Election campaign derailed by ash-cloud
By Ian Dunt
The election campaign was derailed by a gas-cloud approaching Britain today, with several events cancelled or rearranged.
The massive volcanic cloud was created by an eruption under a glacier in the Eyjafjallajoekull area of Iceland, which is still ongoing.
Vince Cable, Lib Dem Treasury spokesman, has his trip to Dumfermline and Edinburgh cancelled when planes were grounded.
Bob Ainsworth, defence secretary, was forced to cancel a Scotland trip. Alistair Darling, chancellor, is understood to have brought forward a trip to the south west so he could rearrange his plans to visit Scotland later.
Ken Clarke, shadow business secretary, has rearranged his travel plans and is now understood to be taking the train to Scotland.
The entirety of British air space has now been closed, with no flights flyng into or out of the UK.
The gas cloud prompted by the eruption contains tiny particles of rock, glass and sand which can jam aircraft engines.
