Has this been the dirtiest election campaign in living memory?

Owen Jones thinks the gloves always been off in the build up to this year's General Election...

It’s a cliché – they always say “This is the most important election in a generation”, but I genuinely think that’s the case. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt? The ugliness of modern politics. It sells the British public short. I always want the Conservatives to be defeated, but now they need to be taught a lesson.

This campaign has been dirty and vicious, because the last thing the Tories want to talk about are real issues. They make it about how Ed Miliband eats a bacon sandwich, and all sorts of bizarre attacks. It’s been a campaign of demonising Ed, scapegoating immigrants and the unemployed, and fanning English resentment of Scotland. They’re so desperate to stay in power they’ll happily fuel the break-up of the country.

‘Milifandom’ is fascinating – it started with a teenage girl who was sick of the way the Murdoch press portray Miliband. It’s inspiring to have young people standing up to rich newspaper owners.

The media and Tories can’t wage a campaign of venom and think they can win. If they lose, it will be a clear lesson that it’s not rich media moguls who run this country – the people do.

The Establishment: And How They Get Away With It by Owen Jones is out now

(Images: Rex)