Al Murray ‘Too Heavy’ for Parachute Stunt

Al Murray, the comedy candidate standing against Nigel Farage in South Thanet, has been forced to cancel a parachute jump as he was too heavy.

The comedian was due to jump out of a plane above Headcorn Aerodrome earlier today, only to be told he was heavier than the 14st 7lb (203lb) weight limit.

In a statement, Murray said: “Not only am I yet another tragic victim of this country’s obesity epidemic but also my life is being held back by health and safety gone mad.

“Gone are the days that a British citizen could throw themselves out of a plane regardless of the risk. Is this the country we want to live in? God help us if the Germans try again.”

He also tweeted a picture of himself looking unhappy on some scales:

It seems that I am too heavy to jump. Yet another tragic victim of this country’s obesity epidemic. pic.twitter.com/xqY0mFhbSb

— FUKP (@FUKPnews) March 13, 2015

Murray then faced some tough questions when he spoke at a pub in the town of Sandwich, with a heckler accusing him of trying to promote himself and making a mockery of the constituency. He responded that he wanted “to put Thanet on the map – as the most important constituency in the country.”

Murray is standing for the newly-formed Freedom United Kingdom Party (FUKP). Earlier this week, the Electoral Commission approved the party’s name but declined to approve its logo, which looks very similar to the Ukip logo.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: “It is a bit of a laugh and I have no doubt that in terms of promotion for his tour around the UK he will make a lot of money off the back of it.

“I don’t really think the joke is going to last that long.”