Conservatives agree to pay artist over unauthorised Andy Burnham image

The Conservative Party has agreed to pay the illustrator Stanley Chow after using his picture of Andy Burnham without permission, according to BBC News.

Chow had sought legal advice and threatened legal action over the unauthorised use of his illustration. Under the agreement, the party will pay him a £1,000 fee for the use of the image. It has also contributed a further sum towards his legal fees, although the amount of that contribution has not been made public.

The image was used on water bottles that the party distributed. The bottles showed the picture alongside a claim that Burnham was a "bottler", a British term for someone who loses their nerve at a crucial moment.

Chow announced on Facebook that the Conservative Party had settled after using his image without his permission.

A Conservative Party spokesman said the party values intellectual property, the legal rights that protect original creative work, in the creative industries. The spokesman said the party considers the matter closed.