'Dead Tory' insult used in Eastbourne election leaflet

The Conservatives have produced an election leaflet titled 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory' after the comment was made by a Lib Dem candidate.

Amanda Morris, Lib Dem hopeful for Old Town in Eastbourne, said she made the comment about six months ago.

She recently admitted "it was wrong" but the slur is now being used by the Tories to discredit their opposition.

Former Conservative MP Caroline Ansell is also running in Eastbourne and had death threats made again her in 2017.

Mrs Ansell, up for Sovereign ward, said: "I'm dismayed that Eastbourne Liberal Democrats have chosen as their candidate a woman who thinks 'the only good Tory is a dead Tory'.

"Having lived through the experience of a death threat and what it did to my family, it is especially painful. If elected, she would be my local councillor."

Ms Morris, who is yet to respond to the BBC's request for comment, previously told the Eastbourne Herald: "It was wrong for me to say what I said, and I have totally taken on board I have a responsibility to use my words carefully.

"I'm new to politics, and obviously will make a few mistakes along the way. And learn from them."

Ms Morris said her comment was made when some Conservative MPs were talking about Theresa May with "shocking language", including telling her to "bring her own noose" to a meeting.

Mrs Ansell said: "Attempting to justify the use of that sort of language by suggesting others were using similar at the time is frankly not good enough."

Along with support for the Tory candidate, people on her Facebook page have also expressed disappointment at the election leaflet tactic.

Cole Moreton said it was a "terrible" comment "but... to seek to make political capital out of it is to descend into the kind of tactics that have bedevilled this country lately in Parliament".

Tanya Neuss said "smearing others" was "lazy campaigning" and added: "Is it because you have nothing good about yourself to promote?"