Just three weeks before the general election a UKIP candidate has claimed getting the name of his potential constituency wrong was “no big deal”.

Michael “Mick” McGough, UKIP’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Brentwood and Ongar, listed himself on Twitter as running in “Brentwood & Harlow” - a constituency that does not exist.

However, when asked about the mistake he was unable to explain it, claiming that he “never really uses” Twitter despite sending an average of almost one tweet a day.

He said: “I really do not do a lot with it.

“I certainly have not written that, unless someone else has written another one for me.”

 

Epping Forest Guardian:

Michael McGough's Twitter profile with the wrong constituency name only three weeks before the election (April 17)

He added: “Ever since I started there in 2010, I have been very careful to make sure I do not forget Ongar.

“You have got to delve into the full details to find it, there is no big deal as far as I am concerned, it is absolute nonsense”.

The mistake was still present online more than an hour after it was brought to Mr McGough’s attention, although he said he would correct it.

Ongar and Brentwood constituency has been in the hands of Conservative MP Eric Pickles since 1992.

Mr Pickles won the vote in 2010 with 56.9 per cent of the vote, with a total of 28,792.