As someone who has been actively involved with third party politics since the 1970s - and, if I survive one more year, will have completed 30 years unbroken service at all levels of local government (but not necessarily at the same time)- I am feeling a little demob happy, as I shall not be fighting any more elections. So I'm not really worried whether anyone finds it hard to agree with me any more - not that it really ever did bother me! So, here goes:

Let's start with the local elections. Leaving aside Wales and Scotland, the results in England, with an increase of 33 Councillors, prove that the Lib Dems are still around, and polling higher than UKIP. However, as far as the media is concerned, it appears to be back to the old days of Red versus Blue. What happened to multi party politics? Buried in the AV Referendum? It's going to be a long haul.. for someone. I feel a bit like Sisyphus must have felt when he contemplated that hill and that stone again.

If Lincoln City is a bellwether area, then it would seem that two party politics has never gone away. I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of Liberal/Lib Dem City Councillors elected over the past thirty years. With elections by thirds it's easy for the 'Big Two' to go every year to their core voter base to get what they want. UKIP has recently made a lot of noise locally; but has failed to deliver, except in the rural areas, where suspicion of the foreigner is much stronger, and with some justification. Believe me, immigration could easily decide the result on 23 June - but that's another story.

Before I end, I'd like to have a word about the PCC elections - and I don't mean the Parochial Church Council! I did what I did the first time these elections took place - as there were no other elections in my area and no Lib Dem standing, I went to the Polling Station and voted for a return of Police Authorities, this spoiling my ballot.

I would have done the same even if we had had a candidate as I consider the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners (not, as one of the semi educated pundits on the Lincolnite called them 'Police Crimes Commissioner' - now that would be interesting) and the abolition of Police Authorities (on which I sat for eight years) a massive and unnecessarily mistake. What I can't for the life of me understand is why some Lib Dem candidates stood for election on a manifesto 'pledge' to abolish the very officer they were seeking! I just wish that the party had simply given this election a wide berth. But there's something about Lib Dems and elections, bless 'em. For many, it's the campaign that counts, not the result. It's when you actually win that the hard work really starts. It's not so easy when you have to make tough decisions, believe me. I've been having to do it for a long time.

Cllr John Marriott