A LEADING Hendon Liberal democrat believes the series of televised debates between the three party leaders which kick off tonight could be crucial in deciding the General Election result.

Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will go head-to-head on ITV tonight in the first of three live televised debates, the first of their kind in this country.

Wayne Casey, who is stepping down from Barnet Council as councillor for Mill Hill, has been campaigning for the Parliamentary candidate Matthew Harris in the Hendon seat.

He told the Times Series: “One of the interesting things about this election is there are still so many people undecided.

“With those people they are still al to play for in three weeks time.

“I've been doing this for a number of years and I think if I can't get their real preference from them they are genuinely undecided.

“I think the Leaders debates could have a big bearing. If a third of voters genuinely don't know who to go for the person who comes off best there could really help their vote locally.”

Mr Harris said the biggest problem he is facing on the doorstep with voters is people being angry with politicians.

“A lot of people feel let down by MPs because of things like the expenses scandal. A lot of people tell me they are disillusioned with politics.” he said.

“There is a general feeling of disappointment. But I can use that as a positive thing, no London Lib Dem MPs had a second home, not one profited on capital gains tax.”

When the Times Series joined Mr Harris on a door-knock on a sunny evening in Mill Hill he had to knock on several doors before he found anybody in. When he did he was given short shrift from the householder: “I don't talk to politicians.”

However, a few doors later and Mr Harris came across Charles Dean who told him he was seriously considering voting for them.

Mr Harris said: “It's genuinely nice when you get people who say they're thinking about voting Liberal Democrat when they haven't before.

“There are a lot of people telling me they have lost faith in the main parties. One lady in her 80s said she had voted Tory her whole life, but said she didn't trust David Cameron and liked Vince Cable so was going to vote Lib Dem.”

However, 82-year-old Robert Johnson offered a different proposition for Mr Harris, saying he would vote Lib Dem locally, but not in the General Elections.

He said: “I vote for them locally because I don't think the Labour candidates have much hope around here and I really don't want to vote Tory.

“But I always vote Labour in the General Elections, I have done so all my life.”

Another woman admitted she did not know which party it was she would vote for.

She told Mr Harris: “To be totally honest I don't know a lot about it. I do think every vote's important but I haven't got a clue about who would be best for me.”

Telephone canvassing is also being widely used by many candidates. Mr Harris explained: “I have done more phone canvassing than door-knocking so far, as you can reach more people more quickly. The experts say people are also more truthful about their true allegiances.

“We have also been putting out a lot of literature, trying to get our message through.

“Elections are always a good time for us as we have to be given more attention by the national media and quite often people who haven't heard our policies before are impressed by what we say.”