Liberal Democrat councillors were turned away from Lee Anderson's office in Sutton after attempting to deliver 48,000 leaflets to the MP which highlight some of his views. The party had produced a leaflet mentioning four of the Conservative Ashfield MP's comments which it disagrees with, including his support for bringing back the death penalty and his view that some of those using food banks would benefit from budgeting advice.
The leaflet was produced after Mr Anderson was chosen to be deputy chairman of the Conservative Party by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a small reshuffle of his top team. Responding to the leaflet in a social media post on February 11, Mr Anderson wrote: "Lib Dems' new attack poster. Please drop me 48,000 off and I will deliver them myself in Ashfield."
Taking the post literally, two Liberal Democrat politicians turned up at Mr Anderson's constituency office in Sutton on Wednesday (February 15) with boxes containing 48,000 of the leaflets, which had been paid for after a fundraising effort among Liberal Democrat members. A Liberal Democrat spokesperson claimed the leaflets had cost hundreds of pounds to print and said they had been produced in Chesterfield, with a courier travelling to Sutton from the Derbyshire town to drop them off.
Read more: Families against plans for home for teenagers in quiet cul-de-sac
There to meet the van full of leaflets was Councillor Tim Hallam and Baroness Kath Pinnock. Cllr Hallam is a cabinet member on Broxtowe Borough Council, which covers part of Mr Anderson's constituency in Eastwood.
Baroness Pinnock has been a local councillor in Yorkshire since 1987 and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2014. Both Liberal Democrat politicians defended the printing of 48,000 A5 leaflets.
Baroness Pinnock said: "We're challenging some of these easy statements, it's what I call the man in the pub who is all mouth and no trousers. These are complicated issues and they need thoughtful answers to them.
"We've put what he has said on a piece of paper, he thinks that's a good idea, well deliver it and let's see what happens. You mustn't let people get away with the sort of nonsense he has come out with."
After unloading some of the boxes from the van, Cllr Hallam and Baroness Pinnock went to the front door of Mr Anderson's office, where they were greeted by someone who told them: "This is a parliamentary office, we can't accept these. You'll have to speak to the Ashfield Conservative Association."
The van was therefore loaded back up with the boxes and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson said they would be taken back to where they were produced in Chesterfield. From there, the spokesperson said he was thinking of having them delivered around Surrey instead in a bid to persuade Conservative voters there to switch to the Liberal Democrats.
Speaking about the point of highlighting the statements from Mr Anderson featured on the leaflet, Cllr Hallam said: "I come from Stapleford. Stapleford and Ashfield are very similar communities with similar issues that aren't a million miles apart.
"I can say with absolute authority for the ward that I represent in Stapleford that those views would be held as badly in the eyes of the public as if you were in Devon, Glasgow or the suburbs of Nottingham." Mr Anderson has been approached for comment about the failed leaflet delivery, but he has previously claimed that most of his Ashfield constituents agree with many of his views.
READ NEXT:
- Woman's bungalow covered in mould after flooding from leaking pipes
- Security gates block off area hit by antisocial behaviour in town
- Plans to turn function room into housing 'could be lifeline' for Nottingham pub
- Anger over motorbikes 'pulling wheelies' and riding on pavements
- Body found in River Trent in search for missing Nottinghamshire man
