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Stanley Chow, a Manchester-based illustrator who works for the New Yorker, is considering legal action against the Conservative Party for using his cartoon portrait of Prime Minister Andy Burnham without permission during their conference this weekend. The Tories used the image on water bottles with the slogan “bottler Burnham,” which Chow discovered while watching Sky News and immediately contacted them to demand an explanation. A lawyer from Brabners law firm stated that this constitutes copyright infringement, and Chow is seeking compensation, an injunction, and a public apology.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, attendees received water bottles labeled "0% strength" with the nickname "Bottler Burnham," mocking former Labour leader Andy Burnham. The image featured on these bottles was originally created by Manchester-based illustrator Stanley Chow for Burnham's 2021 mayoral campaign. Lucy Powell, Labour’s deputy leader, criticized the use of the cartoon, alleging copyright infringement. Chow confirmed he did not give permission to the Tories and stated he would seek legal advice over their unauthorized use of his artwork. The artist also accused Reform UK of similar copyright violation earlier this year. A Conservative Party spokesperson claimed the bottles were not for sale but merely distributed as conference giveaways.
Written for “Tories Use Art Without Consent” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but all 5 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 57641: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-05
An artist is considering legal action after the Conservative party used his cartoon to mock Andy Burnham.
asserted
party → consider → Burnham
Stanley Chow, a Manchester-based illustrator who works for the New Yorker magazine, created a cartoon of the prime minister for campaign material in the Makerfield byelection earlier in June.
asserted
who → base → June
At the Conservative conference this weekend, party workers handed out water bottles to journalists with the slogan “bottler Burnham” above Chow’s cartoon.
asserted
workers → hand → cartoon
He told the Guardian that the Conservatives did not ask permission before using his image: “I am taking legal advice, I may take legal action.
uncertain
I → tell → action
It is copyright infringement, they are stealing my artwork to use for their own purposes.
asserted
they → steal → purposes
“An institution like the Tory party – there is no excuse for them not to do their diligence, and find out the rules of copyright.
asserted
them → be → copyright
It’s amazing how it got signed off – that really disappoints me.”
asserted
that → ’ → me
Chow first realised the cartoon was being used while watching Sky News.
asserted
cartoon → realise → News
The presenters held the water bottles up to the camera and laughed at the joke slogan.
asserted
presenters → hold → slogan
“I was more shocked really,” Chow said.
asserted
Chow → shock → ?
“When it appeared up on Sky News they were having a laugh and a joke about it, I thought, hang on, they have done this without telling me?
asserted
they → appear → me
Chow said he had written to the Tories asking for an explanation but had not heard back.
asserted
he → say → explanation
“It would be nice to get an apology out of them at some point.”
asserted
It → get → point
Chow was also not a fan of the “bottler Burnham” joke: “It is very childish too, I think they should grow up.”
asserted
they → think → joke
He has also locked horns with Reform UK, which used his cartoon in an attack advert on social media aimed at the prime minister.
asserted
which → lock → minister
It was deployed for an anti-immigration message – a stance the artist does not endorse.
asserted
artist → deploy → message
Colin Bell, a partner at the law firm Brabners, said: “This is a clear case of copyright infringement.
asserted
This → say → infringement
It’s important because an artists’ work, created with care and intention, has been used and edited without permission and without acknowledgment or remuneration.
asserted
work → ’ → acknowledgment
“That’s not acceptable.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
Stan is entitled to an injunction – or undertakings to cease and desist and take down the infringing works – compensation and a public apology.
asserted
Stan → entitle → works
“We’re advising Stan in his pursuit of this claim to secure redress and to make clear that artists’ work, rights and reputations cannot be treated in this way without consent, including as leverage or collateral in political campaigns.”
uncertain
treated → advise → campaigns
The Conservative party has been contacted for comment.
asserted
party → contact → comment
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