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Jeremy Corbyn's wife Laura Alvarez campaigns in Finchley and Golders Green

Exclusive: Anti-Tory activists angry over her decision to campaign

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Jeremy Corbyn's wife faced claims from anti-Tory activists that she is actively attempting to split the vote in Finchley and Golders Green after she was spotted campaigning for the local Labour candidate.

Laura Alvarez was seen manning the official Labour stall for local candidate Ross Houston on Sunday. Wearing a red scarf, the Mexican businesswoman was handing out Labour leaflets to passers-by next to the Tesco store in Ballards Lane. 

"Why, of all the seats she could campaign in, did Jeremy Corbyn's wife choose to come here?" asked one local Jewish activist. "It's pretty clear that Labour stand no chance of winning the seat. Not only does this look like an attempt to stop Luciana from winning - when you think things through the only party it can help is the Tories."

Last weekend an opinion poll showed Mr Freer - who has brought Theresa May and Sajid Javid into the constituency to help bolster his campaign - ahead in the seat.

But when asked how they would vote if it became apparent that the seat was a two horse race on December 12 between the Lib Dems and Tories, Ms Berger came out on top.

On Sunday, polling expert Peter Kellner, a former director of YouGov, wrote in the Observer: "With tactical voting, Luciana Berger has a real chance of winning Finchley for the Lib Dems."

In a further move that appeared designed to damage Ms Berger's chances of defeating Mr Freer, Tulip Siddiq, the Labour candidate for neighbouring Hampstead and Kilburn, was photographed alongside Mr Houston to launch his campaign.

Ms Siddiq has always expressed strong pro-Remain views over Brexit. Local Labour supporters in her constituency were said to be furious with her attempt to split the vote against Mr Freer, who is a government whip under Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

On Monday, Labour candidate Mr Houston said he was “not aware” that Ms Alvarez was joining his campaign team in north Finchley on Sunday

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