Not such a silly bet
Eccentric Party candidate elects to cover costs
THE leader of the Eccentric Party has put his money where his megaphone is by placing bets on how he will perform in tomorrow’s General Election.
Lord Toby Jug bet £50 on 10-to-one odds of him receiving 100 votes or more for him to become MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip on May 7.
But he also put down £20 on 50-to-one odds of him not receiving a single vote at the ballot, which is his desired outcome.
The William Hill bookmakers in Long Lane, Uxbridge allowed him to place the bets without charge, so that if he wins he can recover the £500 deposit all candidates are required to pay to stand in the election.
He said: “I’ve covered both angles. I can’t lose – unless I get 99 votes.”
He added: “My mentor, the late great Screaming Lord Sutch [ founder of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party], tried at 41 elections to score absolutely zero votes. As his true heir apparent, I hope to reach this holy grail he sadly failed to reach.”
Lord Jug, who founded The Eccentric Party of Great Britain in 2015, had originally planned to contest the Huntingdon seat in the upcoming election.
He took over for Uxbridge and South Ruilsip after his party’s initial candidate, Chris Dowling, stepped down because of ill health.
Lord Jug said: “I feel I can best serve my party, and indeed my country, by taking on Boris Johnson, a clod and dullard of the old school.
“Unlike the other candidates, who will, like actors, do and say anything just for votes and approval, I will be campaigning in Uxbridge and South Ruislip on a platform of polling absolutely no votes whatsoever.”
He added that if elected he would resign immediately, because “anyone in our party who gets elected is obviously being far too sensible”.