New Liberal Democrat Hazel Grove MP surprised to be told to 'use burner phone' during induction

The new MP for Hazel Grove, Lisa Smart, spoke to to ITV News correspondent Elaine Willcox

A new Liberal Democrat MP said she was surprised to learn she could need "a burner phone" because of the risk of cyber attacks.

Lisa Smart was given the advice during her induction after she was elected MP for Hazel Grove on her fourth attempt.

She says it was sobering to be given a panic alarm on her first day, as well as advice on using a "burner" or anonymous phone, if she planned to travel.

"When we were told if you go on holiday to certain countries, we're going to need to give you a burner phone, that was a surprise," she said.

"So if you go to China, Russia or Iran, we're going to want to help you make sure that you don't get cyber attacks and you don't get foreign operatives trying to gain access to confidential information.

"So that did give me pause for thought for a moment.

"It is something you usually hear talked about in police dramas."

The Hazel Grove MP is the first in her family to go to university, where she studied maths, and is passionate about the need for more financial education.

"So I got involved in politics because I used to shout at the television a lot. I shouted at the Lib Dems, but probably slightly less than I shouted at everybody else. "

"I get really disgruntled, disappointed, angry when things aren't fair. So when somebody doesn't get a fair break and working in big business, I think I understand how to get stuff done."

Taking a seat from the conservatives, she had worked for an international charity before becoming a local councillor and started to consider politics as a new career option.

But during the election campaign, she was forced to apologise after she was caught making a derogatory joke about Scousers.

She was caught on a ring doorbell asking someone who was visiting from Liverpool, were they over here "nicking stuff".

"It was something I'd said maybe two dozen times, and it never occurred to me for a moment that it would upset somebody," she said.

"As soon as I learned that it had upset someone, I went straight round and apologised."

She has decided to continue working as a councillor on Stockport Council after being elected for four years and said there was a 'lot of crossover' in the issues she dealt with.

Among her list of priorities is to call for action over the "state of the buildings" at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport and campaign for greater suicide awareness.

With a record breaking number of MPs, the party aims to be the official opposition. She was not keen to be drawn on whether she had ministerial ambitions?

"I would love to see a Lib Dem Prime Minister in my lifetime and I would love to be part of making that happen.

"I have been an MP for just a few weeks now and I'm really looking forward to getting stuff done for my community.

"I am ambitious for my community."

One thing she said she was determined to change, is to encourage more female MPs to join her in changing politics.

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