MUCH ink has been frivolously spilled in recent years by alarmists harping on about the ‘crisis of democracy’.

With just a brief glance at the current affairs section of any reputable book store, readers will be met with such titles as The Last Vote: The Threats to Western Democracy, How Democracies Die and Democracy in Chains.

But one might be forgiven for thinking the doom laden prophecies a little excessive, even in these uncertain times.

For Neil Hopkins, Labour’s candidate in Lydiard & Freshbrook, the collective hand-wringing would likely be met with the response: Crisis, what crisis?

“I would rather someone voted against me than didn’t vote at all,” he says, with complete sincerity.

“It’s up to me to work hard to convince people that my name is the one they should put a cross against on the ballot paper. At least that is democracy working as it should.”

Neil is currently a South Swindon parish councillor and he has seasoned his pitch for a borough seat with all the flavours of his party’s ambitious manifesto.

He speaks passionately about everything from the promise to reinstate children’s centres to the pledge to build double the number of council houses currently being built.

Austerity, he says, “has continued to hit the finances of local authorities and that has made it more likely that others will face the problems Northampton has faced. Yet we will still be trying to do things we think are right for Swindon from a Labour perspective.”

He describes the ward he wishes to represent as “a fantastic place with wonderful people”, but one that has been neglected. And one of his biggest bugbears? Litter.

“If we can get a majority, something we will be looking to do is improve the area with a systematic approach to clearing litter. We need a concerted campaign across the whole area – and indeed the whole town – involving schools and youngsters.”

Another issue he hears repeatedly during long bouts of door knocking is the precarious future of Lydiard House and Park.

He tells me: “It is a very big issue in West Swindon. People are very concerned about what will happen to the house and they are not happy that the maintenance has not been undertaken.”

The Conservative administration last month announced that vital repairs which need to be made to Lydiard House will be undertaken within the next two years.

The initial dismay from some quarters was met with rank incredulity when it was further announced that this could be done for a mere £1m, almost £4m less than originally thought.

“The house and park has huge potential, but it needs to be significantly improved to make it more financially viable. It should not be struggling to cover its own costs and maintenance.”

Neil lives in Old Town, though he stressed that not living in the ward “doesn’t stop me from doing my absolute upmost for the people of Lydiard & Freshbrook”.

And his message to people who find the leadership of the national party intolerable is, quite simply: “I am not Jeremy.”

n Tomorrow we speak to UKIP and Green Party candidates.