Miliband pelted with eggs during London market visit

British Labour leader Ed Miliband has been pelted with eggs during a campaign visit to a street market in London.

A man who had been following him and a large group of journalists walking with him suddenly began throwing a volley of eggs at his back.

At least one egg hit Mr Miliband on his head and jacket.

He was campaigning in East Street market in Walworth, south London.

At least one journalist in the press party also caught an egg on the shoulder. Following the incident, an aide hurriedly removed the Labour leader’s stained jacket and he carried on with his tour of the market, chatting to shoppers and stallholders apparently unperturbed.

A man in a fluorescent jacket was seized and quickly bundled away by market security officers.

As he was led away the man, who gave his name as Dean Porter, told reporters it had been an "opportunistic moment".

“They should stop giving favouritism to the banks. They do nothing. The government do nothing. The shadow government do nothing,” he said.

“I don’t believe him at all. If you are poor, you are considered a burden. All they care about is the banks.”

Mr Miliband sought to make light of the incident. “This is not the first time it’s happened to me, I’m sure it’s not the last,” he said.

“I’m always looking for new ways to connect with the voters.”

PA