There’s been controversy about a General Election being held so close to Christmas.

I’m not sure why. At that time of year we’re used to telling people what we want, hoping that they’ll listen to us, and ending up disappointed.

This Christmas the bearded man in red who millions will be asking for things is Jeremy Corbyn.

Carlisle’s election count is taking place in the Civic Centre. The count’s usual location, the Sands Centre, is being used to stage Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Do I get a prize for being the 10,000th person to point out the irony of an election count being moved because of a pantomime?

Politics is a pantomime, people have said.

Oh no it isn’t!

It’s a serious business, which is why some people are concerned that a December election might put people off voting.

I’m not convinced. Bad weather doesn’t put people off walking to the tops of fells, never mind down the road to a polling station.

In the run up to Christmas I used to queue for hours outside Carlisle’s Twisted Wheel nightclub.

Admittedly the stakes there were high: cheap cider and the prospect of a snog.

But elections are, arguably, even more important.

As for the weather in December being worse than in traditional election months, has everyone forgotten the monsoon season that constitutes a Cumbrian summer?

I live in Carlisle, where the Liberal Democrats were the first party to put an election flyer through my letterbox.

People are urged to vote for the Lib Dems ‘for our kids’ future’.

Politicians could introduce eight hours of compulsory algebra every day and my kids wouldn’t suffer, because I don’t have any.

The question is whether I want the best for other people’s children, which of course I do.

I’ll make an exception for the ones who’ve been throwing fireworks for the past fortnight. May their bangers merely splutter.

It’s exciting to think that there are only 33 sleeps until polling day.

My letter to Santa this year will include a request for something magical but also a political element.

I’m going to ask for a rocket that will fly me to the moon and have me back in time for tea, and for Brexit to be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.

I fear I already know what the response will be.

“I’ll have a go at the rocket, but the other one sounds a bit unrealistic.”