At least the Tories will not have to face Mr Farage himself as a candidate on June 5. Fearing the consequences if he gambled and failed to win Ukip its first Commons seat, he announced that the party would choose a candidate with a local connection instead. That way Mr Farage still gets his fun without risking personal defeat. After the Euros on May 22, he can dedicate himself to campaigning for his party’s Newark candidate and mining the anti-Tory publicity like mad. Mr Farage suspected that if he stood himself and lost, it would be reported as the bursting of the bubble.