Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps says he loves bingo and beer like other "hardworking people" after he was widely criticised over a Tory poster suggesting these were the kind of pursuits that "they" enjoy.

Shapps was criticised by Labour and the Lib Dems for the condescending tone of the advert, which was widely mocked on Twitter. However, he stood by the poster in an interview with BBC Radio Cumbria, saying he was proud the budget delivered a tax cut for the bingo industry and took a penny off beer duty.

"We can all argue about whether the word should be 'they' or 'us' or whatever," he said. "Personally, I drink beer and I love a game of bingo so I can't see why on earth they think this is more important than talking the long-term economic future of our country, supporting actual sectors like bingo or the local pubs."