Essex voting appeal

Today there's a veritable Esex-fest in politics: Ed Miliband is answering questions in Harlow and later Cameron and Clegg are taking Q and As in a a factory somewhere in Essex. It's interesting to see the pundits so excited about Labour winning the key seats of Thurrock and Harlow in the local elections. Just as Basildon was a barometer of success for Thatcher and then Blair, so these Essex marginals are a sign that Ed Miliband might be on his way to Number Ten. When Essex votes, the rest of the country follows. 

David Cameron should start memorising the price of a pint of milk in Grays if he wishes to cling to power and there are some signs that he's mugging up on Essex. The PM mentioned Towie in Parliament in April. When Conservative MP Robert Halfon boasted about business growth in his consituency of Harlow, the Prime Minister commented that Halfon’s point could be summed up as: “The only way is Essex!" The Sun immediately interviewed Amy Childs, who commented: “I've always been proud of Essex and hearing David Cameron talk about Harlow being helped by the Towie effect is mental!"

Not sure if Miliband, Cameron and Clegg will win over Joey Essex from Towie though, as when quizzed by Lucy on who the Prime Minister was, he famously answered "What, the Prime Minister of Essex?"