Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence party. Photograph: Ian Nicholson/PA
Ukip are running 10 minutes late with their press conference to launch their manifesto – because the BBC want to interview their leader – which at leaves gives assembled journalists a chance to have a skim through it.
It's bright fuchsia pink - the same colour as Labour's campaign HQ backdrop - and emblazoned with the slogan: "We Want Our Country Back". There are 10 chapters, with a foreword by leader Roger Knapman, urging the 2.6 million voters who cast their preference with Ukip at last year's European elections to stick with them and give them the "spectacular milestone" of a Westminster MP.
Coincidentally, the launch is at the Atrium in Millbank, the very same venue at which, 10 months ago, I attended the unveiling of Robert Kilroy-Silk as Ukip's newest recruit – and was harangued for being part of the "liberal elite". No sign of the truth-telling one today, however, for obvious reasons.
10.15am: The party have taken the PR precaution of being introduced by a woman, after previous criticism of it resembling an elderly white gentleman's club.
Some 500 candidates will be fielded, promised Mr Knapman, accusing the other two parties of being the "Lib-Lab con". Mr Knapman makes the interesting claim that the EU president has referred to the two world wars as "civil wars". He urges Rover workers to vote Ukip "in their own self interest", comparing how much money the EU has allegedly paid to help Renault with the UK government's bail-out of the Midlands manufacturer.
We're polling between seven and eight per cent," claims Mr Knapman, saying "there is no doubt" this will bring them their first MPs in areas where they are stronger.
10.30am: Outside the obvious policy of withdrawal from the EU, Ukip's manifesto reveals them to be pro-nuclear, pro-motorist and pro-small business.
"I recruited Robert Kilroy-Silk, so I hold my hands up for that one," says MEP Nigel Farage, adding ruefully: "He was very good for us ... for a period of two to three weeks. He came, he saw, he failed to conquer."
We'll be fielding seven or eight ethnic minority candidates, says Mr Farage, acknowledging they sent 12 middle class white males to Brussels last time.
10.45am: The difference between us and Veritas is we are a grassroots political party made up of people from Lib Dems, Labour, the Tories and from no parties, rather than "based around the ego of one man" says Mr Farage.
The party reveal they have contributed 165,000 euros to the French "no" campaign against the European constitution and will be attending a Paris rally next month. They claim the Tories have somehow ended up funding the "yes" campaign.
Mr Farage admits that the party grew out of Tories unimpressed with John Major in the early 1990s, but says their biggest recruits now are from people who have given up voting.
Asked about the "colourful" candidate Godfrey Bloom, who last year said women should be cleaning behind the fridge rather than working, Mr Farage says that self-same fridge is now up for sale on Ebay, with the proceeds going to the local Sue Ryder charity shop.
"Sadly not," says the still-unintroduced woman on the platform, when asked if their general election campaign will be as well funded as last year's European contest – which was bankrolled by Yorkshire millionaire Paul Sykes, who has since withdrawn his support. "Anyway, the point everyone missed last year is that we raised a million pounds in small donations from our own members," concludes Mr Farage.
