Conservative and Labour party election candidates have been “scathing” about their leaders in private despite publicly backing them, according to Lib Dem hopeful Luciana Berger.
The former shadow minister, who quit the Labour Party over anti-Semitism within its ranks and its Brexit stance, suggested that multiple people from both parties had "gone along" with Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn.
“There are enough people that I’ve had conversations with in both parties who are scathing about their leaders, who have gone along with many of the pronouncements, and are now standing at this election,” she told the Standard, after a general election event at Brampton College.
Ms Berger, who is running in the Finchley and Golders Green constituency, also claimed issues within politics at the moment were “as much a result of the bystanders”, adding that there was “a failure of leadership” for both the Conservatives and Labour.
She also spoke out about allegations of racism within both parties, as she condemned Labour’s response to anti-Jewish racism from its members, which Mr Corbyn has faced fierce criticism over in the run up to December 12.
She said the party she had once been a member of had “betrayed” the values which had originally attracted her to it.
Asked about racism in politics she said it should be unacceptable in any group, but said she held Labour to a higher bar due its traditional roots in the value of anti-racism.
Meanwhile, she also criticised the Tory stance on Brexit, and said: “The greatest fallacy at this election is these placards that say get Brexit done.
“We’re in the first series of a 10 series box set.”
Boris Johnson has claimed his deal is "oven ready", though opponents have said it would merely open up the beginning of drawn out trade talks and further negotiations with the European Union.
Finchley & Golders Green started off as a two-party fight but has turned into a three-horse race.
Labour needs a swing of 1.6 per cent to take the constituency, but polls suggest it is the Liberal Democrats who are now best placed to unseat defending Tory MP Mike Freer.
If Ms Berger manages to win, she will have achieved a swing of more than 20 per cent.
