“THE economy is going gangbusters!” boasted Boris Johnson, a few days ago. Not any more it isn’t.

The key event of the campaign day saw the Conservatives trying to explain how they can claim the economy is their ace card, when growth is disappearing fast?

The GDP increase of a miserly 0.3 per cent in the three months to the end of March was half the expansion in the previous quarter and the slowest rate since the end of 2012.

Worse, construction is in decline and manufacturing virtually at a standstill, leaving George Osborne’s vow to inspire a “march of the makers” in Britain looking a little tatty.

As the BBC’s Robert Peston put it: “If we weren't a nation of shoppers and restaurant eaters, there would be very little growth at all.

“History suggests it will all end in tears if we don't see a revival of other sources of growth - namely exports and business investment.”

Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats tried to turn the disappointing news to their advantage, arguing it strengthened for not taking a risk with Labour.

But there was little doubt it took wind out of Tory sails, little more than one week to election day.

So what was Ed Miliband doing, being snapped by a photographer, in the dark of night, emerging from the London home of….anti-politics comedian Russell Brand?

After all, it’s not long since the self-styled revolutionary was calling Ed Balls a "clicky-wristed snidey c***” - and being dismissed as a “pound-shop Ben Elton” in return.

Brand also told the BBC: “Don't bother voting. Stop voting, stop pretending, wake up. Why vote? We know it's not going to make any difference."

Could the unthinkable happen? Could ranting Russell do a U-turn and endorse Labour? We will have to wait until the interview runs on YouTube.

Mr Miliband himself said: “Some people were saying the campaign was too boring, so I thought it would make it more interesting.”

Meanwhile, interest is growing in the lectern that follows the Labour leader everywhere – popping up in a field last week and a Cardiff back garden yesterday.

Of course, Mr Miliband no longer speaks without notes, after the blunder of forgetting to mention the deficit in last year’s conference speech.

But the stand is an easy target for David Cameron, who joked it had been “held hostage” - and urged people to “free this lectern”.

Slip-up of the Day: Mr Cameron, who got the date of the election wrong: “I have a guarantee if I'm your prime minister after the 9th....er, after the 7th of May.”

Stunt of the Day: Tory campaigners in Leicester East, who demanded a noise pollution investigation into Labour candidate Keith Vaz….because of the loudspeaker on his campaign car.