Swing Voters: 'I haven't heard anything yet to influence my vote'

Our "Generation Jones" panel, representative of the age group experts believe will decide this election, was impressed by Charles Kennedy's "human" side last week.

Mel Jones, 49, a production editor in Selby, a marginal Labour seat, sympathised with the Liberal Democrat leader's confusion over local income tax: "Charlie was clearly suffering from the night before. Anyone with a child will understand. It's the best PR stunt there has ever been."

Mel is a member of the generation born between 1954 and 1965 who are the holy grail of political targeting. This is because they are more likely to vote than younger people but are more persuadable than older groups. One third of them still say that they do not know how they will vote, according to The Independent on Sunday poll today.

The IoS is following the election through two Jones families. Our other Joneses, in the Lib Dem target seat of Bristol West, were hardly electrified by the campaign.

Evan Jones, 39, a history lecturer, said: "I would struggle to think of anything anyone has said that would influence my vote.

"I wouldn't read any of the manifestos. They seem like leftovers from a bygone agewhere parties would reveal all their policies. These days policies get trailed for such a long time that nothing comes as a surprise."