Ukip held a campaign rally in a strip club yesterday evening. Well, that’s not entirely fair — it was an ‘entertainment centre’, as party officials were keen to point out, which had a gentlemen’s club on the top floor. The Circus Tavern hosted what was most likely the biggest in Thurrock’s history, featuring Nigel Farage and the party’s candidate for Thurrock Tim Aker. The 29-year-old MEP and local councillor, is fighting a tough three-way battle with the incumbent Tory Jackie Doyle-Price and former BBC journalist Polly Billington for Labour.
It’s one of the top seats Ukip hopes to take from the Conservatives and judging by the positive attitude in Thurrock, the party is confident of its chances. Welcomed to the stage with cheers of ‘oi oi’ from the crowd, it’s clear that Aker revels in being the local boy ‘from Thurrock, for Thurrock’ as he puts it. Around three quarters of the crowd weren’t Ukip members and the party signed up a few dozen new members and £500 in donations after the rally.
Aker managed to whip the crowd into a frenzy but the voters were there for Farage.
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