Debtors are tossers say Tories

11.43.38am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 28th Nov 2006

Parliamentary challenger, Stephen Lloyd

Commenting on the new Conservative party web site which describes people in debt as 'tossers', Liberal Democrat parliamentary challenger, Stephen Lloyd said: "This new Conservatives web site is an attack on hard working people who through rising house prices, and pressure on family budgets have no alternative but to borrow.

"It is also an insult to those local people in Eastbourne who have been hit by the Xmas hamper firm Farepak going bust and now may have to borrow money so they can give their children a decent Christmas.

"This is the kind of ignorant insensitive nonsense one might expect from a party led by rich young men, who have never had to balance a budget in their lives.

"Given that the Conservatives themselves are in £26m of debt, and that the last Conservative Government were responsible for the highest level of repossessions on record, as well as plunging thousands of families into the red, maybe they should get their own house in order before criticising others.

"To describe people in debt as tossers shows just how out of touch the Tory party still is. I challenge the MP Nigel Waterson to disown his party's disgraceful new website.

"Liberal Democrats believe that while borrowers clearly need to be prudent and would benefit from more financial advice and education, a large part of responsibility for the current debt crisis lies with irresponsible lenders."

1/ The new Conservative website can be found on: http://www.sort-it.co.uk/