Early Start

Well, I've read the newspapers, answered some emails and had two cups of tea and it's still only ten past six.

I'm up at this time because I'm doing the early shift for polling day in Carlisle for the Castle and Belah ward by-elections. I'm picking up Allerdale organiser Paul Stafford, at half six and we are meeting Castle ward candidate Alistair Barbour at seven. I understand that our duties will be some 'telling' at a polling station and the delivery of a 'Good Morning' leaflet.

Elections are very exciting and at this time on polling day there is everything still to play for. In four by-elections today voters get their chance to pass judgement on the BNP message and it is a nervous time as we wait to see how our campaigns have been received.

It's very easy to become over-optimistic as to expectations. It happens to me at almost every election. But we must keep our feet on the ground and worry about only one aspect of the result - and that is vote share.

The important elections this year, the European Elections, are conducted under proportional representation which means that its not about getting the most votes, but about getting a certain share of the vote .

In the North West Euro-Constituency that share of the vote is 8%.

In the West Midlands Euro-Constituency it is 11.5%.

These are the important figures to have in mind when judging whether our four elections today have been a success or failure.