Ashfield MP Lee Anderson mocked by Angela Rayner over election 'blunder'

Former deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayer has mocked Ashfield MP Lee Anderson over what she claims is an election blunder by the Reform UK party.

Mr Anderson (Ref) posted a photo of himself and Reform supporters campaigning in Gorton & Denton ahead of the upcoming by-election in the constituency.

Labour's Angela Rayner has poked fun at Reform and Lee Anderson after the Ashfield MP posted campaign photos for Gorton & Denton which Ms Rayner says were in the wrong constituency. Photo: Other

placeholder image — Labour's Angela Rayner has poked fun at Reform and Lee Anderson after the Ashfield MP posted campaign photos for Gorton & Denton which Ms Rayner says were in the wrong constituency. Photo: Other

Mr Anderson also posted on social media: “Gorton & Denton, a cold but productive day in what will be a hotly-contested seat.

"Reform UK fear no party, bring it on."

But Ms Rayner spotted that the building the Reform team were posing in front of wasn’t actually in Gorton & Denton but in her constituency of Ashton-under-Lyme.

And the Labour MP, who was forced to resign from the cabinet last year after being found to have broken the Ministerial Code when she underpaid tax on a property in Hove, was quick to poke fun at Mr Anderson, Reform UK and it’s leader Nigel Farage.

She said: "Farage's Reform can't even find the Gorton & Denton constituency on a map.

"Perhaps it's because they're too busy filling their party full of former Tories who failed the country.

"Local residents in Gorton & Denton deserve a local MP who is focussed on delivering on local residents' priorities like tackling the cost of living.

"That's what Labour will be speaking to voters about every day on streets across Gorton & Denton while Farage gets round to finally learning how to use Google maps and actually work out where they live."

But Mr Anderson said the photos were merely taken where the Reform team had met up beforehand Ms Rayner’s nearby constituency because there wasn’t a car park in Gorton big enough to accomodate everyone who turned up.

And he described the Labour MP’s comments as ‘desperate’.

He replied: “Over 100 volunteers turned up to campaign in the constituency – a Labour constituency that has had no representation in Parliament for nearly a year.

“Our volunteers came from far and wide and a location with a big enough car park to accommodate our volunteers was chosen just outside the constituency.

"All volunteers then left to campaign in the constituency.

"There is nothing to see here other than desperation from a desperate party.”