We’re safely back in the UK after our epic trip to Norway. Here, with just a week until polling day, the country’s in the grip of election campaigning. Predictably my tics are too:

“This is a party election broadcast by the Donkey Kong Party.”
“David Cameron – 80% more likely to be a doorknob than a man.”
“At the next election turn left to prove manatees and humanity exist.”
“At the next election take the first left to avoid the Third Reich and heavy traffic in Swindon.”
“Dave Cameron – outsmarted by a wind chime.”
“Ed Miliband – bath toy collective.”
“Nick Clegg – Digging Yourself Out of a Hole with a Straw, illustrations by Boris Johnson.”
“Don’t think, it’s bad for the government.”

These seem too funny to keep to myself, so for the next seven days I’ll be sharing a daily #electionoutburst on Twitter and Facebook. But though my tics are treating the impending election with their usual irreverence, for me, the decision we’re all about to make is deadly serious.

Regular readers will know how concerned I’ve been about the cuts, policies and ideology of the current government, and the destructive impact they’re having on things I care passionately about – children and young people, the NHS, social services and equality. So, on the run up to polling day I’ll be sharing my perspective on the choices ahead.

To me, the last five years have felt very long indeed. Whatever your perspective, I believe politics is far too important to be left to politicians – we all need to read, write, talk, listen, laugh – and vote.