I think the problem that the electoral process is facing at the moment is that there's no-one to vote for, of any political persuasion, who looks like they might actually DO something! Putting personal feelings aside for a second, Thatcher and Blair were hugely charismatic, and this charisma drew the apathetic off their couches and into the polling booths.
So, whereas the card-carrying party members like me will always turn out to vote, it seems to me that the vast majority of the electorate simply can't see the point any more. I'm sure that, to many, the notion that their not participating in the democratic process will make not the slightest difference to them - some crook with his own agenda is going to get elected however many people turn out, so why bother?