Artist ‘taking legal advice’ over Tories’ use of Andy Burnham portrait

An artist has said he is taking legal advice after accusing the Conservative Party of copying his cartoon image of Andy Burnham at their party conference.

People attending the party’s conference in Birmingham have been handed water bottles featuring the image and labelled “Bottler Burnham”, “0% strength”.

Labour supporter Stanley Chow, who created the portrait for Burnham’s 2021 mayoral campaign in Greater Manchester, has claimed the party did not ask for permission to use the image.

A Conservative Party spokeswoman said the bottles were were not on sale and merely handed out to attending media in “goody bags”.

Manchester illustrator Chow said: “I was stunned and angry when I saw what they had done. It is childish from them. I am taking legal advice.

“I’m very disappointed. It’s frustrating that an institution like the Conservative Party has no idea that they are infringing copyright.”

The artist claimed Reform UK had also infringed his copyright by using the image a few months ago in AI-generated social media campaign posts.

A Reform UK spokesman said at the time that it had “removed the posts in good faith and without any admission of liability on our part”.