THERE are 42 days – or six weeks – to go until the United Kingdom goes to the polls.

The phoney General Election campaign has been running for months, but the real campaigning will start next week.

The dissolution of parliament takes place on Monday, election writs for all 650 constituencies will be issued and, as all journalists are told during their training, there will be no MPs.

Instead we will have parliamentary candidates asking us for their votes on May 7. (By the way, if you fancy standing for election then the deadline for getting your nomination papers in is 4pm on April 9).

The government, of course, stays in place throughout the campaign.

Most observers believe there will another hung parliament when all the votes are counted on May 8, with Britain facing the prospect of another five years of coalition government.

If the polls are to be believed, we will face a few days of uncertainty after the election as the major parties haggle with the minor ones over potential power-sharing deals.

There is, however, one thing of which all our readers can be certain. Argus coverage of the election campaign will be utterly independent and totally balanced.

The following is, if you like, our own election manifesto. We will publish election statements from every candidate in each of the six constituencies we cover (Newport East, Newport West, Torfaen, Monmouth, Blaenau Gwent and Islwyn).

We will cover as many hustings and public meetings as possible.

We will bring you unrivalled online coverage of everything that happens on election night as our editorial team work through the early hours to make sure you get the local results as they happen.

On May 7 the debates will be over. The campaigning will be at an end. The politicians will have had their say. It will be your turn. The only voice that matters will be yours. Make sure it is heard.

This newspaper is politically neutral. Unlike the national newspapers, we do not support one party or another. And, also unlike the national newspapers, we would never dream of telling our readers how to vote.

But we will urge you to use your vote. We know many of our readers feel all politicians are the same and are wondering whether to vote at all.

The cynicism and apathy that surrounds this election is understandable. But the right to vote is precious. People have fought and died to gain and preserve that right.

Your vote might be fuelled by conviction or conscience. It might even be inspired by anger.

Whatever the reason for casting your vote, please cast it. The bedrock of our democracy is the ability of the man or woman in the street to decide who runs their country – and to get rid of them if they do not meet expectations.

There is no such thing as a wasted vote. It is only self-interested politicians who would have you believe that. Every vote is important. Every voice needs to be heard.

We would offer one piece of advice. If you intend to give the main parties a bloody nose with a protest vote, think long and hard before backing extremist parties that would take away the rights that allow you to protest were they ever to win power.

Whatever the result and whoever wins the keys to 10 Downing Street on May 7, make sure you have played your part at the ballot box.