OPPOSITION leaders have claimed that a 'newspaper' published by the Liberal Democrats in York is a 'deceitful' attempt to dupe the city's residents.

But a senior Lib Dem councillor has hit back, saying it wasn't surprising Labour and Tory councillors didn't want the public to know damaging news about their parties.

The controversy focusses on a Lib Dem publication called York News, which is delivered to homes across the city by party members and supporters.

One regional newspaper editor has accused the party of trying to “con” his readers by producing fake local newspapers, and Toby Granville, editorial director of Newsquest, which owns The Press, has previously urged former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries to put an end to such practices.

Cllr Claire Douglas, Labour group leader on City of York Council, claimed York News was 'just one of a number of ways the Lib Dems seek to dupe the public through publications, so of course people should be wary.'

She said: "Labour will always make it clear where their leaflets come from, and believe all political parties should always be open and honest in their communications with the public”.

Tory group leader Paul Doughty claimed the LibDems were 'infamous and ridiculed for their dodgy bar charts' at election times.

"But the continued use of publications mocked up to look like independent newspapers will be seen by some, rightly in my opinion, as deceitfulness," he said. "Their ‘York News’ being a prime example.

"The Lib Dems are always the first to complain about other politicians and fake news so its ironic that they continue to peddle such literature which they must hope to fool people with (and presumably does since they persist).

"Dirty tactics and shame on York LibDems if that is their aim!”

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Hollyer said it was not surprising the Tories would 'seek to suppress criticism' of their plans to downgrade Huntington fire station, or that Labour would prefer residents to be unaware that its York Outer candidate lived 200 miles away in London, where he was elected a councillor last May.

“All our campaigning literature in York makes clear it’s from the Liberal Democrats, as is clearly stated on the front page of this copy - “Delivered by local Lib Dem volunteers across York’s communities...”." he said.

"No one would be in any doubt of the source of the leaflet and to suggest otherwise is to insult the intelligence of York’s residents. 

“Tabloid newspapers, such as these, are used by all political parties in York and across the country.

"It’s important for us to stay in touch with our local communities and share the hard work of our local councillors all year round – not just when it comes to elections. None of the information included in our publications is inaccurate or false.”