The Ukip election machine was today found wanting when former leader Nigel Farage spoke live from the campaign trail in Sleaford and North Hykeham — and party operatives managed to misspell the name of the constituency.
It remains to be seen how dim a view the Labour Party machine takes of his public courting of UKIP, but Neil Carmichael, who will fight Stroud for the third successive election for the Conservatives, has a simple message for the local electorate: