This election, I have missed those merry chaps bouncing up and down on their buttocks with crossed legs for world harmony.

Not great for solving the problems of a pound that's too strong but a treat for the smiley muscles.

The polls indicate to everyone except the bouncing candidates and William Hague (in public anyway) that the Labour Party is going to amble back into office. The Conservatives are trying to be different by propelling to the fore politicians like Anne "Are you lookin' at me?" Widdecombe and Michael "My what big teeth you've got!" Portillo.

Labour are going for Tony "I mean that very sincerely" Blair and "We've only had four years to get rid of the nasty Tory legacy, so let us have another go!"

And the Lib Dems, secure in third non-electable place, offer tax increases to pay for our high health, education and pension expectations.

En masse, we are a fairly self interested and greedy bunch.

We want all the benefits of a welfare state without having to pay for it.

The section of the electorate that isn't irrevocably locked into a particular party remembers the failings of the last lot; they're not that convinced by "that nice Mr. Blair" and his cronies either, but the economy is pretty good so why not let them carry on.

Of the local candidates, Chauhdry Shafique's comment that Foot and Mouth was not a significant issue locally.

"It wasn't necessary for us to play a big part in the crisis" won't endear him to local farmers with cattle they can't sell, but still have to feed. Many have already lost thousands of pounds with no likelihood of compensation, farming in a non-infected area.

Dee Tomlin's contribution was "I'd hate to be a farmer's wife, wearing wellies at five in the morning."

Paul Goodman, yet another Tory candidate imported from outside the constituency, grateful that his party hadn't had to actually deal with Foot and Mouth, rushed around being photographed with farmers to show rural empathy and then lived up to the ineptitude of his Mr. Bean look-alike image by suggesting that social problems are "best left to churches, charities and voluntary groups". Real vote catcher that!

It is depressingly true that the care of the less privileged members of society is increasingly left to the good will of generous citizens who act where politicians fail.

On Sunday, I attended Wycombe Central Aid's Charity Bus Day. Arriva, the bus company who have succeeded the old Wycombe Bus Company, generously offered facilities to the charity to run old Routemaster and Bristol buses along rural routes so that families and bus fanatics alike could experience what as a child I took for granted proper buses with conductors, platforms with a rail you could swing on in the pre-health and safety dominated (and more tellingly pre-litigious) days of yore.

Local bus driver and children's magician Richard Bond conceived the idea some years ago and he and Arriva and its employees, together with all those volunteers who lent and drove the buses, should be congratulated on their support of a hard working and under-funded charity that helps local people in need, through Wycombe Age Concern, the Furniture project and SSAFA.

Wycombe Central Aid is Wycombe oldest charity. Pop in and visit Mary Mitchell and her colleagues at the Cornmarket. More importantly support them!

They get my vote!