LABOUR leader Ed Miliband’s wife Justine joined the campaign trail in Brighton and Hove yesterday.

But despite being touted for a photo opportunity on Hove seafront, Mrs Miliband did not have a single word for the readers of The Argus. Nor did she stop to speak to any voters. A special Labour party advisor “seconded to Justine for the election” said that despite visiting each of the Brighton and Hove candidates and standing in front of a sea of placards on the seafront “she doesn’t really want to do the politics”.

Eighteen local activists were the only members of the public she met beside Hove beach huts – which former MP Ivor Caplin said had been picked especially because they “make a really good backdrop”.

As the Labour leader’s wife arrived, the assembled group of banner-wavers were ordered by Mrs Miliband’s six-person team of supervisors to move three beach huts down the beach.

Mrs Miliband also bore the brunt of rival candidates’ infighting – rushing off to visit Brighton Pavilion candidate Purna Sen on the Palace Pier after just three minutes on the beach because according to Mr Caplin “she felt a bit left out”.

The first lady-in-waiting had apparently knocked on some doors prior to her whistle-stop visit to the seafront and according to Labour’s Hove candidate Peter Kyle – who was allowed to talk – she met the full spectrum of voters ranging from a man with mental health problems facing homelessness to a self employed solicitor.

All, according to Mr Kyle, were pleased to meet Mrs Miliband.

He said: “It is my job to do the politics but she’s very successful in her own right.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever met her, but she’s very approachable.

“Her job is not to do the politics. But during the run up to the general election all eyes are on the leaders. So her coming down here makes it feel a bit more special to people opening their doors to us. One guy who answered his door said ‘I’m a bit overwhelmed now’. Then he didn’t really know what to say.”

Mrs Miliband was at least pleased to take a few selfies with the excitable gaggle of local campaigners and their pink flags.