Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)

ELECTION ’24 COUNTDOWN 26 DAYS TO GO

Mirror Chicken’s Diary

MANY viewers of Friday’s BBC debate commented on Penny Mordaunt’s impressive blow dry. Others, however, were distracted by her voice, which appeared to have an Aussie accent creeping into it. The accent is so weird,” said one Labour staffer halfway through the event. “Everyone here mentioned it.”

WHILE most politician­s taking part in the debate sent aides or colleagues to the “spin room” in Broadcasti­ng House to big them up to the press, a couple turned up themselves. Ex-BBC man Rhun ap Iorwerth, who leads Plaid Cymru, was in like a shot and the SNP’s Stephen Flynn turned heads by rolling in with a bottle of Perrier and bag of Nobby’s Nuts. When a journo asked how it went, he politely asked them to come back when he’d had his snack.

WHICH senior Labour figure revealed an unusual craving on the campaign trail? After an interview in a hotel, staff presented their team with sarnies. Asked if they wanted anythjng else, the northern MP asked if there were any more red onions. Staff brought in a bowl of chopped, raw, red onions, which the MP proceeded to chomp through.

RIGHT-wing Tory Miriam

Cates yesterday declared on Twitter that taxes are so high because of “demographi­c change” – in other words, we as a nation are getting older. Her solution? “Throw everything we have at increasing the birth rate”. Britain! Do your duty – and maybe you can have a tax cut.

REMINDER

Don’t forget you need to apply for a postal vote if you have a holiday or engagement which means you can’t get to the polls. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday, June 19. Go to gov.uk/apply-postal-vote You must also be registered to vote by 11:59pm on Tuesday, June 18, via gov.uk/register-to-vote