Michael Crick: On the campaign trail

Colouring books

It is 8.15 am and I’m at Ukip’s morning press conference. It is unusual to go to a Ukip event without Nigel Farage at the helm. Instead it is hosted by a rather nervous Patrick O’Flynn and Suzanne Evans with the intention of demanding that Cameron guarantees he will not consult Nick Clegg on the wording of the EU referendum question, and that he won’t extend the franchise in the referendum to 16 to 17 year olds and EU migrants – as happened in Scotland.

Instead they got themselves in a muddle over a rather old story about EU propaganda in the form of the colouring books for children.

Mugs

At 10.30 nice young man turns up from Conservative HQ bearing four red mugs. Last night I speculated this might become the kitchen election but perhaps it will be mug election.

I have been collecting political mugs for over 30 years. They are all around the top of the walls of my study.

This new Conservative consignment comprises 4 red “Labour” mugs, one bearing the slogan “We definitely chose the right brother.”

You’re how old?

At noon, after three days of trying, I finally make contact with Michael Burrows. Who is he you ask? I reckon he is probably the youngest candidate to stand in a Westminster Election in about 200 years. He is the Ukip nominee in Inverclyde, Scotland and was only 18 on the 6th of March. He will be 18 years and 62 days old on polling day. He is one of seven teenagers fighting the election and he tells me he was inspired to go into politics by people of his age, 16 to 17-year-olds, getting the vote in the Scottish referendum last year. Which is rather bad news for Alex Salmond, because it was his idea that 16 to 17-year-olds would be pursuing the independence cause, and Burrows is a strong unionist.

Ukip are against 16-17s voting in referendum, yet have youngest candidate anywhere – Michael Burrows, Inverclyde, 18 years & a few days old — Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) April 1, 2015