So Theresa May sprung a General Election on us and there we all were thinking that it wouldn’t be until 2020, so much for fixed parliaments! Well it meant that I wasn’t able to stand cus I hadn’t got any money saved for my deposit, I thought I had 3 more years! Ah well . . .
But then Nick the Brick called suggesting I stand, but not in Hackney North, were I live, but in Islington 
North, against Jeremy Corbyn. “Think of the glory,” he said, “you must do it for your country!”
So I started campaigning on Facebook, managed to get my nomination forms signed – one afternoon in a pub I know – and came up with a few ideas for my personal manifesto. And that’s all I did. Except for a very brief, pre-recorded, interview which went out 
on Jeremy Vine’s Radio 2 show.
I didn’t spend any time pounding the streets in loony gear handing out flyers and I didn’t talk to as many people as I could in as many pubs as I could visit, I didn’t do any of things I’ve done when I’ve stood in previous elections.
I did find time to organise a Victory Party though. And by June 8th I’d even printed a 
few copies of my Manifesto. The response on Facebook was fantastic and my band The Big Faux Fibbers packed out The Liquor Works on Holloway Rd and we all had a great time. We even had the ‘Comedy Terrorist’ Aaron Barschak turn up in support.
We were expecting security to be tight at The Sobell Sports Center but it didn’t take long to get in. And then the long wait. We wandered around, chatted to everyone there.
Nick the Brick had decided I needed some training and when we heard that J.C. was on his way he insisted that I stood by the entrance to greet him – which I did. As Jeremy walked into the hall he was surrounded by mass of photographers, a real media scrum!
Half an hour later the results were announced and there I was on stage right 
behind Jeremy Corbyn as he was giving his winners speech.
I polled 106 votes and came 7th out of 10 which was thoroughly pleasing. And the response since then has been great. Loads of photos and TV of me behind Jeremy –
beamed all over the world via Facebook – see https://www.facebook.com/nigel.knapp.52, and I even have a photo with speech bubble in Private 
Eye!
Yes it was all very good – would I do it again? Well maybe – but certainly not in the next 6 months. Which is maybe looking likely ARGH!
Knigel Knapp – Knight of the unKnown. MRLP Minister for Blatant Lies and Big Fibs
