Zac Goldsmith hit by his OWN car leaving him with ‘shredded’ trousers before crucial hustings in Richmond by-election
Former Conservative MP was ‘clipped’ by the vehicle while he was out canvassing last night, leaving him with a limp
ZAC Goldsmith was left with “shredded” trousers after a bizarre incident where he was hit by his own car while campaigning in the Richmond by-election.
The former Conservative MP was apparently “clipped” by the vehicle while he was out canvassing, leaving him an hour late for a crucial hustings.
Mr Goldsmith, who is standing as an independent after triggering the race over the decision to expand Heathrow, arrived at the event in a church in south west London with a limp.
A local Conservative councillor had temporarily stepped in for the 41-year-old in the debate.
When he eventually took to the stage he apologised for his tardiness, joking: “Trousers are troublesome things in politics.”
He explained: “I wasn’t going to come here in front of you with a trouser leg that was shredded and not looking very nice.
“So I had to go and tidy myself up, so I do apologise for that.”
But the first question he was asked was: “What happened to your trousers?”
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He replied: “I will tell you afterwards.”
His spokesman confirmed he had been in a “minor accident” while canvassing and was "clipped" by his car - which was being driven by an aide - ripping his trousers and cutting his leg.
It came just two days before voting in the crucial by-election, where he faces a tough challenge from the Liberal Democrats, who he took the seat from in 2010.
At the hustings he faced their candidate Sarah Olney, who has claimed if she wins she will vote against triggering Brexit in the House of Commons.
Mr Goldsmith won the seat as a Tory in 2015 with a majority of 23,000, but the contest is expected to be close when the result is announced in the early hours of Friday morning.
It was not the first time he has suffered a trouser malfunction, after the pair he was wearing ripped during his maiden speech in Parliament.
Mr Goldsmith explained: “I was chain-smoking and I was thinking ‘What the hell am I going to say, how am I going to say it?’.
"I realised my time was up so I jumped up in order not to miss my slot, and a little piece of flint caught the back of my 40-year-old trousers and ripped the back off.
“It wasn’t just a little rip, it was like a cat flap. You could see my bottom - so I had to get into the chamber walking along the wall.”