Election Season is Gearing up in Newark - Pictorial

It's taken a while, probably because everyone is resigned to Newark returning to its status as a quiet backbencher backwater after the excitement of last year's by election. But the last couple of days in town we've seen an increase in activity, stalls appeared in the market square, and candidates have been door stepping on the estates.

UKIP have got their "shop" open - there was a bit of "confusion" over change of planning use. Not sure what you can buy there. Purple balloons maybe.

No-one comes to see me of course, in my little cul-de-sac, although I've had a few leaflets pushed through the letterbox. There's a lot of activity in the local and district council elections however, with a strong group of independent candidates putting themselves forward.

I've also been told by more than one person that the chap standing in my ward for UKIP is the brother of Dragon's Den's Duncan Bannantyne. Whether this is true or not, I have no idea.

I will let the pictures tell the story.

Si

Shy and retiring Tory party worker Adam Pykett

Conservative stall cunningly sited next to a stall appealing for support for a special needs school that has been falling to bits on their watch

The only way we will see the back of Robert Jenrick

UKIP's secretariat for youth policy

UKIP spokesmen for health and wellbeing

UKIP worker leafleting

I'd say this voter has made up their mind

Adam again, with Green candidate Elayne Forster

Green stall

Lib Dems, hoping for a glorious...saving of deposit

Consensus Party - formed by last year's hospital candidate Andy Baggaley who is standing for the council this year.