The RSPB deserve a pat on the back for organising the first hustings of the campaign in Pendle.

The meeting last night at Barrowford Civic Hall was well attended given the competing attraction on ITV.

The biggest laugh was at the expense of the Conservative, Andrew Stephenson, who said rather earnestly that his office was paperless.

“That’s because it's all being pushed through our letterboxes!” quips Graham Cannon from UKIP.

At the end of the good natured meeting, I was ambushed by the organisers and am now a fully paid up member of the RSPB.  And I have a tawny owl badge to prove it.