Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey defended the actions of volunteers in his party who leafleted during lockdown despite concerns they breached Covid lockdown rules.

The Kingston and Surbiton MP spoke with the BBC's Andrew Marr live on television Sunday (January 17) and said any leafleting done by the party had been "compliant with the guidance" and was therefore legitimate, despite the risks associated with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Asked if it was an appropriate action to take following the Government’s stay-at-home message, Sir Ed said: "Yes. If it is compliant with the guidance, absolutely."

Pushed further by Marr on whether it is compliant with the stay-at-home guidance, Sir Ed said: “The guidance says there is an exemption for volunteer organisations, we’ve taken legal advice on that, and the advice we’ve given to all our councillors and volunteers is they need to wear a mask, they need to socially distance, they need to sanitise their hands.

"We’re taking all the sorts of precautions that Amazon takes, that Royal Mail takes."

Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner slammed the Lib Dem defence of leafleting on Twitter, saying: "party political activity is not 'volunteering'" and adding she had written to Davey personally about the issue.

"I am deeply concerned that Liberal Democrat activists continue to deliver party political leaflets during national lockdown.

"I urge you to follow the example of the Labour Party and suspend volunteer leaflet deliveries during lockdown immediately," a quote from Rayner's letter read.