Notes from the campaign trail

1.35.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 16th Apr 2005

Jim Murray, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Crosby, reflects on the serious and not so serious side of the General Election campaign so far.

The campaign really started to gather pace nationally this week, although here in Crosby you could be forgiven for not realising there is an election in less than three weeks. Perhaps it is all happening on the phones? After all, the other parties are unlikely to call and canvass me!

I have been asked if I feel at a disadvantage being a male candidate up against two women? The answer is no. Until now it is true that there have been too few women in Parliament, and it would be good to see more of them elected. However, we should remember that this is a national election. It is ultimately about who will form the next government as Prime Minister and, for good or ill, the immediate candidates for that job are all men.

So the real choice in Crosby is between Blair, Howard and Kennedy. During the course of the last Parliament, the Labour and Conservative leaders often took a similar stand on issues like Council Tax, student tuition fees and ID cards. It was Charles Kennedy and the Liberal Democrats who acted as the real opposition.

Charles has had a busy week, of course. He even found time to arrive in Waterloo - not in person, but on one of our billboard advertisements posted opposite the railway station.

It is interesting just how embarrassed of their leader the Labour Party seem to be. On the BBC's "Today" programme this morning a voter asked the Transport Secretary if his party's prospects would be better without Tony Blair at the helm. Not surprisingly he disagreed, but his answer went on to mention the Chancellor's name as many times as the Prime Minister - hardly a ringing endorsement!

There is definitely an issue about Blair and trust. That is why we in the Liberal Democrats are highlighting our disagreement with the PM over Iraq as one of our ten election "oppose/propose" themes. Like many of you, I believe that Blair deserves to be beaten on this issue alone. Yes, it is good that the people of Iraq are now free of Saddam, but that does not right the wrongs of how we got involved. There were no weapons of mass destruction and no "serious and current threat". Britain must never again support an illegal military intervention.

On the lighter side, this week we found out what some of the leading political figures enjoy listening to on their MP3 players. Apparently Charles goes for David Bowie and folk music. Personally I tend to listen to audio books on the move. I have found it a very efficient way of keeping up to date with the latest publications. Recently I have been particularly enjoying Bill Bryson's "Short History of Nearly Everything".

Don't forget you can contact me at any time by sending an email to jamesmurray@crosbylibdems.org.uk or by using the form on the "Your Views" page. It matters what you think, (though of course I can't agree with everyone on every issue!)

Jim