Former GMTV political editor Gloria De Piero is finding out that the world of politics can be just as tough as journalism after being laballed “Geoff Hoon in a skirt” by the Liberal Democrat challenger for the safe Labour seat of Ashfield in Nottinghamshire.

De Piero was selected for the seat after quitting her job on GMTV. The seat became vacant after former defence secretary Geoff Hoon decided to stand down.

The BBC website today quotes LIb Dem candidate for the seat Jason Zadrozny: “We are a whisker away from winning. Geoff Hoon was unanimously unpopular and Labour thought Gloria was their best bet.