Eggs must be cheap enough to throw about Prime Minister Harold Wilson

The economy has been one of the central issues of this election campaign.

Earlier in the day Mr Wilson had faced heckling from a crowd of around 500 gathered to greet his arrival at the Holborn and St Pancras South constituency in north London.

One woman shouted: "He's even put a tax on ant eggs for goldfish."

Another man retorted: "Goldfish are a luxury."

When Mr Wilson was later hit by the egg, he quipped: "If they are fighting the cost of living in Harrow, obviously eggs must be cheap enough to throw about.

"If the Tories get in, in five years no-one will be able to afford to buy an egg."

Although his government has been dogged by economic crises, culminating in the devaluation of sterling three years ago, there have been signs of recovery recently.

Chancellor Roy Jenkins introduced a series of indirect taxes in 1968 and a pay rise ceiling of 3.5% which have helped improve the economy to the extent Mr Wilson felt it was safe to call an election for 18 June.

The polls have all been predicting an easy victory for Labour and Mr Wilson.

The campaigning so far has focussed firmly on the two main party leaders, Mr Wilson and Conservative Edward Heath.

Although Mr Wilson has developed a reputation for one-liners at the daily news conferences, it was Mr Heath who got the better of him this time.

Asked about the egg incident, Mr Heath replied: "This was a secret meeting on a secret tour which nobody is supposed to know about. It means that men - and perhaps women - are walking the streets with eggs in their pockets, just on the off-chance."

	E-mail this story to a friend