Candidate says 'nicking' joke not about Liverpool

Lisa Smart was on the campaign trial in Marple with Sir Ed Davey earlier

A Liberal Democrat election candidate caught joking that a woman with a Scouse accent was "nicking stuff" has insisted it was not a jibe directed at Liverpool - and was a comment she had made many times.

Lisa Smart, who is standing in Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, has apologised after she was recorded making the joke on a doorbell camera while on the campaign trail.

She said she had made the comment "dozens of times before" as a way to "lighten the mood" when people who are not residents or voters at a home answer the door.

Hazel Grove's Conservative candidate Paul Athans, who is from Liverpool, said it was a "inappropriate slur" that was "utterly unacceptable".

Ms Smart said she was "mortified" to have caused any upset

He said he thought Ms Smart was "apologising for being caught", adding the comment "reinforces derogatory stereotypes".

Ms Smart was speaking as she was joined by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey to paint pottery in the village of Marple earlier, as the build-up to next week's general election enters its final week.

He said his colleague had made a "poor joke" and had "apologised really quickly", adding many in the constituency would know she was a "fantastic champion" for Hazel Grove.

'Light-hearted'

In footage shared online, Ms Smart was heard making the comment to a woman with a Liverpool accent who answered a door before explaining it was not her house.

She said she was "genuinely mortified to have upset somebody" and had gone back to the home "immediately" to apologise.

"It’s a comment I’ve made probably two dozens times over the last month or so to people, whatever their accent, wherever they're from," she said.

"It’s a light-hearted way to try and lighten the mood when somebody answers the door and they’re not from there.

"It's not a phrase I am going to use again."

Also standing for election in Hazel Grove are Labour candidate Claire Vibert, John Howard Kelly for Reform; Tim O'Rourke for the Social Democratic Party and Graham Reid for the Green Party.