Sprout of order: Brussels-residing Notts Lib Dem comes under fire

A Liberal Democrat candidate for Nottingham South has sparked outrage after it emerged she lives 400 miles away in Brussels.

Deborah Newton Cook is trying to take the seat, which includes Uni Park, in the General Election on May 7.

Yesterday, it was revealed her home address is actually listed as Auderghem, a suburb in the south-east of the non-country’s capital.

Newton Cook claimed she had “strong links” with Nottingham on the East Midlands Liberal Democrat website.

Now angry voters in the city have demanded she stands down and say it would be “impossible” for her to represent their interests in Parliament.

Local Larry Holte, 55, said: “It is a disgrace if she thinks she can represent our fine city from half way across Europe.

“What is she going to do, catch a plane to work every day? It will be pretty much impossible for her to represent us from Brussels.

“Brussels could not be a more different city to Nottingham if it tried. It is a bizarre move on her part.”

Third year Jack, 23, said: “I don’t see how she can do this job at all, let alone well.

“I don’t want someone from that close to the EU being my MP, this is a real election”.

Current electoral rules allow people to live outside of the constituency where they are trying to get elected – even if it is outside of the country.

Mrs Newton-Cook’s home address is a huge 380-mile trek, which would take eight hours by car, an hour by plane or a whopping 4 hour 40 minutes on the train.

Tory Jane Hunt, who is also in the running for the seat was appalled at the revelation.

She said: “It is legal for somebody to live in another country but it is quite a long way away really.

“Between my house and the constituency office is a stretch of water but its the River Trent, not the English Channel.

“I am not sure if she has visited the constituency for any of the hustings, I haven’t seen her around.”

A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: “Mrs Newton-Cook is a UK citizen and so is eligible to stand at this election. If she is successful she will relocate to live in the constituency.”

The tuition fee raising junior coalition partners are trying to take the Nottingham South seat off Labour’s Lilian Greenwood, who won it in 2010.

When it was announced she was to be Lib Dems’ candidate this year, Mrs Newton-Cook said: “As the Liberal Democrat Candidate I will be listening to constituents’ concerns and explaining our priorities for the next five years.

“The Liberal Democrats have a solid record of achievements in Coalition Government since 2010.”