THIS parliament has gone on far too long and we needed an election months ago.

It has long been clear that this government had run out of steam and that both it and parliament had lost its authority.

Now we appear to be in a phoney war, when political parties have already begun campaigning for a general election that has not yet been called. There is a real danger that the country will already be jaded and uninterested by the time we stumble through the door of the polling centres to vote.

Therefore, it is more than usually important that we keep the focus on the principles and policies that are at the heart of this election and that will determine the future of our country.

The signs, I am afraid, are not good but I believe that the last thing that local people want to see is the unedifying spectacle of mutual slanging matches between the parties and a depressing descent into personal attacks, half truths, distortions and false innuendo.

Nothing switches ordinary people off more than this type of empty political campaign that desperately attempts to smear the integrity of others for political advantage. And it is certainly true that no political party can plausibly claim that it is exempt from the sins of which it accuses others. Such a campaign would be futile and sterile, and would fail the very people whom we wish to serve.

Therefore, I shall not be making any personal attack on any of the political opponents and prospective candidates who may stand for election in Torridge and West Devon.

I am wholly convinced that they are thoroughly decent and well intentioned individuals.

I believe that they aspire to serve the people of Torridge and West Devon for entirely creditable reasons, and after five years as your MP, I know what an honour and a profound privilege it is to serve our community.

Therefore, I cannot blame any of them for aspiring to that privilege, and I certainly will not cast aspersions on their motives, on their sincerity, or upon their personal qualifications for the job. That would not be worthy of the people of Torridge and West Devon, and it is certainly not what they expect of their member of parliament. I shall be far too busy knocking on doors to knock my opponents!