Ian Liddell-Grainger: Tory councillors revolt against 'back-stabbing' MP who doctored photograph

Mr Liddell-Grainger is at war with his local party

Ian Liddell-Grainger MP with the Prime Minister during a visit to the Somerset Levels last Winter (Getty Images)

Bullying, back-stabbing, offensive, dishonourable, divisive and destructive. These are just some of the accusations hurled at a Conservative MP by members of his own local party.

Ian Liddell-Grainger has been involved in a war of words with councillors and staff from Tory-run West Somerset council, which is in his constituency.

This included the curious case of the air-brushed photograph. In December, the Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss visited the county to open the Somerset Rivers Authority, and posed for a photo with local politicians. In the original, the leader of West Somerset Council, Tim Taylor, could be seen in the group – but when the picture appeared on Mr Liddell-Grainger’s website, Mr Taylor was no longer there. As an explanation, the MP said that he was “narked” with the councillor.

Now you see him: the original photo (right) and the doctored one

West Somerset’s 18-strong Tory group has now passed a motion accusing him of being unfit for office. He was also accused of having made “gratuitously derogatory and offensive comments” about council leaders and of “bullying and making fun in public of those unable or unwilling to defend themselves”.

Despite the attack, there is no immediate threat to Mr Liddell-Grainger’s political future, as it is up to the Bridgwater and West Somerset Conservative Association, rather than West Somerset councillors, to decide who will be May’s Tory candidate. Julie Nicholson, from the association, told the BBC she has “every confidence” in Mr Liddell-Grainger.