People queued to vote for days on end when South Africa became a democracy. In Iraq they defied death threats to vote in their millions after the fall of Saddam. Last week in France 84% turned out to vote for a new President.

Yet here voter apathy is spreading. Typically only one person in three bothers to vote in local elections. My latest online survey Philip's Panel found that many people stay at home because they think that politicians pay no attention to their views.

This Thursday you have a real chance to make a difference. The future of local democracy in Shropshire's districts is at stake.

In January people voted overwhelmingly in favour of keeping our district councils. But the Lib Dem leader of South Shropshire decreed the people had got it wrong and trumpeted her support for a remote unitary authority based in Shrewsbury.

The Government has deliberately sought to use these local elections as a referendum on the shape of local government here. So, if enough pro-unitary Shropshire councillors are unseated this week, ministers will not proceed to impose this misguided scheme on a hostile population.

By the way, the Lib Dem legacy for South Shropshire includes: the highest council tax in the West Midlands (£1,443 per Band D property); and the second highest increase in council tax of any authority in the country over the last 10 years (up £796 per Band D property).

Not a single Lib Dem candidate wants to keep the very district council on which each is claiming to wish to serve. Those who value local democracy cannot support the Lib Dems.