IN 1974, the then Home Secretary William Whitelaw said that ‘’Harold Wilson is going around the country stirring up apathy’’. Fast forward 40 years and what has changed a part from the names?

As a country, we find ourselves locked into an electioneering phony war for a general election which won’t happen for five months. On a daily basis, we see our politicians promising the earth while at the same time bad-mouthing their opponents. How boring.

Whatever the result in May 2015, the election will be followed by a collective sigh of relief from the great British public.

Martin Birtle, Billingham