Norfolk's Liberal Democrats have been criticised for producing a political publication which has the appearance of a local newspaper.

The Gazette is not branded as a Lib Dem publication, and only says it was produced by the party in a line of small print on the back page.

Steffan Aquarone, who is county councillor for Melton Constable, said the Lib Dems delivered copies of their four-page 'Norfolk Gazette' to homes in parts of the county in January and February, mostly by volunteers but some through Royal Mail's 'Door to Door' service.

Eastern Daily Press: North Norfolk Labour Party secretary Martyn Sloman was among those who received a copy of the Norfolk Gazette.North Norfolk Labour Party secretary Martyn Sloman was among those who received a copy of the Norfolk Gazette. (Image: Supplied by Martyn Sloman)

Martyn Sloman, from Sharrington, near Holt, was among those who received a copy of the 'Gazette'.

Mr Sloman, who is secretary of the North Norfolk Labour Party, said the publication was misleading.

He said: "Local newspapers provide an essential underpinning of our democratic process and it is important that their integrity and objectivity should be protected.

"Passing off a propaganda sheet as a newspaper is shabby practice and this example is particularly so."

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Liberal Democrat group leader Steffan Aquarone. Picture: Alex BroadwayNorfolk Liberal Democrat group leader Steffan Aquarone. Picture: Alex Broadway (Image: Alex Broadway © 2019 - alex@alexbroadway.co.uk - 07905628187)

But Mr Aquarone said the Gazette was not false or misleading, and although its articles took a political stance, they were "factually based".

He said: “We’ve chosen to develop a news brand that gets distributed to our target audience. It’s something we feel has a role to play separate from having the Phoenix and yellow logo over it.
“The feedback is usually very good - it’s usually just political opponents who don’t like it.”

Last year the Society of Editors launched a 'campaign for real news' to oppose publications from "unbalanced, partisan non-media operations".

Eastern Daily Press: The only place in the Norfolk Gazette which states it is a Liberal Democrat publication is a single line of text on the back page, just above the headline 'sports extra'.The only place in the Norfolk Gazette which states it is a Liberal Democrat publication is a single line of text on the back page, just above the headline 'sports extra'. (Image: Supplied by Martyn Sloman)

Ian Murray, the society's former chairman who this week resigned from his post, spoke out about the issue in February after the Lib Dems put out a similar publication to the Norfolk Gazette in Welwyn Hatfield.

After writing to Lib Dems' leader Ed Davey last month, Mr Murray said: “It seems that no matter how many times this issue is raised the Lib Dems continue to pretend there is not a problem here.

“The simple fact is that if the party were serious about not attempting to mislead the public in this way then a plain – and large – Lib Dems logo on the front page of their local publications would do the trick."