Off the Record

While Boris Johnson was the only party leader who made it to Kent, it was not a visit that involved much contact - well, hardly any - with the public.

He pitched up in a battle bus to be met by party activists and supporters and delivered a pithy speech in which the words “get Brexit done” featured rather heavily.

There was then the big reveal of a poster warning that anything other than a Conservative government would keep the country in neutral.

After a round of interviews with the media at Maidstone’s Event Centre, he was off for a meet and greet in Rochester but details were put in to the public domain before an embargo, with the result that a large crowd of protestors arrived at the rendezvous point. The result? It was cancelled.

The PM’s visit was hosted by the Conservative candidate for Faversham and Mid Kent Helen Whately who was sporting a top with the slogan “Good Times Ahead” emblazoned on the front. No, it wasn’t official Conservative merchandise…

While the BBC1 Leaders Debate was going on in the Maidstone Studio, journalists were kept in an adjoining studio dubbed “The Spin Room”.

There was a distinct end-of-term mood with the pundits who had been to every one of the debates clearly feeling they had seen and heard enough.

One well-known broadcaster was heard to say they were “not enamoured of Maidstone.. It is one long traffic jam..” Off The Record was caught up in the same congestion and can attest to the bit about the amount of traffic on the surrounding roads.

Interested in how the parties will fare in the election? KMTV will be hosting an Election Special covering all the Kent counts live, from 10pm.

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