Redrawing the East Midlands political map?
Is the political map of the East Midlands about to change? At the last election, Labour won 25 seats, the Conservatives held 18 and the Liberal Democrats secured just the one.
The region is getting two more seats anyway - Mid Derbyshire and South Northamptonshire - because of boundary changes. These constituencies are regarded as notional Conservative seats. That's because of past election results in the wards that make up these newcomers.
So what are the seats that'll be making headlines by Friday?
Here goes:
A 2% swing to the Conservatives would knock out Labour's Andy Reed in Loughborough and the Phil Hope, the government's Minister for the East Midlands in Corby.
Three per cent, and Labour lose Broxtowe and Derbyshire South. At 5%, Labour's casualty list includes Gedling, the Nottingham seat of schools' minister Vernon Coaker, Leicestershire North West and Lincoln, the power base of health minister Gillian Merron.
To get a Commons majority, David Cameron needs a swing of around 9% to take Derby North, suburban Erewash in Derbyshire and the semi-rural seats of Sherwood and Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire.
And what of the Liberal Democrat surge? That could have its impact on both main parties in the East Midlands. A swing of 4.5% would take Leicester South from Labour's Sir Peter Soulsby. A similar swing from the Conservatives and the Lib Dems unseat Edward Garnier, the Shadow Attorney General, in Harborough.
No wonder this General Election has proved to be so fascinating.
Hello. My name is John Hess. I'm the BBC's Political Editor for the East Midlands and this blog will offer my musings on the political scene from Westminster to closer to home. 
