Lib Dems release attack video of Jeremy Corbyn as a puppet who hates ‘reality’

The Liberal Democrats have thrown down the social media gauntlet with a tweeted video of a Jeremy Corbyn puppet.

The 31-second video tweeted by the Lib Dem press office was billed as "backstage footage from Labour's manifesto launch" and depicts a marionette styled as the Labour leader saying: "Reality has no place in the Labour party".

"We cannot keep talking about reality," said 'Corbyn'. "It's just - it's annoying and it's not relevant. It's not relevant, it's not what I'm talking about, it's not what I'm about. Reality has no place in the Labour party."

The puppet then asks an absent interviewer testily to "let me finish", before saying: "Reality is the enemy of our manifesto."

It ends with the message: "There are other options."

The 31-second skit has not been well received in most social media quarters.

"Rather than announce policies the Lib Dems think they can win an election with a shit punch & judy puppet show," said Twitter user 'Quack Cocaine'.

"Give it a rest and attack the Tories instead," said Twitter user Ed Carter.

The party has come under criticism after Ed Davey refused to rule out coalition with the Conservatives.

But even some Lib dem supporters appeared not to like it, including councillor Liz Uttley, who tweeted: "Not impressed. Please remove."

Twitter user James Eate, whose profile includes the yellow diamond usually used by Lib Dem supporters, said: "Oh please, I thought we were better than this."

Lib Dem activist Mark Wilson replied: "We are out on doorsteps campaigning on a positive message - this sort of stuff is not helpful. Lowers us to level of others. Let's just focus on our manifesto please."

Overall, the video's reaction may well disappoint the party's press office, which in 2016 was called "the most entertaining thing in British politics" by Huffington Post.