A shocking Liberal Democrat campaign guide has emerged, which instructs local Liberal Democrat councillors, candidates and activists to "be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly, and exaggerate."
The guide was exposed on the popular internet blog Nasty Lib Dems, which seeks to expose the underhand campaigning of the Liberal Democrats right across the UK.
An article on the Guardian Website is also quoted, including an extract from a House of Commons debate where the handbook was exposed, ironically during a debate on a motion tabled by the Lib Dems on fair political campaigning.
Page 6 of the handbook says that "you can secure support from voters who normally vote Tory by being effectively anti-Labour and similarly in a Tory area secure Labour votes by being anti-Tory" - an effective admission that Lib Dems don't actually stand for anything. Page 23 urges activists "don't be afraid to exaggerate," and page 4 warns that "positive campaigning will NOT be enough to win control of the council."
Have Liverpool's Lib Dems seen this guide to scurrilous campaigning? Their record in Liverpool appears to speak for itself.
Elsewhere on the Nasty Lib Dems blog, we can see more examples of scaremongering tactics used by Lib Dems in London. When an NHS review was announced, the Lib Dems began to whip up a mood of public fear by claiming Kingston hospital was under threat of closure. In fact, there was no threat of closure whatsoever - the Lib Dems were simply playing politics with the NHS, and trying to frighten people into voting for them.
Do these scare mongering tactics remind you of anything?