We're off! 6 May it is, at last

[EightiesChick]

GB will be off to the Palace tomorrow - as reported here and other places.

Bring it on! What a long run-up...

eek.

[nervous]

Been working for months to stand in my first General Election in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale. Tough juggling a campaign with 4 kids but Parliament needs more Mums, actually more women full stop...

the best news I ve heard in ages ... thank god the countdown has begun ..

Catty - thats fantastic - good on you - its something I would love to do - maybe next election .. Maybe we could make the next electiona real mumsnet election with lots of mn'ers standing !!

Well Done catty - good luck.

Election Campaign finally starts and Gordon Brown announces he is from an ordinary Middle Class family. Will that go down well with their (former) core vote? Discuss...

Good luck Catty4

Yes good on you Catty4 for getting involved. We need more people to do this to revive politics so that it isn't dominated by out-of-touch professional politicos. Kudos to you doing it with 4 kids too!

Catty 4 - good on you. Wish I had the courage to do that...

yay Catty! good luck!!

Catty - well done for putting yourself forward and for being selected. I would, however need to know which party before actually wishing you good luck!

Have you noticed how many times the Conservatives use the word "energy" like they have loads of it. Obviously their buzz word. Try counting - today Michael Gove and David Cameron both used it on Breakfast. I've heard Osborne and May (poor Theresa she's got more bags under her eyes than me - but I'm sure she's got more "energy"). My 3 year old nephew has energy - not sure I want him running the country! Of course the Tory rag - the Sun has poor old Gordon staggering around after his run in the park on their front page - obviously because he's got no "energy". How dumb do they think we are?

Well if you read the Sun.....

Brilliant, I love elections and this is shaping up to be a good one.

I'm sure it's a key tory policy to make labour look old & knackered, but it could easily backfire. In these uncertain times people might think better the (old) devil you know. I really object to the Tories trying to buy people off with their imaginary national insurance 'saving', and in the same breath blethering on about the deficit. Surely you can't have it both ways?

If they get in and reverse the NI raise, then yes, it will be a saving for those who would be paying it.

Hmm. As far as I can see an increase that never really happens is not really a saving, it's more 'no change'. And it's definately not a saving if you (as the Tories have) start committing the 'saved' money to other areas because the money has to come from somewhere, presumably the same cuts as would have been made otherwise. And whichever way you look at it it's certainly not reducing the deficit.

I read all the papers scaryteacher!

Those who will save most from the NI shortfall are the industry leaders who are behind it. You can bet it won't go to increasing job opportunities. The bosses' profits will benefit as will their pay deals and so the gap between the haves and the havenots will widen even more.

People with jobs should be happy to pay NI, I know I am. Fantastic system we have here in the UK.

I'm standing for the Liberal Democrats as I think they have always had the most family friendly policies and are not as judgemental about people as the Tories or Labour.