Ukip deny new lion logo breaches copyright despite similarity to Premier League badge

The party voted for the lion head at their annual conference on Friday

Ukip have denied that their new lion-themed party logo is in risk of breaching the copyright of the Premier League, despite its obvious likeness.

The right-wing party launched the logo, ditching their longstanding yellow and purple pound one for a purple lion, at their annual party conference in Torquay, accompanied by the text “Ukip, for the nation”.

It was decided by Ukip members but it looks strikingly similar to the Premier League’s own purple lion logo, which was launched in February 2016 and used from the beginning of the 2016/17 season.

The Premier League used to have the full body of a purple lion with its paw on a football before changing to just the head, similar to Ukip’s.

The Independent contacted the Premier League for comment but it refused to confirm whether it would consult lawyers but confirmed it was aware of Ukip’s new logo.

Ukip put forward two new logos at the party conference on Friday morning and members voted for the one to use, leading party chairman Paul Oakden to welcome any Premier League checks into the copyright.

“We didn't know which of the two logos was going to be chosen this morning, but obviously we ran both through the appropriate legal checks before we put them to our membership,” he told BBC’s Daily Politics programme.

“So we're perfectly comfortable with the lion we put forward and we're perfectly comfortable with the vote to adopt it by the membership.

“As far as we're concerned it is now our logo.”