It's Now or Now

The Jam. You must have heard of them. They're a famous English punk rock/pop band featuring vocals by the energetic Paul Weller that enjoyed their illustrious heyday throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Their plethora of hits include 'Town Called Malice', 'Going Underground' (wonderfully parodied with a massive insult to London's Tube System sometime in 2005) and, aptly, 'Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.' However, there is another song produced on their 1977 album In the City named 'Time for Truth' I find to be, for reasons that will soon become clear, hugely important right now. Its lyrics are as follows:

Whatcha trying to say that haven’t tried to say before
You’re just another red balloon with a lot of hot gas
Why don’t you f--k off?
And you think you’ve got it worked out
And you think you’ve got it made
And you trying to play the hero
But you never walk home in the dark
I think it’s time for truth
And the truth is you’ve lost Uncle Jimmy
Admit your failure and decline with honour while you can
And you think you’ve got it sussed out
And you think that we’re brain washed
And you’re trying for a police state
So you can rule our body and minds
What ever happened to the great empire?
You bastards have turned it into manure
Time for the young to stick together now
I bet you sleep at night with silk sheets and a clean mind
While killers roam the streets in numbers dressed in blue
And you’re trying to hide it from us
But you know what I mean
Bring forward those six pigs
We wanna see them swing sod high

What relevance does this song have on the final day before Britain goes to the polls and decides the fate of its many battling politicians that won't cease their stinging, spin and screams until the very last second?

Widespread strikes, a faltering economy, escalating troubles in Northern Ireland, stark unemployment, racial tensions and the so called 'Winter of Discontent' of 1979, in which the entire country was practically held hostage by ruthless Trade Unions as light went out and rubbish piled up in the streets, defined the conclusion of what was a dark decade for the nation. The late 1970s saw Jimmy 'Crisis? What crisis?' Callaghan, then incumbent Prime Minister and the last leader of the 'Old' Labour Party, struggle to cope with a country that was struggling to cope itself. Mr. Callaghan had entered Downing Street upon the resignation of Harold Wilson - who left his position due to ill health - with no electoral endorsement by the country. Then, as is true now, that very country is in trouble. While this modern trouble may not be of the same manner, it is a trouble that must be faced  and tackled come Friday. Then, as now, Labour has formed our government. Then, as now, Britain was hurled into a skip, put on the back of a truck - a physically stout gentleman all smiles and with comb parted hair at the wheel - and sent down to the tip.

Then, as now, the Labour Party have been at the helm of the many serious problems we encounter and must deal with. It was, and is, the party of higher taxes and spending, but with no economic or social reward. It was, and is, the party of endless promises, but with no ultimate fulfilment. It was, and is, the party of apparently moral and just members, but with lies and deceit at every turn. Then, as now, we have a choice - do we want five more years of this absurdity, or do we want something better?

 "Jobs? What jobs?"

This isn't going to be a continual attack on the limitless failings of the Labour Party. This isn't going to be about the £1.4 trillion of debt our government has managed to create, nor will it be about the increasing level of child poverty and unemployment it refuses to effectively deal with, nor is it about a pair of leaders that saw fit to attack each other and cause huge divide not just amongst themselves, but in the country they were supposed to oversee. It is going to be about one decision that 45 million voters will have tomorrow.

On Thursday, Gordon Brown isn't in charge. David Cameron can't tell you what to do. Nick Clegg won't be the kingmaker the media like to label him as. The ones in charge, for once, are us.

The amount of people that I have spoken to who say they won't be voting is astonishing, but not surprising. Everyone is sick to death of politicians. All parties have been as bad as one another when it has come to crushing and then attempting to regain the public's trust after last year. I fear many people will not be voting out of support, but out of distaste for the other party. There will be those who despise Brown, but will vote for his party out of hatred for the Conservatives. There will be those that detest Cameron, but don't want to see Clegg in Downing Street. There will be those who think Clegg is a moron, but would rather see their constituency under a veil of yellow than with a hint of red or blue. There will be those that will stuff the big three and vote out of protest. Then, there will be those that shall just sit indoors and let others decide for them.

Which one of these fine gentleman would have gained your vote were you eligible last time round? I think the kid is MP for Sheffield Hallam now. 

Despite our political differences, if there was one issue that I and my local Labour candidate, Tom Flynn, agreed on, it was that everyone should vote whatever their inclination, be it Labour, Conservative, Liberal, Green, UKIP, SNP, Independent, or even one of the smaller, central issue parties. It is my opinion that everyone should extend the democratic right we are fortunate enough to have and choose who it is that represents and guides us. It is what I shall be doing tomorrow for the party I support and believe in, and others should do the same.

If David Cameron enters Number 10, despite the man and his party having my complete support, I am not going to be unrealistic. The Conservatives are not going to wave some enchanted golden chiselled rod and have Britain turn into a 244, 820 square kilometre Centre Parcs in the passing of a day. Just like Labour and the Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Party are not perfect - far from it. Gordon Brown isn't perfect. David Cameron isn't perfect. Nick Clegg isn't perfect, and in their defence, they never claimed to be. But I think the Conservatives are the ones with the guts. I think, like before, they're the right ones to get us out of this mess. I think Call Me Dave, while I can understand the criticisms aimed at him, is best suited to lead the country. I think the Conservatives are Britain's natural ruling party for a reason - because, while they made their fair share of mistakes, the great achievements and things they did for our country outweigh these shortcomings. If you disagree with me, then do something about it tomorrow.

Let us, just for a moment, recall what happened to the Tories in 1997:

The United Kingdom General Election of 1997 - conservative nightmare, socialist paradise, liberal mid-happy, sort of pleased feeling.

So, we come to this: if you want another term of Labour, put a cross in their box. If you like the look of the Liberal Democrats, please head down to your station and put your views on the ballot paper. If none of those take your fancy, vote for someone else. Just don't stare at the television on Friday or Saturday shaking your head if you tried to do nothing about it.

Whoever forms our next government, it's going to be an extremely tough ride.... but I know who I want to ride with.