THE GOOD THE BAD ..& THE UGLY

charts the highs and lows of campaign trail

- KEVIN MAGUIRE

You'd have got long odds before the campaign on a Tory betting scandal derailing Sunak, exposing his inability to run a bath never mind a political party, as the sleazy side of the Conservatives burst into the open.

Spare a thought for hapless business minister Kevin Hollinrake. He gambled away his money on the Tories actually winning. Doh!

Appointing himself Reform UK leader to carpetbag his way to Clacton, thin-skinned Nigel Farage was a Trump mini-me, repeatedly blaming conspiracies for racists in his ranks.

Like the Kenneth Williams of the far right starring in Carry on Clacton: infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me.

Described as better with a judge than a jury when a barrister, Keir Starmer was surprisingly flat-footed in his first TV head-to-head with Rishi Sunak, letting him get away with a £2,000 Labour tax lie for a full 30 minutes. He had three Shredded Wheat for breakfast before the second debate.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch sneaked away for a holiday during the campaign, and Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker did not immediately return from his when the election was called. Both want to be the next Tory leader. Presumably so they can put their feet up for five years as Starmer works towards a second victory.

Abandoning the D-Day beaches to return to London for a pre-recorded election interview for ITV was the PM shooting himself in both feet.

Sunak was left with not a leg to stand on and pressured into a grovelling apology. The surrender was his.

Preferring holidaying and earning money to helping his party, feckless Boris Johnson left it late for a cameo at a Tory rally two days before the election. The Partygate liar who so damaged his party emphasised the Con in Conservative.