The Conservative candidate for High Peak has found himself in hot water as Derbyshire Police review his recent social media posts for possible electoral fraud. Last weekend, Robert Largan posted on Facebook and X pictures of himself in Labour and Reform colours, with slogans that seemed to mean the other parties are backing him. The legally required promotional information is relegated to the very-very-very-small print.
His Labour-coloured posts claim that many Labour voters in High Peak are voting for him. However, they do not explain that he is a Conservative candidate and neither does his X profile which says only ‘Vote Local. Vote Largan’. His post about Reform says even less than that.
Social media exploded. Harry Yorke, deputy political editor of The Sunday Times, said: “Nothing to see here. Just a Conservative, standing for re-election as an MP, basically pretending to be a Labour candidate…” Serena Barker-Singh from Sky News declared it “absolutely bonkers and dangerous”.
Members of the public immediately reported the posts to the Electoral Commission and the police. Derbyshire Police received so many complaints that they made a public statement announcing that an incident had been opened.
It is probably not irrelevant that Largan’s majority in High Peak is only 590, the third smallest Conservative-Labour gap in the country. Political analyst consultancy, Electoral Calculus, currently has his chances of successful re-election at 3%. High Peak is traditionally a straight red-blue contest but both the major candidates could lose critical votes to Reform or the Greens.
Blatantly deceptive
Constituents in High Peak were not impressed. One said: “This is really confusing. He doesn’t say he’s a Conservative. The picture makes him look like Labour.”
Another said that they had written to the Conservative party chairman. “It may not be illegal, I don’t know, but that’s hardly the point. He should be deselected.”
Full Fact, the independent fact-checking organisation, condemned the posts as giving the false impression that Largan is backed by other political parties. The chief executive, Chris Morris, said: “These tactics are blatantly deceptive and play to some of the most cynical instincts in politics.”
Edwina Currie, former health minister and the most prominent member of High Peak Conservatives, was quick to defend the candidate, commenting that “there’s no law against a bit of humour”.
Not the first time
This is not the first time that Largan’s campaign material has got him into trouble. Last year, he had to apologise to Quest Media Network after he distributed a ‘fake’ newspaper called High Peak Reporter. The High Peak Reporter was a former independent newspaper in the area and the name still belongs to Quest Media Network.
Other leaflets have leaned heavily on a green colour scheme with only tiny signs that he belongs to the Conservative Party, a tactic that has led people to accuse him of greenwashing.
Both the local newspaper leaflet and the green leaflet were in line with materials used by Conservative MPs across the country. What is unprecedented about Largan’s recent social media posts is that he appears to be acting in isolation. No other Conservative candidate (as far as I have seen) has used a similar approach. Now that he is under investigation by the police, others may decide that the consequences are not worth the – admittedly enormous – publicity.
Update 5 June: Derbyshire Police have now completed their review and concluded that no criminal offence has been committed.
Approached for comment
We approached Largan, Jon Pearce (Labour) and Catherine Cullen (Reform UK) for comment. Cullen expressed her surprise at the posts saying, “he has done this [..] to confuse the electorate out of desperation, and I hope he is dealt with severely.” The other two candidates have not responded.
Update 6 June: A Conservative spokesperson said: “The materials clearly carry imprints, as required by electoral law. The police did not say they are ‘investigating’ and have now concluded the review, finding that ‘there are no criminal offences’ or breaches of electoral law.”
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