WITH just a few short days to go until the election, a national newspaper poll claims swathes of voters are still undecided. Andy Walker took to the streets of Darlington to assess the extent to which the town reflects that position

SHOPPERS were more concerned with news of the Royal baby than with chatting about the upcoming election.

Fair enough, it was less than an hour after the announcement when The Northern Echo took to the Cockerton area of Darlington.

Of those who were happy to stop and discuss electoral matters, the majority said they had already made up their mind as to who they would vote for on Thursday (May 7).

One exception was grandmother Carol, who did not want to give her full name, but said she would leave it as late as possible before deciding where to place her cross.

"I will definitely vote, and it is down to two parties, but I still cannot decide which one," she said.

"Immigration is a key issue for me, it needs something doing about it, plus the NHS and education.

"I have got of grandchildren going through school, so it's important that the Government is doing the right thing for future generations; that means a lot to me.

"I normally know which way I am going to vote, but I think it is going to be so close this time, so I am thinking carefully about who to support."

In Darlington, Labour candidate Jenny Chapman is hoping to be elected for a second term as the town's MP.

With her party's share of the vote in Darlington having dropped from 52 per cent in 2005 – the last election contested by former cabinet secretary Alan Milburn – to 39 per cent in Mrs Chapman's 2010 debut, any further erosion in Labour support could open the door for one of her opponents.

Conservative challenger Peter Cuthbertson has given assured performances in a series of pre-election hustings events and will be hoping to unseat his Labour opponent.

One vote going Mrs Chapman's way is that of Cockerton shopper Dave Armer.

He said: "I know exactly which way I am going to vote and it is usually the same way.

"I usually vote for socialist policies, anybody that's looking to re-nationalise the railways.

"I don't think candidates should be expected to stick rigidly to their party's lines, they should be able to give their own opinions and that would help them to connect better with voters."

Many of Cockerton's shops were enjoying a brisk trade on Saturday lunchtime, with Cockerton Fisheries and the Farmers Market among the busiest.

In Happy Days, the newsagents-cum-gift-shop, business owner John Raine said he has previously voted for all three main parties.

"I have made my mind up this time and I am voting for the party I think will tackle the fall in living standards we have seen during this parliament.

"My wife works in the public sector, she has had a pay freeze and we see lots of stories about food banks in the papers.

"In my job, I get to see all the newspapers everyday and there seems to be a lot of stories about crushing poverty, especially in the North-East.

"I think we need a change of direction."

Darlington candidates: Alan Docherty (Trade Unions and Socialist Coalition), Peter Cuthbertson (Conservative), Anne-Marie Curry (Liberal Democrat), Mike Cherrington (Green), Jenny Chapman (Labour) and Dave Hodgson (UKIP).