A week into the upcoming West Hampstead by-election race, Camden ’s Liberal Democrats found themselves being instructed by the Met to halt their use of leaflets that featured their candidate, Janet Grauberg, sat with a police community support officer (PCSO) in a church. Using photographs of police with political candidates in the run-up to elections is discouraged by the service as it could lead to “questions about impartiality”.
A Met spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the borough’s Chief Inspector for Neighbourhood Policing had contacted the party’s agent on August 7 as soon as they became aware of the leaflet. They said the PCSO had “no ill intention” and did not know the photograph, which was “taken at a regular contact point” between police and the public, was going to be used in a political campaign.
The Met was using guidance issued by National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) which warns against using images, film or recordings featuring candidates for public office and officers during a pre-election period, or ‘purdah’. The NPCC guidance adds: “Any police officer or staff member must be asked if he/she is content to be photographed or filmed and has the right to refuse.”
In 2019, the Labour Party apologised to Norfolk Police for using an image of its Chief Constable on an election leaflet without his permission.
Mr Keith Moffitt, the Liberal Democrat’s agent in Hampstead and Highgate legally responsible for the flyer, said the picture was taken “some time before the election was called”. He told the LDRS there was a misunderstanding about whether the officer had given permission for the photo to be used, which was for a piece “illustrating local crime issues in the area”, including the closure of a police counter in Kentish Town.
Mr Moffitt maintained that the use of the photo was not breaking election law but had gone against the police’s guidance “for their own officers”. He added that his had asked the chief inspector to convey the party’s apologies to the PCSO concerned and for any embarrassment caused.
The agent confirmed to the LDRS that he had complied with the chief inspector’s request to remove the photo from any future campaign material. However, the LDRS pointed out to him that a digital version of the leaflet was still featured on the local party’s website, almost a week after the police first contacted the party.
Mr Moffitt afterwards said this had been removed and he had confirmed this to the chief inspector. Its remaining on the site was “a bit of a grey area”, he said.
The Lib Dems officially picked Ms Grauberg to fight for the ward seat in West Hampstead, after the sudden resignation of a Conservative councillor last month. Mr Shiva Tiwari quit the council after footage emerged of him swearing at and pushing shop staff who had refused him his parcel because he didn’t have photo ID.
The West Hampstead by-election will take place on Thursday, August 28.
