Lib Dems shun saucy offer at Brighton conference (From The Argus)

Lib Dems shun saucy offer at Brighton conference

2:27pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News By John Keenan, business editor

Scandal-hit Liberal Democrats have banned an erotic emporium from advertising its goods to delegates at its Brighton conference.

Party bosses have refused a request from She Said, Ship Street, to put its adverting leaflets into delegates’ conference bags during its spring conference at the Brighton Hilton Metropole in March.

VisitBrighton, the marketing arm of Brighton and Hove City Council, encourages its members to promote themselves to political parties during the conference season.

The ban came as Alison Smith, the former Liberal Democrat activist at the centre of sexual harassment claims against Lord Rennard, said she was preparing to detail her allegations to police.

Five women have gone public with complaints about the peer. Lord Rennard has strenuously denied the allegations.

Vanessa Austin Locke, marketing director at She Said, Brighton said: “I contacted the Lib Dems to see if we could put our leaflets into the bags.

“A very sweet lady told me that it would not be appropriate at this time. “It’s a shame because we know we do a great trade during all party political conferences so we thought it would be a great opportunity. “It’s a very British attitude – you can do it, but you can’t talk about it.”

A spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats said: “Until the results of the investigation are known we do not think it would be appropriate for these leaflets to be put into delegates’ bags.”

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