I LIKE canvassing at election time and love going around ringing on strangers’ doors enquiring how they may vote.

I very rarely come across anyone who is unpleasant.

The whole point of canvassing is merely to gauge response.

I always say “Are you going to vote and if so is it for my team or the other team."

I am really not bothered when they say it is for the other team as at least they are turning out to vote.

What does get my gander up is the “citizens” who say “I can’t be bothered” or “I never vote.”

I want to leap forward and bite their throats out, metaphorically speaking that is.

We live in one of the greatest democracies in the world (flawed albeit but a democracy nonetheless). I want to really give them a history lesson.

But then I pause, it is politicians and their spin doctors who have created this situation.

Going back 50 or 60 years the turnout at elections was around 95 per cent. Now at local elections in Rossendale we are looking at 35 per cent, which in my book is a disgrace.

On the subject of disgraces the AV referendum debate has been a tragedy.

This is only the second referendum we have ever had and should have been the reason for a considered and reasoned debate.

Instead it has sunk to the level of petty squabbling that does no one any good, which I think is a disgrace.

Still on the disgrace trail, the fact that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were not invited to the Royal Wedding is tragic.

Regardless of what you think of them, and personally in Gordon Brown’s case, not a lot, they are part of the historic fabric of this country and deserved their seats far more than some of the platitudinous and obsequious “minor royals”.

Have they forgotten Tony Blair saved the Royal Family when Princess Diana died?

Last word on the wedding, I was proud of David Beckam, a quintessentially English hero, I got George Osborne muddled up with Mr Bean a couple of times.

Don’t forget today is polling day, I don’t care who you vote for – just get out there and vote!

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