Councilors in ‘pathetic’ row over Green Party leaflet that inadvertently featured Labor rival in small group photo

Local councilors have been branded ‘petty’ and ‘pathetic’ over a spat over a Green Party leaflet which inadvertently featured a Labor rival in a small group photo.

The row broke out after Claire Kidman, Labor member for the Crome ward in Norwich, learned she appeared in the flyer for Charlie Caine, who stands for the Greens in Mile Cross.

Labor lodged a formal complaint with election officials – although the blink-and-you’ve-missed-it thumbnail image is one of 18 in the campaign leaflet and includes several people.

It shows Ms. Kidman dressed in a Victorian outfit standing behind Mr. Caine when they performed in a musical about the town’s Anglia Square.

In support of her complaint – which has since been dismissed by the returning officer – Kidman said the campaign literature had upset her.

The Norwich councilor said: ‘I seem to be literally and metaphorically behind him.

‘It was a bit of a shock. I don’t support him in any way and it’s a misrepresentation of the electorate.’

But other councilors have ridiculed the dispute, with independent Karen David describing it as a ‘storm in a teacup.’

Lib Dem Judith Lubbock said: ‘It’s a bit petty but I’m sure the Greens would be petty too if things were the other way around.’

Members of the public had their own brickbats, with one describing the issue online as ‘pathetic bickering’.

Another suggested that the two warring parties should ‘find some common ground and dress up as a bunch of clowns for the next production’.

Labor is currently the largest group on Norwich City Council with 19 of the 39 vacant seats. The Green Party is the second largest with 13 members.

A third of the seats will be up for grabs in local elections on May 2 and Mr Caine, who is standing for a ward currently represented by three Labor councillors, launched his campaign earlier this month.

Labor is currently the largest group on Norwich City Council (pictured), with 19 of the 39 seats available. The Green Party is the second largest with 13 members

He billed himself as a ‘councillor who gets things done’ on his flyer. The images show him running community events, picking litter and directing musical productions, including Anglia Square: A Love Story, in which Ms Kidman appeared.

The performance was conceived by the theater group The Common Lot to celebrate the area’s heritage. It tells the story of people who lived and worked in the northern part of the city.

It was staged across Norwich in 2019 and the image used on Mr Caine’s leaflet was taken during a parade that summer.

The Green Party – which agreed to stop distributing the leaflet and print a new one – claimed it believed Ms Kidman had consented to appear in it. She says she was never contacted.

Labor councilor Mike Stonard said: ‘We’re flattered that the Greens are putting Labor councilors in their leaflets – it’s not the first time they’ve taken credit for what we do.

“But to say they thought they had permission from Cllr Kidman shows they either lack integrity, are incompetent or both.”

Alex Catt, deputy leader of the Greens, said: ‘There are several people in costume in the background of this photograph and it had already been shared online.

“We apologize if this has made anyone uncomfortable and when this was first brought to our attention we reprinted the leaflet with the image removed.”

The complaint was dealt with by Deputy Louise Rawsthorne, who dismissed it.

A council spokesman said: ‘The returning officer must remain impartial and it would be up to the person concerned to complain to the party that published the leaflet.’