Award-winning porn director selected as a liberal democrat candidate

Anna Arrowsmith, who has twice been named adult entertainment director of the year, is standing for election in Gravesham, Kent.

Party leader Nick Clegg said her work was "not exactly my cup of tea" but praised her for not being a "cardboard cut-out Westminster politician".

He told GMTV it was important that people like her, who care about their local area, get involved in politics.

When news of her selection was confirmed, Mrs Arrowsmith wrote on her Twitter page: "From porn to Parliament, here I come!"

Using the pseudonym Anna Span, she has shot more than 250 explicit scenes for stations such as Television X.

She was named best director at the 2008 and 2009 UK Adult Film and Television Awards and now runs adult entertainment company Easy on the Eye productions.

Mrs Arrowsmith, who has an MA in philosophy, said she wants to make porn more female-friendly.

She decided to stand as a reaction to the expenses scandal and the lack of women in Parliament.

"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," she said.

"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."

The married 38-year-old lives in Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells.


/Sky News/