High Peak MP under fire for using name of former paper in campaign material

High Peak MP Robert Largan has been called on to publicly apologise for using a defunct newspaper title for his campaign leaflets

The Conservative campaign pamphlet was called the High Peak Reporter - the same name of an actual newspaper owned by Quest Media which ran from 1887 to 1998.

Quest, which runs newspapers including the Tameside Reporter, Glossop Chronicle and Oldham Reporter, owns the intellectual property rights to the ‘High Peak Reporter’ name.

Speaking to another publication Chris Bird from Quest said: ”I received a call on Friday night to alert me following numerous calls and emails asking why our paper had agreed such a link with Mr Largan.

“I want to place on record we are an independent media group owned. We have no political affiliations and I feel Mr Largan owes us a public apology and he should now make a donation to a local charity as a way of recompense.”

Labour’s parliamentary candidate for the High Peak Jon Pearce said: “Robert Largan needs to apologise to his constituents for issuing a fake news-paper and I hope he donates to a local charity as requested to show he understands how badly misjudged his actions have been.

“I don’t think many people will have been taken in by a fake news-paper saying that the Tories have done such a wonderful job for High Peak and forgetting to mention the cost of living crisis or cuts to local public services.”

Across the country the Conservative party have been using defunct local newspaper titles in their campaign materials, and to date more than 30 have been used in leaflet drops.

A Conservative party spokesperson said: "We frequently produce material, such as this, which complies with all the relevant electoral rules and regulations.

"However, in this instance we were unaware that there had previously been a publication in circulation with the name ‘High Peak Reporter’ or that this title is a current trade name.

“This was a genuine error on our part, with no intention to deliberately mislead or infringe upon another publication of this title.

“We have apologised for any confusion this may have caused and will ensure that we do not use the name ‘High Peak Reporter’ in material going forward."