Election 2015: The big five of British politics

i Editor's letter: Now it's over to you

So, what have you decided?

One month ago we promised that i wouldn’t tell you who to vote for and would instead try to cut through the noise and arm you with the facts. You will always be the judge of whether or not we have succeeded.

We have tried to reflect the radically changing nature of British politics in our coverage, and break away from the established two- or three-horse race you see elsewhere. We’ve stayed away from Westminster and reported extensively from around the country.

Inside today’s election special edition – in keeping with i’s concise, quality ethos – we try to condense where seven parties stand on all the big issues. Not certain who to vote for? Here is your quick guide. It’s “all killer and no filler”, as my colleague Lisa Markwell, the Editor of The Independent on Sunday, likes to say. And if you do know who you’re voting for, read anyway to be informed and occasionally amused.

Britain’s finest satirist, and i’s election columnist, Armando Iannucci, writes passionately of his hopes for democracy here.

Lord Ashcroft, whose detailed polling has set the pace in this election race, and whose unauthorised biography of the Prime Minister later this year will make compelling reading, writes on how tactical voting has become more fraught for us.

And all five of the biggest party leaders write to you, i’s readers today: Ed Miliband, David Cameron, Nicola Sturgeon, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage. We gave each of them one final opportunity to persuade you of their vision for Britain.

They appear together in these pages rather than elsewhere because of i’s growing political presence – for which, many thanks.

Over to you.