Andy McSmith's Election Diary: Nigel Farage's unwanted support from Jean Claude Juncker

Nigel Farage and Jean Claude Juncker share a joke at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday (Getty Images)

Nigel Farage has received unexpected support in his campaign to become MP for South Thanet, from the President of the European Commission – not normally a fan of UKIP. Election or no election, Farage is still a member of the European Parliament, and he put in a day there yesterday, fighting losing battles over migration and asylum. “As I walked into European Parliament just now,” he tweeted early in the day, “Jean Claude Juncker wished me good luck for South Thanet as it means I won't be here anymore!”

White Dee plays Snog, Marry Avoid

Nick Ferrari, in Birmingham with what they call the LBC battle bus, challenged Deidre Kelly, otherwise known as White Dee, from the Channel 4 documentary Benefits Street, to play the school girl game of ‘Snog, Marry, Avoid’. Nick Clegg, I am sure, will be honoured to know that he was selected for a snog. David Cameron was even more honoured: he was the one whom Dee would have for a husband. “Watch out, Samantha”, she said.

But poor old Ed Miliband. Not only would she avoid him –“I think I’d actually give Usain Bolt a run for his money.”

Quote of the Day

“I think politicians have absolutely no right to complain about the media. We have become absolutely squeamish, namby-pamby and soft in our political discourse. Politicians should be grateful that the media even bother.”

Boris Johnson, well paid newspaper columnist and future MP, talking to Time Out magazine.

What’s source for the goose

Very often, the endorsements from ‘real people’ that appear on candidates’ campaign literature are actually from committed party activists masquerading as normal members of the public. But the endorsement on a leaflet put out by Tom Tugendhat, Conservative candidate in Tonbridge and Malling from a local butcher, Ian Chatfield, was genuine. Tugendhat is one of his customers. Exactly the same can be said of the endorsement on a leaflet from the Labour candidate, Claire Leigh, by her local butcher, the selfsame Ian Chatfield. "Loads have people have come in holding both of them and we've had a good laugh about it,” Mr Chatfield told the Kent and Sussex Courier.

A Dogged Campaigner

Dogs are a hazard for those who push election literature through letter boxes. Some unlucky activists have lost fingers. Helen Jones, the former Labour MP running for re-election in Warrington North, only needed to have her finger bandaged at A & E. “The dog is doing fine,” she said, reassuringly.

Labour union relations in a Haze

There was another election this month. Billy Hayes, leader of the Communication Workers Union, which represents post office workers and others, was ousted by his deputy, Dave Ward. Officially, he continues as General Secretary until 1 June, but there has been no sign at the union’s annual conference in Bournemouth this week. When he was elected in 2001, Hayes was considered to be one of the awkward squad, to the left of the Labour leadership, but he lost his job because he was considered too pro-Labour. His removal is a symptom of the widening gap between the Labour Party and the big unions.