LibDems seaside muck-racking exposed - local Tories comment 20/09/05

Local Conservatives have attacked the Liberal Democrats for continuing to sell a 'dirty tricks' campaign manual at their Party Conference in Blackpool, which is being attended by a host of Haringey Lib Dems led by Lynne Featherstone.

The official election campaigning material calls on Liberal Democrats to 'be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly', engage in negative campaigning, and 'exaggerate'. The document was exposed before the 2002 local elections, and was criticised by their chief campaigner, Lord Rennard a year later. Yet it is still on sale at this week's Liberal Democrat seaside conference.

Justin Hinchcliffe, of Haringey Conservatives, protested:

"Charles Kennedy tries to claim Liberal Democrats are an honest party, but their own election manual promotes dishonesty, deceit and dirty politics.  Liberal Democrats have had over three years to withdraw this booklet, yet they are still brazenly promoting gutter politics and muck-raking by the seaside."

He said: "This sort of campaigning brings politics into disrepute. I challenge the Liberal Democrats and Lynne Featherstone to withdraw this election manual immediately from sale. If not, they are clearly guilty of the lowest standards in public life."

ENDS.