Election highlights: A resignation is no way to kick off a campaign

Wednesday’s election campaign trail brought a resignation, the PM offering an insight into his chats with the Queen and Nigel Farage’s usual colourful assessment of the London metropolitan elite.

Here are five things we learned as the parties spanned the UK to get across their messages.

A Cabinet resignation is not an ideal way to kick off campaigning

Boris Johnson may have envisaged a more positive start to day one of his election drive, but instead his speech on Downing Street was delayed by the resignation of Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns, who was accused of “brazenly lying” about his knowledge of an allegation that a Tory candidate had sabotaged a rape trial.

Mr Cairns claims he had been unaware of former staff member Ross England’s role in the collapsed trial until after the story broke last week.

Brexit has made the Prime Minister want to nibble on his clothes

Mr Johnson said he is so frustrated over Brexit that he has found himself “wanting to chew my own tie”.

The Tory leader has vowed to “get Parliament working again” if he wins a working majority in the polls.

Nicola Sturgeon thinks a Scottish independence referendum could become ‘irresistible’

Scotland’s First Minister outlined her intention to hold another vote on independence in 2020, and said: “If the SNP win this election, I think that demand becomes irresistible.”

Ms Sturgeon said the idea that politicians at Westminster can stand in the way of Scots being given a choice on their future is starting to “crumble”.

Nigel Farage doesn’t think much of the Workington man theory

During a visit to Workington, the Brexit leader said the idea of “Workington man” as the key swing voter in the election is “patronising cobblers”.

The town has been in the news after think tank Onward said Conservatives would have to target traditional Labour voters from regional towns such as Workington in order to win election.

There’s no point interviewing an empty chair

Sky News presenter Kay Burley “empty chaired” James Cleverly after claiming the Conservative Party chairman missed a planned appearance on her breakfast show.

Mr Cleverly responded by saying that he was not, in fact, booked to appear in the broadcast.

Tweet of the day

In a break with convention, Boris Johnson has talked about his private audiences with the Queen, saying “she always asks the best questions”.

The Prime Minister made the revelation in an election campaign video filmed on his way to meet the Monarch.

Picture of the day

Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street to speak to the press after holding an audience with the Queen, during which she agreed to dissolve parliament.

Mr Johnson kept his focus on leaving the eu, saying he did not want an early election but that MPs were refusing to deliver Brexit.

Video of the day

Nigel Farage took to the streets of Cumbria and had a political discussion with Karl Connor, 38, in Whitehaven.

What’s next?

• Labour’s leadership head to Liverpool where they will unveil their election “battlebus” and shadow chancellor John McDonell will pledge to make government decision-making less London focused. Jeremy Corbyn then heads to Lancashire and will hold a rally in Manchester in the evening

• The focus of the Tories will turn to Scotland as Boris Johnson heads north

• Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson will visit a school in Somerset