General Election 2019: The Essex candidate behind perhaps the most bizarre political leaflet
He sees the Brexit battle as one of Biblical proportions
James GregoryMultimedia Reporter
Joe DaviesMultimedia Reporter
Campaign leaflets for Joseph 77 have been posted to constituents
Voters in one Essex constituency may have received the most bizarre political leaflet of all time in the run up to this week's election.
Joseph 77 is seeking election in the Southend West constiuency against the traditional Lib Dem, Labour and Tory candidates.
He harbours hopes of not only becoming MP, but also a future "surrogate Prime Minister" appointed by the Queen.
Leaflets have been posted through constituents' letterboxes in the last two weeks which explain the candidate's position on the big issues of this election - Brexit and climate change.
Joseph 77 is not new to the political scene - he has also stood as a candidate in the Haltemprice and Howden seat in 2008 and as a candidate in the 2010 election for Barking.
But who is Joseph 77 and what is the story behind his unusual name and campaign leaflet? We took a look at his story.
Joseph 77, as you may have guessed, is not actually a real name.
His real name is in fact Thomas Darwood, a 73-year-old retired carpenter from Essex.
Southend West: The list of candidates for the general election 2019
Mr Darwood stood as one of a whopping 26 candidates in the 2008 by-election in the seat held by former Brexit secretary David Davis.
He stood again in the 2010 general election, this time in Barking.
He's only ever managed to pull in a combined 102 votes in those elections, with the 77 votes he achieved in Barking forming the basis of his numerical namesake.
According to his website, Mr Darwood calls himself Joseph 77 because his life reflects that of Joseph's struggle against the Pharaoh in the Bible.
In 1970, it is claimed that he was wrongly accused for a crime - something he compares to the Biblical Joseph who was imprisoned for years.
Mr Darwood even dressed in a tailored multicoloured coat during the count for the 2010 election in Barking.
Joseph 77 sees himself in the mould of his multi-coloured coated namesake from the Bible
For voters in Southend West, this leaflet posted through your door may have bewildered you.
On one side, he argues we should "Remain in the EU & 'Leave' with a joint >."
While the greater than sign may just be a typo, the message does seem a bit confused.
On closer inspection on his website, it states he wants the UK to act as a 'universal broker' on behalf of the EU promoting their interests to the wider world.
It says: "My CV will convince Parliament and the European Union I have the right stature and criteria to conclude Brexit with a Deal to satisfy both parties."
On another page on the website, it says he wants Britain to remain at the heart of the EU to lobby together and build a new authority - a deal he says will give "Leavers a visionary meaning to Brexit" but "keeping the UK unified to Remain in the EU."
His website proposes a series of policies involving lobbying the UN about climate change, educating British citizens about Christianity and building a new airport in London.
Also on his website, he writes: "To the Constituency, if elected as your MP, as I am not familiar with the needs of your community, I will appoint someone familiar with your concerns and implement them responsibly on your behalf."
While it may be the easy thing to dismiss some of his ambitious proposals, it seems he genuinely believes in what he is advocating.
Also standing in the Southend West seat are Tory candidate David Amess, Labour's Aston Line, and Nina Stimson for the Lib Dems.
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