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Is This The Worst Election Candidate Ever?

The record for the lowest amount of votes, a wrong-seat blunder and dozens of lost deposits - Lieutenant-Commander Bill Boaks certainly has a compelling claim to the title of worst election candidate of all time.

The naval hero and cycling enthusiast campaigned on a road safety ticket in a career as election hopeful that lasted 30 years.

Ironically he was killed in a road traffic accident in 1986, by which time he had pulled in just 7,772 votes, despite being a candidate in 28 different elections.

Here's the legacy of what is probably the much loved, but worst candidate ever:

1. Mr Boaks lost £4,200 in deposits for his 28 elections after failing to secure enough of a share of votes to reclaim his £150 deposit.

2. His first election was in 1951 when he had intended to stand against the prime minister, Clement Attlee, but stood for the wrong constituency mixing up Walthamstow East with Walthamstow West where the prime minister was standing. Mr Boaks got 174 votes out of a possible 40,001.

3. He reportedly disagreed with the idea of door-knocking or being overly persuasive with voters. Instead, he would ride around on a bike festooned with placards and road safety signs.

4. In the Glasgow Hillhead by-election of 1982, Mr Boaks secured five votes - the record lowest number won at a by-election. Interestingly, he would have had to secure signatures from 10 constituents to nominate himself as a candidate.

5. Mr Boaks is 5th on the list of candidates with the smallest number of votes in a general election. He secured just 20 votes in 1979 in Devon North. (The record lowest is just one vote and that was for a candidate in the 2005 general election).

6. His highest vote was 240 in Wimbledon in the 1974 general election.

7. He stood in three constituencies in that general election - Wimbledon, Streatham and City of London & Westminster South.