I had my best doorstep conversation yesterday of the whole election campaign – with a non-voter, an under-18 year-old. This was someone alert to the world of politics. She hoped to go to university, but did not see a higher education as a personal right, free of personal charge and responsibility. She also agreed with the coalition government’s scrapping of the education maintenance allowance (EMA). She has friends at school who use it as casual spending money rather than being in real need of the money. This future voter thought attacks on Nick Clegg were unjustified.

I am beginning to think that the chief moaners against coalition cuts are vested interests in the media and better off residents who like their middle class perks. There are few moaners on the doorstep, but most of that I have met are the better-off members of society.