ADVERTISER, APRIL 16: ELECTION NOTEBOOK with Parliamentary Correspondent Mark Hookham: The most common plea belated to voters by nervous election strategists before this campaign kicked off was "don't support the Stay At Home Party".

In the 2001 only 59 per cent of people bothered to vote the lowest in Britain's history of general elections.

Swindon fared little better than the national average political candidates in the town's two seats inspired only 61 per cent of the electorate to find their nearest ballot box.

Labour know it's their traditional supporters who disillusioned with Iraq and policies like foundation hospitals would rather watch paint dry than vote for anyone on May 5.

So this time around, surely something different was needed.

The politicians need to be more visionary, maybe even a bit more impassioned.

What about a bit of Harold Wilson-style fire and brimstone?

The former PM used to tell his footsoldiers that the Labour Party was either a moral crusade or it was nothing.

Unfortunately, all the average voter got at this week's Labour manifesto launch was a "game show" line-up of seven big hitters dressed as if they had turned up to a funeral.

When challenged on the lack of passion among the Labour "magnificent seven", Tony Blair made a virtue of it, insisting that, rather than zest and zeal, "people want policies that work".

This was a management style launch of 276 individual policies drawn up by a united team of executives. Only John Prescott, who lit up the last election when he thumped an egg throwing voter, threatened to inject the missing passion, as he glowered and muttered at journalists.

Conservative leader Michael Howard has shown passion but only when he has been attempting to scare the wits out of everyone.

A Tory campaign poster put up in some areas of the country asks: "How would you feel if a bloke on early release attacked your daughter?"

Yesterday his target was pensioners.

"In Britain today millions of people have seen the value of their pensions destroyed by Mr Blair's stealth taxes. Imagine putting your money aside for your retirement only to find that it's not there".

Such scare tactics may prompt emigration but not record turnouts.

Charles Kennedy was too exhausted this week to have any passion.

After being a father for only two days, he stumbled his way through the Lib Dems manifesto launch on Thursday with bags under his eyes the size of suitcases.

His shadow chancellor Vince Cable stood at the back of the press conference groaning and then had to spend the rest of day apologising and clearing up the mess.

So, who won week one of the campaign? Well no one really except of course the Stay At Home Party.

Winners and losers

Winners

1) Gordon Brown the chancellor has been put at the centre of the Labour campaign and has been practically anointed as Tony Blair's successor

2) Sarah Kennedy the wife of the Liberal Democrat leader has cause for a double celebration a beautiful baby boy and a very good excuse for not being on the campaign trail

Losers

1) Ed Matts the Dorset South Tory candidate forced to apologise after doctoring a picture of himself a Anne Widdecombe to appear tough on immigration. He then found himself in trouble again after using a picture of himself with local Olympic gold sailing medallists on another leaflet only one, Sarah Ayton, said she was supporting the Labour candidate.

2) Jack Straw wasn't included in Labour's "magnificent seven" line-up and had to watch the launch from the back of the stage

Quotes of the week

"Of course we are deeply sorry for what's happened to Stephen Oake. It's a terrible tragedy that this has happened. He (Kamel Bourgass) should have been picked up, even under the previous system that was in place." Tony Blair's apology for asylum failures which allowed the killer of detective Stephen Oake to enter and then remain in the country illegally.

"I'm very much in favour of multi-ethnic, multi colour, multi-creed society" Veritas leader Robert Kilroy-Silk

Gaffe of the week

Charles Kennedy was given little sympathy from his opponents when he appeared flummoxed about his own tax policies.

His reply when asked how much you must earn to face a higher tax burden revealed how exhausting being a new bad can be. You are talking in region of twen..twent.twen.twen..yuh. I mean if you (pause) take (pause) a double income...say a double income couple, uh, 20,000 each that's what you are talking about 40,000. Yeah £40,000...sorry. Yes, £40,000."

Joke of the Week

During a tour of a rural constituency Tory leader Michael Howard told reporters be believed badgers should be culled to prevent the spread of bovine TB.

One wag was heard to say: "You think he's have more sympathy with other creatures of the night."

Electionspeak of the week

Gordon Brown yesterday delivered a speech designed to woo the oddly named "school gate mums" of Britain.