Clegg backs porn director for Commons seat

AN award-winning female porn director who has been appointed as a parliamentary hopeful for the Liberal Democrats will be a passionate campaigner for her local area, party leader Nick Clegg said.

Clegg said Anna Arrowsmith’s previous profession was “not exactly my cup of tea” and she was certainly no “cardboard cut-out Westminster politician”.

But he said it was important that “people like her” who care about their local areas put themselves forward.

Arrowsmith — managing director of adult entertainment company Easy on the Eye Productions — will stand for election in Gravesham, Kent.

Arrowsmith, who works under the pseudonymAnna Span, started shooting porn films after graduating from Central St Martins in Fine Art (Film & Video) in 1998.

Since then she has directed more than 250 raunchy scenes, and written and photographed a book to guide couples in how to make home-made porn.

When Clegg was asked if he had an issue with somebody involved in the pornography industry representing his party, he said: “I don’t know exactly what she’s been doing in the past. She’s not done anything illegal and she cares passionately about her area.

“She has been chosen to be the candidate for that area.

“Let’s see. I think all the indications are that she’s going to be a really, really strong voice for that local area.”

The 38-year-old, who lives with husband Tim in Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells, insisted she was ready to win Tory Adam Holloway’s seat at the general election.

Arrowsmith, who also has an MA in philosophy, said she was spurred into standing for election by the MPs’ expenses scandal and a belief that women are under-represented in Parliament.

She said: “If people don’t know what I do for a living then they would never know.

“The local party and the local people who I have so far met have seen that I’m very driven.

“I’m not campaigning on behalf of my old industry. I’m campaigning on behalf of the people in the Gravesham area.

“When people get to see me, they will realise that I’m used to project managing and that I’m driven to achieve change rather than just promising it.”

Her interest in politics stemmed from watching Margaret Thatcher during the 1979 general election campaign and willing her to become Britain’s first female prime minister.

Arrowsmith, who was named best director at the 2008 and 2009 UK Adult Film and Television Awards, said she became involved in porn to make it more accessible to women. She describes herself as a keen campaigner for women’s rights and anti-censorship issues.