Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been branded an “idiot” by Emily Thornberry for comments about Islington.
He described the tweet which saw Ms Thornberry resign from the shadow cabinet as “drippingly patronising”.
The Lib Dem leader said: “It was a jaw-droppingly condescending way of treating someone who was just proudly hanging some flags outside their home.”
“Maybe it happens if you become MP for Islington.”
Ms Thornberry said: “Nick Clegg is an idiot.
“Islington used to the Lib Dems’ most targeted borough. Now he seems to be insulting everyone who lives here.
“This borough was the Lib Dems’ number one target at the last general election.
“Now a few years later is he just abandoning it?”
Terry Stacy, former leader of Islington Council who is running against Ms Thornberry for the Islington South and Finsbury seat in next year’s general election, said: “I don’t know what is behind that comment. I have no idea where he was coming from. It may have been a slide-by comment, I am a bit surprised.”
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