THE Liberal Democrats have faced criticism over the distribution of party political material which appears to mimic a local newspaper.

Residents across the Taunton and Wellington constituency had a ‘newspaper’, titled the Taunton and Wellington Herald, arrive through their letterboxes in recent weeks.

The literature, which was delivered by the Royal Mail on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, left one resident concerned it could ‘fool less savvy’ readers.

The front page featured a large image of the party’s local candidate, Gideon Amos, headlined: “Lib Dem Gideon OR Just Another Conservative.” On the overleaf it accused the Conservative party of ‘having failed’ and said it was “time for them to go.”

Responding to the criticism a spokesperson for the local party said: “All of our branch publications are clearly marked on the masthead to state that they are from the party to ensure there is no confusion."

However, the Conservative candidate for Taunton and Wellington accused the Liberal Democrats of dishonesty. Rebecca Pow said: “The Lib Dems should be honest with local people, a vote for them is a vote for a Labour supermajority meaning higher taxes, more red tape for businesses, and less support for Somerset.

“Just like the Labour Party, the Lib Dems don’t have a plan for our area and know that they will never have to deliver on any of their promises.

“Since 2015, I have worked hard to help improve our area including seeing the £87m surgical centre being built; retaining the Royal Marines at Norton Manor Camp; restoring the Wellington Monument; upgrading Taunton Rail station and hugely progressing a Wellington Rail Station.

“Only a vote for me, Rebecca Pow, will see more investment into the Taunton and Wellington area and a guarantee that Somerset will not be an afterthought for the next government.”

Both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party have come under fire for use of the “misleading tactic” over recent years. In the Tiverton and Honiton by-election in 2022 both parties distributed election material which appeared to be designed to imitate the appearance of news publications.

Paul Lashmar, investigative journalist and academic at City University in London, branded the practice as misleading, in comments to the Press Gazette: “Making election material look like a newspaper or periodical is misleading unless it is clearly stated that it is election material and the name of the political party is on the front

“This is fake news, fake journalism and flying under a false flag. All political parties do this in elections.”

Publications almost identical to the Taunton and Wellington Herald - but with pictures of different candidates - appear to have been distributed by the Lib Dems across the country.

The party came under fire last week for distributing something purporting to be the ‘Twickenham Journal’, prompting one Twickenham resident to write to their authentic local newspaper, the Richmond & Twickenham Times, to say the fake newspaper was “damaging trust in local news media.”

They added: “It is a cold example of propogandist material that disguises its association with the Liberal Democrats as independent editorial.”