POLITICS is a rough old trade, as everyone knows. Occasionally – or perhaps more often than that, it’s also a dirty business. This is never more the case than at election time, when all parties do everything they can to maximise their vote and get their man or woman elected to public office.

You won’t be surprised to learn that in Dorset during the four weeks of the campaign, there has been some of what might be described as “low skullduggery” – a phrase uttered by Tony Blair in his last speech as Prime Minister to the House of Commons in July 2007. The newsdesk of a local newspaper is uniquely placed to observe this process, since some of the information is passed our way in the hope that we’ll use it. We’ve taken the view that since all sides are to a greater or lesser degree involved, it’s best to steer clear of it completely until after Thursday.

While most of what’s gone on is just political rough and tumble, some of it appears much more serious and we will certainly be addressing those issues once the campaign is over. Have no fear.

Meanwhile, as an indication of how the result might go, Bransgore Scouts wore masks of the political leaders at the village May Day celebrations and invited locals to throw sponges at them. You can find out who was the most unpopular of the bunch on p6. Opinion polls, eh? Who needs them?