Election 2010: When political stunts go bad

Gordon Brown reacting as he is replayed comments picked up from a microphone he thought was off earlier in the day, during a radio interview for the BBC, in Manchester. Brown apologised during the interview for his commments about voter Gillian Duffy, while out on the election campaign trail in Rochdale Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Photograph: guardian.co.uk David Cameron at a Conservative rally at Milton Keynes Academy. The Tory leader might be looking busy with his notes, but being close to that poster is no accident Photograph: Rex Features Photograph: guardian.co.uk David Cameron on the BBC Politics Show on 28 March. The cropped programme title in the background has spelled out the word "posh" Photograph: BBC Photograph: guardian.co.uk David Cameron rolls up his sleeves to talk to staff at the Morrisons distribution centre in Kent Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA Photograph: Lewis Whyld/guardian.co.uk Party political crisp packets featuring photographs of the three main party leaders. Whose bright idea was that? Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/guardian.co.uk David Cameron, in a familiar PR move, arrives at the Commons for the last PMQs before the election. Cycling groups then lambasted him for not wearing a helmet Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA Photograph: Lewis Whyld/guardian.co.uk We're not sure why Conservative party chairman Eric Pickles posed outside this particular attraction at Blackpool beach Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Photograph: Christopher Furlong/guardian.co.uk Nick Griffin, the leader of the BNP, campaigns for support in Dagenham with his wife, Jackie. The man on the right is allegedly his bodyguard... dressed as a soldier ... though controversy followed as the man turned out not to be a soldier but a BNP activist. The MoD confirmed that services personnel are are not allowed to attend political meetings in uniform Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Photograph: Oli Scarff/guardian.co.uk Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah meet patients and staff at the Yeadon health centre in Yorkshire. The doors were obviously too heavy Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/guardian.co.uk Between a rock and a hard place: Business secretary Lord Mandelson holds a traditional piece of seaside rock which has the Labour party election slogan running through it Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/guardian.co.uk Peter Mandelson shows off his moves as he dances with Hanna Mackenzie, an ex-spiritual healer, at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool before the leaders' debate on 15 April Photograph: Graeme Robertson Photograph: guardian.co.uk Masks of Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are made available to visitors to new ultimate rollercoaster THI3TEEN at the Alton Towers resort, for a daily poll aiming to show the nation's voting intentions Photograph: Gary Calton Photograph: guardian.co.uk Gordon Brown on a visit to a house in Bedworth, where they were having a St George's Day party Photograph: Peter Jordan Photograph: guardian.co.uk David Cameron visits a bus run by the charity XLP Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Photograph: Oli Scarff/guardian.co.uk Mini lego figures of Nick Clegg and David Cameron carrying Gordon Brown out of Downing Street of Miniland, at Legoland in Windsor, Berkshire Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA Photograph: Steve Parsons/guardian.co.uk Mannequins of Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg with a noose hung in front of them (to represent a hung parliament you see, though strictly speaking, it would be a hanged parliament) during a photocall at the London Dungeon Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Photograph: Toby Melville/guardian.co.uk