A Liberal Democrat candidate has admitted she does “not have an opinion” on the important issue of Mini-Holland.

Deborah Unger, 58, who lives in Kensal Rise, in north-west London, is hoping to end Iain Duncan Smith’s reign as Tory MP for Chingford and Woodford Green in the General Election on June 8.

But when asked about her stance on Mini-Holland, an issue which has divided the borough since it began in 2015, she said she would “ask around” before giving an opinion.

She said: “I don’t have an opinion on that at the moment.

“I’m the new candidate and I was parachuted in a week ago and I would have to ask around to find out what people are thinking about this.

“I do feel a lot of the main issues are all the same in the different parts of London.”

After consulting former Lib Dem councillor Bob Sullivan on Mini-Holland, Mrs Unger said: “It sounds to me it has exacerbated air pollution because of the traffic build-up.

“That is an issue that really does concern me and there will have to be a re-think on how that air pollution can be tackled.”

Mrs Unger said she would be prepared to move to Chingford if elected, but would “probably have to keep two places”.

The mother-of-two, who works as an anti-corruption activist at Transparency International, said she will challenge the hard Brexit put forward by the Tories and Mr Duncan Smith.

She said: “Hard Brexit will hurt everyone, including everyone in Chingford and Woodford Green whether they voted leave or remain.

“The economy will contract, jobs will disappear from London, and in particular the City of London. Only a vote for the Liberal Democrats will send the message that any Brexit deal needs the approval of the people.”

The Lib Dem also confirmed she will be attending the hustings in Woodford Memorial Hall, in South Woodford on Monday, June 5.

She will be up against Mr Duncan Smith for the Tories, with Labour’s Bilal Mahmood and Sinead King for the Greens still to be confirmed.