Bit wet, Andy? Labour complains about Tories using cartoon image of 'bottler' Burnham for conference water merchandise

Published: 05:37 EDT, 5 October 2026 | Updated: 05:39 EDT, 5 October 2026 Andy Burnham's deputy has moaned about the Tories using cartoon-style images of the 'bottler' Prime Minister on their party conference merchandise.Attendees of the Conservative gathering in Birmingham have been handed 'Bottler Burnham' water bottles along with other free goodies mocking their political rivals.The bottles claim to be '0 per cent strength' and are described as being 'bottled under pressure from Badenoch'.But Lucy Powell, Labour's deputy leader, complained that the image used on the bottle label infringes the copyright of illustrator Stanley Chow. She posted on social media site X that the bottles had been created 'without having the copyright to re-produce @stan_chow image'.Mr Chow himself revealed he would be 'seeking legal advice', with the Manchester-based artist hitting out at the Tories' 'shameful' use of his image. Attendees of the Conservative conference in Birmingham have been handed 'Bottler Burnham' water bottles along with other free goodies mocking their political rivals Lucy Powell, Labour's deputy leader, complained that the image used on the bottle label infringes the copyright of illustrator Stanley ChowThe image of Mr Burnham was first created by Mr Chow during the now-PM's time as Greater Manchester mayor.He has previously spoken of being inspired to create the image when Mr Burnham was in a row with Boris Johnson's government over Covid restrictions in late 2020.The artwork was used by Labour during Mr Burnham's successful Makerfield by-election campaign earlier this year. During that contest, Reform UK deleted some of its campaign material featuring Mr Chow's image after he threatened legal action over its use by Nigel Farage's party. Mr Chow updated the image to depict Mr Burnham in a suit outside 10 Downing Street to mark his first day as PM in July.Commenting on the Tories' use of the image, he posted on Instagram: '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.'Mr Chow also told the Manchester Evening News: 'They should have known and done their due diligence really before stealing someone's image and using it for something as childish as what they have done. 'I'm going to take legal advice and see what they say, and we will go from there basically.'He added he had previously licensed the image to the Labour Party and 'it was okay for them' to use it.'Some artists are too scared to come for the people who've done it, they don't know where to go,' he continued.'Going to find a lawyer is expensive. It's a case of calling the Tory party out. It's shameful really. It's making people aware that what they've done is wrong.'Among the other goodies handed out to Tory conference delegates in Birmingham is a mocked-up letter to Mr Farage warning it 'contains funny money' in reference to the Reform UK leader's donations row.A Tory official said: 'Burnham may flash his lashes at Labour conference, but the Tories are chowing down on the real meat: honesty about the problems facing Britain and The Right Way to solve them.'