4:02pm Thursday 17th April 2008
By Jo Winrow
Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague was pelted with an egg on a walkabout in Bradford today.
A youth, dressed in a hooded top, approached the former Tory leader and splattered him with the egg in John Street, near the Oastler Shopping Centre, before running off.
Mr Hague was returning to Bradford for the second time in two weeks to boost the Conservative local election campaign.
Party leader David Cameron was also in the region today, promising to crack down on council tax hikes as he launched the Tories' local election campaign.
The attack on Mr Hague followed an incident yesterday where a boy was caught pretending to sneeze and then wiping his hand on Mr Cameron's jacket. The 15-year-old was cautioned by police.
Mr Hague's visit to Bradford otherwise passed without incident, with many shoppers and traders stopping to talk and ask for photographs to be taken.
Accompanied by the party's candidates, including Bradford Council's Conservative leader, Councillor Kris Hopkins, who is standing in the Worth Valley ward, Mr Hague then moved on to Keighley for another walkabout.
Coun Hopkins said of the egg-thrower: "It is sad that one individual tried unsuccessfully to spoil an otherwise extremely positive visit. Thankfully, William is made of stern stuff, unlike the egg."
Keith Edward Dredge (Lab)
Betts Fetherston (Green)
Sam Harris (Lib Dem).
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