The Lib Dem candidate in Hazel Grove has offered a "fulsome apology" after making an anti-Liverpool slur while campaigning.

Lisa Smart, who also serves as a Stockport councillor, has come under fire after a video shared by the Daily Mail shows Ms Smart out door-knocking when a woman answers who says she is registered to vote in Liverpool.

The Lib Dem candidate responded with a smile: 'Ah, understood – so you've just been nicking stuff while you're here."

The remarks provoked a strong reaction from Paul Athans, the Conservative candidate for Hazel Grove who was born in Liverpool.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that it was evidence of the Lib Dems leading a "a nasty, negative, and misleading" election campaign.

Paul Athans, Conservative candidate for Hazel Grove (Image supplied)

He said: "This supposed 'joke' reinforces derogatory stereotypes and is completely unacceptable.

"This is not the first time Ms Smart has attacked my birthplace, Liverpool, which is utterly hypocritical given she was a Londoner.

"I live in Marple in the centre of Hazel Grove constituency so the fact that she has the audacity to call me an 'insult' for not being born here, when she wasn't either, is disgraceful.

"I hope the voters of Hazel Grove will see this incident as just the tip of the iceberg that has been a nasty, negative, and misleading Lib Dem campaign here in Hazel Grove."

"Hazel Grove needs an MP that will respect everyone, no matter where in the world they were born".

Claire Vibert, Labour's candidate in the seat, said: "I'm appalled by this casual slur towards people from Liverpool from the Lib Dem candidate."

Claire Vibert, Labour candidate for Hazel Grove (Image supplied)

She added: "People in Hazel Grove deserve an MP who will treat everyone with respect. I hope voters will ask themselves if they want an MP who behaves like this to represent them in Parliament."

The LDRS asked Ms Smart if she would like to provide a statement about the incident, but she has not responded.

A Lib Dem spokesperson said: "Lisa is genuinely mortified that she unintentionally caused offence: she has since returned to the address and given a fulsome apology."

Hazel Grove is a key target for the Lib Dems, and has been visited by party leader Ed Davey to boost their chances.

Ms Smart has stood in the seat in every general election since 2015 without winning, but increasing her vote share each time.

In 2019, she lost out to former Tory MP William Wragg, who won the race with a 4,000-vote majority.

Cheadle, which also falls in the borough of Stockport, is another Lib Dem target.

Most polls suggest the Lib Dems are on track to win both of the constituencies on July 4.

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