The artist responsible for a widely recognised cartoon depiction of Andy Burnham has voiced strong disapproval of the Conservative Party, following its apparent use of the image on complimentary items distributed at its recent conference.
Alleged Copyright Infringement at Tory Conference
Among the contents of a goodie bag provided to journalists attending the Tory party conference was a bottle of water labelled "Bottler Burnham" and a small container of sweets branded "Andy Panders’ People Pleaser Pick N Mix." Both items featured an illustration of the prime minister that bore a striking resemblance to Stanley Chow's distinctive artwork, albeit with minor alterations such as elongated eyelashes.
Mr. Burnham has frequently utilised this specific cartoon, notably as his profile picture on X for an extended period prior to his entry into Downing Street. The image also played a significant role in his Makerfield by-election campaign during the summer, prominently appearing on "For Us" posters displayed throughout the constituency, situated south of Wigan.
Artist Considers Legal Action
Upon learning of the branded bottled water, Mr. Chow took to Instagram to announce that he was contemplating legal action concerning the unauthorized use of his image.
"It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party… Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice,"
he wrote.
In a subsequent statement to the Manchester Evening News, Mr. Chow elaborated,
"They have not taken my IP rights into consideration, and have just done that. The Labour Party could have owned that image, they could have infringed the Labour Party’s copyright. But the fact is, I licensed it to the Labour Party and it was okay for them to use."
He further highlighted that he had previously pursued legal action against Reform UK over their own use of the cartoon. Nigel Farage's party had posted an AI-generated image on social media depicting asylum seekers on a small boat holding "Vote Andy, For Us" signs, which incorporated Mr. Chow's illustration. Reform UK subsequently removed the posts, stating they did so "in good faith and without any admission of liability."
Conservative Conference Overview
The Conservative Party Conference commenced on Sunday with a keynote address delivered by leader Kemi Badenoch. Other notable items distributed in the media goodie bag included an invitation to the "Birmingham Tapestry" – an 80-foot parody of the Bayeux Tapestry chronicling events since the 2024 election – and a brown envelope containing chocolate "Bitcoin" addressed to Nigel Farage.