OXFORDSHIRE’s Conservative Party is calling on its rivals to stop leafleting during the pandemic.

Liberal Democrat leaflets were posted through the doors of some households across South Oxfordshire and other areas of the UK over the Christmas break.

At the time, the Lib Dem’s national leader Ed Davey interpreted Covid regulations which permitted volunteering as a means of delivering the flyers.

But the Government’s cabinet office minister Chloe Smith has since written to political parties to tell them leafleting was ‘not considered essential or necessary activity’.

ALSO READ: How elections might be held during the pandemic this year

In Oxfordshire, a leaflet which looks like a newspaper called the South Oxfordshire Observer was pushed through the door of some homes.

William Hall, deputy chairman political of Oxfordshire Area Conservatives said: “Political campaigning in person during this election puts people at risk and will cause those who are shielding considerable anxiety. Frankly it’s just not on.

“We are calling on our friends in all political parties to join us in keeping our constituents safe and applying some common sense in these challenging times.”

The Tories have said they have put in-person campaigning on hold to ‘follow the Government’s guidance.’

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats said: "Due to the failure of the Conservative Government to get the pandemic under control, the Liberal Democrats in Oxfordshire are not currently asking our volunteers to undertake the delivery of campaign literature or to engage in any face-to-face campaign activity.

"We will keep this policy under review and will comply with COVID restrictions at all times."

The spokesman added all parties in Oxfordshire were leafleting in December before the latest lockdown started.

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