Lloyd’s latest reason to vote Labour concerns the minimum wage. He says “A minimum wage is the sign of a modern, progressive democracy, and Labour do NOT get enough credit for introducing it.” I agree. But I think it’s very telling that this is the first reason which is positive about Labour. He took 1 - 2 - 3 other posts to get there - all of which can be summed up as “They’re not the Conservatives”. Which can be said of other parties, too.

Meanwhile the Virgo family have been tracked down by Tim Dowling after turning up at two Labour photo-ops and hence being accused of being a Labour rent-a-family. The Daily Mail were particularly aggressive, apparently (tish! you’d never have thought it, would you?). They were particularly scathing that the Virgos didn’t have a TV - the shame of it. Here’s what husband/dad Ben says about his vote: “I will be voting for Blair because I think he’s a better leader. I think Michael Howard seems to be treating it as, wouldn’t it be a nice way to top off his career to become prime minister.” Sadly, once more, no third force gets a look in. (Though admittedly this is edited, so for all I know Mr Virgo talked for hours about the LibDems or the Greens and it just wasn’t printed.)

What do we learn from all this? That for plenty of people we still live in a two-party system. Which is a great shame. Please don’t nitpick about my statistical sample size of two.

Meanwhile I leave the last words to Tim Dowling and Ben Virgo, which tickled me. A conversation they had when Tim first called him and a testy Mr Virgo picked up the phone to yet another damned intrusive reporter:

[I] finally track down the Virgos myself using directory inquiries. Mr Virgo answers on the first ring. I ask if I have the right Benjamin Virgo, of the rent-a-crowd Virgos.

“Yeah.”

“Because I just looked you up on directory inquiries.”

“Oh, well done.”

“It’s free online, you know.”

“I didn’t know that.”