because he has the least to lose, so he could go into the debate like some non-league football team playing at Old Trafford. He had to have a go or he would eventually get trounced.

In the wake of all the praise for Clegg, it has to be realised that in all certainties he's going to end up getting trounced. A swing of 10% to the Lib Dems would probably get them only a handful of seats; not really enough to do any real damage - apart from possibly stopping Cameron from getting a workable majority. What Clegg needs is a 20% swing; if he was to achieve the impossible, he would effectively turn the country into a real 3 party race. The Lib Dems could gain enough seats to ensure not only a hung parliament, but with voter disaffection still high, they could guarantee we never see a Labour or Conservative majority again, at least not in my life time.

But, like I said, Clegg is likely to end up getting trounced. He'll be the Waterlooville of this year's election. Beating the big boys (Liverpool in that case) until the half time oranges turn the tide back in favour of the Premier league boys. At least, that is what should happen, in all probability...

Except, I'm not too sure any more. I'm pretty much convinced that Andrew Simpson will win Northampton North. The streets of my part of town are littered with "Lib Dems Winning Here" posters and banners, and there's barely a Labour or Conservative sticker anywhere. It's like Northampton North has publicly declared what many of us feel, they've had enough of the big boys; they want some parity.

Northampton North is very high on list of Conservative must win seats; if they don't win it and the ones around it on that list, they'll have to look further into Labour's heartland for a big swing - suddenly my constituency has become one of those key seats that are mega-important in the total outcome.

As a declared Independent - who no longer sees himself aligned to any party - I've advocated tactical voting; mainly because I believe this country could suffer terribly from a naive Conservative government, but desperately needs a change at the top. Now, I see the opportunity to allow this country to open up to the idea of independence. If the Lib Dems can break the stranglehold of the two parties, then it will open the doors to allow sensible independent candidates to get elected, either to parliament or local councils.

Therefore, if you live in Northampton North and are a floating voter; consider this - the Lib Dems might not have been the greatest asset Northants Council have ever had, but Simpson doesn't appear to be cut from the same cloth as our rather stalwart Lib Dem councillors - voting for him does a number of things: it means we retain our sense of independence; we get a new MP who is going to want to work hard for his new constituents rather than his party and he prevents the Tory from getting in (which, if nothing else will help see our countryside ravaged by fox hunters showing little regard for anything else bar their own jollies!).

So unless things go horrendously wrong in the run up to May 6; consider voting for Andrew Simpson. I am.