ACTRA and the Nova Scotia NDP both came down hard on that province’s Liberal Party on Thursday for circulating risqué photos of actress and political hopeful Lenore Zann.

The Liberals earlier this week circulated a topless photo of Zann — taken from her work on the series The L Word — following her announcement that she will run for office in the upcoming provincial election. The move brought accusations of sexism and gutter politics from both the actors union and the NDP.

Nova Scotia Liberal leader Stephen McNeil was quick to distance himself from the move, which he said he had not authorized and which was pinned on an unnamed campaign worker.

‘I made it very clear — and very clear — that this will not be tolerated by me as leader of this party,’ McNeil said in a statement. He reportedly phoned Zann on Thursday to apologize.