A MAJOR photo blunder has left Redditch Labour Party feeling redder than usual after it uploaded an image to Facebook of members wearing badly-edited face coverings.
The misleading image, which was quickly deleted, showed members and councillors at a school uniform bank event on August 15 last year.
Only Labour leader Bill Hartnett appeared to actually be wearing a real face covering in the botched edit job.
When it was first uploaded – as the group’s main header picture on Facebook – locals noticed how the masks were skew-whiff and floating above members’ heads.
The picture was then uploaded again but this time with the edited masks covering their mouths.
The party has been heavily criticized by Redditch Conservatives for being deceitful and attempting to cover-up a Covid breach.
The face coverings appeared to be floating.
A Conservative spokesperson said: “This is an embarrassment for Redditch. We are worried about the undermining of public health by Labour, especially with the town having the highest increases of Covid-19.
“Rather than complying with government guidelines and wear face coverings, Labour decided they were above the law and would just Photoshop later.”
Labour was also condemned for not socially distancing at the event.
A Labour spokesperson told the Standard: “On August 15 when the uniform bank was held, all mask protocols were followed.
“Masks were worn during the event when open to the public. There was no obligation to wear masks by staff in any shops or public spaces at that time.”
On gov.uk it says face coverings were made mandatory for the public in additional enclosed public spaces from Friday, July 24 last year – including inside shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and transport hubs.
It added face coverings were not mandatory in venues that ‘have measures in place’ to ‘protect staff and the public from Covid-19’, namely hairdressers, gyms and pubs.
On September 24 it was made mandatory for staff in indoor settings, apart from offices, to wear face coverings.
When Labour was asked by the Standard why the picture was edited if everyone was ‘following the rules’, the party said the photo was meant to ‘accompany a Covid support line’.
“It was thought that people might not realise the photo was taken at a time when mask wearing was not mandatory,” said Labour.
