So was this a new dawn for political engagement? Well no. While voting for Tony Hadley has reached a record high, the turnout in this week's local elections is likely to suffer as usual.

More people voted for Fame academy than Labour at the last general election.

If we look back through history, the same issues and promises have cropped up again and again without ever being resolved.

Campaigns of the past.

The local elections of 1964 and 1924 banged on about health, education and crime. No change there then! Here's a bill poster for a by-election in 1852.

A promise to crackdown on highwaymen, whores and smugglers, with more privately built giblets. Election pledge 1852

The election pledge then may have been to embrace the doubloon when it has met five crucial tests. A promise to crackdown on highwaymen, whores and smugglers, with more privately built giblets. And a pledge to increase voter turnout with the threat of hanging.

Roundhead individual

And what of Cromwell's successful election campaign of 1649? A promise of votes for women, a fair and just society, and when it comes to monarchy, a pursuit of a relentless policy of execution, execution and execution.

The first election after the crusades was fought over the issues of sovereignty, Europe, education again and health.

Linguistic experts have even decoded some cave paintings by Neanderthal man that reveals tribal election promises on modernising the health service, schools and police as core values.

A promise to stem the arrival of immigrants claiming asylum from the spreading ice age. Improving the transport system will begin pending the invention of the wheel.

So it's all the same then, and it turns out it's all the same now too. The good people of Swindon seemed to think so.