FA claims fringe rightwing party has ‘misused’ Three Lions logo

The logo featured on the English Democrats' leaflets as part of campaigning in the European elections

The FA logo is trademarked at the Intellectual Property Office (Getty)

The Football Association has claimed the English Democrats, a fringe rightwing political party, has “misused” its Three Lions logo on their campaign leaflet, according to The New European.

The logo features on the party’s A4 leaflets circulated in the Yorkshire and the Humber and the East of England as part of campaigning in the European elections.

“We do not support or endorse any political party,” a statement from the FA read. “We are aware that our logo has been misused on some political leafleting and we are looking into the matter.”

The FA logo is trademarked at the Intellectual Property Office.

However, the English Democrats claim they can use the image as it is a “traditional symbol” of England and and that they created their own version of the logo, rather than using the FA’s.

“This is the traditional symbol of England, it’s not a traditional symbol of English football,” party chair Robin Tilbrook said. “[The FA] have no monopoly on it.”

The English Democrats is a national party whose central aim is for England to gain independence from the United Kingdom and features a number of former British National Party members.