This election campaign may be growing increasingly bad-tempered but at least Tim Collins, the Countdown-obsessed Tory education spokesman, is having some fun.
Collins is helping a Radio 1 show devise perfect pop songs for political parties. Presenter Danny Robbins is impressed by the urbane Tory’s taste in music. “He’s really into his metal - he likes the Darkness and Def Leppard,” he says.
Creation 4‘s suggested songs so far include a version of the Beatles’ “Let it Be” in which the lyrics have been changed to “Vote Tory Vote Tory Vote Tory Howard is the answer Vote Tory”. Bound to capture the yoof vote.
There’s also an anti-Labour remix of “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand, with the chorus changed to “Vote Them Out”, but Collins has another week - and more songs - before making the final choice for the show, which goes out at 3am on May 4.