UK voters' panel: Gary Watson

MEET THE PANEL Name: Gary Watson Age: 42 Lives: Peterborough Works: IT consultant Current voting intention: Conservative In 10 words or less: "Family man, business owner, school governor, England rugby fan" Watch Gary's views

All the campaigns have been unexciting.

There has been nothing to inspire undecided voters. On the other hand we have not seen the mud-slinging of previous elections.

The Liberal Democrats' promise to be dynamic has proven short-lived and Labour's 'Tony and Gordon' broadcast was too full of self-congratulation and back-slapping.

The Conservatives' campaign has focused on their key aims but has lacked any spark. If the Tories want to overturn Labour's majority they need to find a way to grab the public's attention.

On the positive side, the Tories' campaign has been well organised, with measured speeches that have focused on what they will do.

The health proposals and spending plans were well presented and most welcome of all was the education policy.

As a parent and school governor, with a wife working as a teacher's assistant, I know that the government's education policy only confuses and restricts how, what and when teachers teach.

The biggest positive to come from the Conservatives' campaign is seeing Michael Howard and Oliver Letwin facing the media.

VOTERS' PANEL: HALFWAY MARK Siobhan Burgess Gary Watson Philippa Bartlett David Jones Gerry Harris Ayub Khan

They both appear calm and confident and, crucially, present themselves as the future prime minister and chancellor. Comparing them to Mr Blair and Mr Brown shows how much we have been sold short for the past two terms.

I hope the next two weeks bring some extra life into all the campaigns.

With a number of economic alarm bells starting to ring - inflation, unemployment, interest rates and personal debt are all rising - Mr Brown's "economic prudence" is being shown for what it is.

So I hope and expect the Conservatives will focus more on the economy.

Finally, with so many people around the world literally dying to vote, it is shameful to see turnouts in the UK below 60%.

We need inspiring politicians to bring public interest into politics. They have all missed their chance in the first two weeks.

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Your comments:

I am alarmed at the amount of people in interviews and who speak to who have decided on their vote - yet openly admit that they don't really know what they are voting for, beyond very obvious issues such as legalisation of cannabis. I believe that until the system is changed, so that to apply to vote you have to take a very basic test on applied and practical politics and economics we will continue to suffer. Parties can prey upon these people with very bland, shallow components within their manifestos designed to appeal to people who do not really understand how the system works, neglecting more technical information that would be relevant and useful to educated people trying to determine who to vote for. Save the votes for people who know what they're voting for.
Alex Holland, Cambridge, England

On the contrary, there has been lots to inspire undecided voters, such as Labour's desire to control our lives with ID cards and fill the House of Lords with Tony's cronies so he can get any laws through that he wants
Anonymous

Dear Gary, confidence in the veracity of one's own views does not necessarily confer an equal confidence about the accuracy of the opinions and responses of others. The certainty you display about the non-inspirational offer to undecided voters is misplaced, many of us are rather negatively offended by Michael Howard's wilful conflation of immigration with crime, social disorder and, if we are to believe, the end of civilisation as we know it. Shame on him. As an undecided voter, conservative in economic matters, (Tony Blair supplies that), liberal on social issues, (Charles Kennedy supplies that) and Atlantic on foreign policy, (George Bush supplies that) you can be sure I will not be buying into Conservative fear and smear. I agree entirely with your observation on turnout, all democrats should make it their business to ensure their families and or neighbours vote, not one will be wasted and our history hands down a moral imperative! See you at the polling station!
Fred Phillips Derby, UK

I find it rather amusing that the Labour supporters are complaining that the Tories are using Labours faults as a tool during the election, rather than setting out their own policies. The Tories do have their own policies, they are common sense, straight forward ones. Ones that don't need to be put in a hundred-odd page manifesto to mind boggle and confuse the electorate, like the Labour one. Even if the Tories are highlighting Labours weaknesses, isn't that the job of the opposition?
Adam Heathcote, Macclesfield, Cheshire

All we hear from Mr Howard is race, race, race. He has not just played the race card, but the whole race pack! This single issue campaign is not going to convince the electorate that the Tories are a viable government in waiting.
Mark Drury, Manchester