Well, it's in the bag folks - with this endorsement we surely can't be stopped!

I happened to spot this comment by veteran Official Monster Raving Loony candidate John Cartwright on the UK Polling Report blog:

"I have a theory that the people in the eastern half of the constituency may be being taken for granted by the main parties, that they are being relied on to vote anyway without needing to be persuaded, and that they will apply the usual mechanics to the psychology of by-elections. The comfortable middle classes of Ealing Common, invisible behind their net curtains yet steadfast in their polling booths, may have already decided to vote tactically for the Lib Dem candidate, and to squeeze the Conservative Party out completely, in order to give Labour a kicking. Mr and Mrs Not-Particularly-Interested-In-Politics-But-Aware-That-The-
Lib-Dem-Was-Second-Last-Time may not even be aware of the big personality cult / bandwagon which has been developing for Tony Lit three miles away.

If this hunch is correct, and if it is combined with a differential turnout between the two halves of the constituency (perhaps 40% in Ealing and 30% in Southall?), then do not be surprised by a substantial Lib Dem victory on Thursday. If the result is something like:

Lib Dem 13,000
Labour 11,000
Conservative 6,000
Others: Whatever

then remember it was what I wrote here."

Whatever you might think of the Loonies, John Cartwright is certainly a colourful character without whom politics would be much the poorer. Some readers may know him from his regular comments on both UK Polling Report and Political Betting (as JohnLoony).

His campaign blog from Ealing is also worth a read - presumably written between stints of tramping up and down the Uxbridge Road with hat and placard (and yes, we did beep at him...)

I think it's appropriate to leave you with some sage words from his leaflet for this election:

“The Official Monster Raving Loony Party wants to build a diverse, pluralist, and tolerant democratic society in which there is mutual respect for a wide variety of different cultures, lifestyles and viewpoints. Anybody who dares to suggest otherwise should be ruthlessly exterminated.”

(Oh, and in keeping with the spirit of this election I have shamelessly nicked John's photo from his website. I'm sure that will be OK. That is, unless he wants to add some spice to his campaign by threatening to sue...)