Conservative MPs 'airbrush' Rishi Sunak and Tory brand from Blue Wall leaflets

Campaign material for MPs in seats in the Conservatives' Blue Wall heartlands refers to the Government's priorities but fails to explicitly namecheck Rishi Sunak

Desperate Tory MPs have been airbrushing their leaflets of party branding - with Rishi Sunak barely mentioned.

Campaign material from seats in the Conservatives' Blue Wall heartlands refers to the Government's priorities but fails to explicitly namecheck Mr Sunak - and none of the front page headlines mention the Conservatives. The literature mimics local newspapers, with names like the 'Guildford Chronicle' or the 'Cheltenham Chronicle'.

Only one of five leaflets seen by the Mirror mentioned to the Conservatives by name on its front page, sparking claims MPs are trying to disassociate themselves from their party’s toxic brand. There is mention of the Government and Rishi Sunak's priorities but focus is given to local issues such as potholes, policing and numbers of NHS medics.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk only mentions the Conservatives twice in a four page leaflet as he campaigns to hold the ultra marginal seat of Cheltenham. Conservative Health Minister and MP for Lewes Maria Caufield, who has a majority of 2,457, mentioned her party’s name just four times. Across five constituencies, there were just 21 mentions of the 'Conservatives' in 19 pages, with no mention in any headlines.

It comes after the Tories were battered in the local elections in May, losing more than 1,000 council seats across England. Labour retains a commanding lead in the national polls, with the latest YouGov survey putting Keir Starmer's party on 45%, compared to 26% for the Conservatives.

A Lib Dem source said: “It’s come to something when the Conservative Party brand is being airbrushed out of its own leaflets. If Conservative MPs can’t even bring themselves to publicly back their own party any more, who on earth will?"

Earlier this year, Tory MPs were accused of sending "deliberately misleading" Green Party-style leaflets, which were distributed across the country. The leaflets included names and pictures of Tory MPs - but didn't state explicitly they were Conservatives, although there were references to the “Government”

A Tory source dismissed the claims at the time, saying: "As far as we're aware, the Green Party don't have copyright on the colour green.”

The Conservative Party was contacted for comment.

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