A roundup of today's other UK election news in brief
Tory suspended for gay remarks
A Tory candidate in Scotland has been suspended for describing gay people as “not normal” on his website. It marks the second time Philip Lardner has been suspended. In 2008, he prompted controversy when he praised Ian Smith, the former leader of Rhodesia, and defended Enoch Powell, the former Tory MP who warned against mass immigration in his “rivers of blood” speech. Scottish Conservative chairman Andrew Fulton described the comments as “unacceptable”.
Red balloons go by school gate
Islington may have a special place in the New Labour founding myth but that hasn’t stopped some residents of the borough griping that the party is inappropriately politicising children by handing out red Labour balloons at school gates. One mother called it “exploitative marketing”. The local Tory candidate was quick to add her tuppenceworth, calling the balloons “a mass propaganda operation”. Labour’s response? The Conservatives were “talking hot air”, a spokesman said.
Peppa Pig snubs Brown
It was a no-show for children’s cartoon favourite Peppa Pig yesterday, after the company which licenses the character cancelled a planned appearance at the launch of Labour’s family policy manifesto. Peppa was due to play a leading role at the event but E1 Entertainment said it had agreed the character should not attend to avoid controversy. A spokesman for Gordon Brown said his family were “big fans” of the star. “He understands that she has a very busy schedule.”
Still hugging hoodies
The Tory campaign has a new face – former Eastendersstar Brooke Kinsella. Kinsella, whose brother was stabbed to death in 2008, accused Labour of not tackling knife crime. In 2006, David Cameron's call for more understanding of youth crime was ridiculed by critics who dubbed it the "hug a hoodie" policy. During a walkabout in Bury yesterday, the Tory leader was handed a baby wearing a hooded top, prompting him to say: "I'm hugging a hoodie, it's official."
