EAST Lancashire's leading Liberal Democrat Tony Greaves today told his leader Paddy Ashdown to kick out US-style image consultants.

Speaking after Mr Ashdown called for American-style negative campaigning to be sent back over the Atlantic, the Pendle councillor expressed his horror at the prospect of Liberal Democrat MPs being spruced up by professionals.

Coun Greaves from Winewall was reacting to the news that Mary Spillane of Colour Me Beautiful image consultants had advised his party's MPs to throw out their white shirts, thick jumpers and seventies haircuts.

Branding some as "the remnants of the smelly socks brigade", she urged Newbury MP David Rendel to ditch his Arthur Scargill haircut and go completely bald. And she told Christchurch's Diana Maddock to fluff up her hair.

But Coun Greaves said: "This is nonsense. It is for people with no ideas, no policies and no ideology.

"People should be able to express themselves in clothes they feel comfortable in.

"It is part of the Americanisation of British politics.

"It is policies and principles that matter not clothes and hairstyles.

Liberal Democrats should have nothing to do with it."

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