Shadow business and trade secretary Andrew Griffith has recently voiced his concerns regarding the Liberal Democrats, characterising some of their policies as "quite extremist." His comments came during a media appearance outside BBC Broadcasting House in London, where he participated in the BBC One show "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg" and was also featured on Sky News' "Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips."

Mr Griffith specifically highlighted that the Liberal Democrats tend to advocate for veganism and four-day work weeks when they gain control of local councils. "If you want a Conservative-led council, vote Conservative in these local elections," he stated during his Sky News interview. He elaborated, expressing concerns about potential coalitions between the Conservatives and Reform UK, saying, “I’m as worried, for example, about Liberal Democrat pacts." Further emphasising his point, he remarked, “They typically promote veganism when they take control of the council, they’ve supported four-day weeks which have damaged the interests of local residents.”

When pressed about whether Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch would prevent a potential Conservative-Reform alliance after the upcoming local elections, Mr Griffith indicated that such decisions would ultimately rest with elected local councillors, informed by the election results. He reiterated his views on the Liberal Democrats during his appearance with Ms Kuenssberg by suggesting, "I think the Liberal Democrats are quite extremist," and reinforcing his earlier claim about there being “too many” vegans among their ranks.

The Liberal Democrats have not taken these comments lightly. They responded by describing Mr Griffith’s remarks as “bizarre” and “frankly a bit weird.” A source within the party stated, “Andrew Griffith was Treasury minister under Liz Truss when the Tories crashed the economy and sent mortgages spiralling. Voters haven’t forgiven the Conservative Party for all the damage they did, bizarre comments like this won’t do anything to change that.”

As the local elections approach, the spotlight remains on the dynamics between various political parties and the implications of their policies on local governance.

Source: Noah Wire Services