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The government now threatens to sue the Brexit

Use of NHS logo in anti-EU campaign breaches DoH guidelines

ordered to stop using the NHS ' logo in campaign

The lead Brexit campaign has been ordered to by government lawyers to stop using the NHS logo in its leaflets - or they will be sued.

The Vote Leave group has been handing out leaflets bearing the NHS's logo in support for the campaign to leave the European Union, which is in breach of usage guidelines.

Despite instructions by the Department of Health to stop using the logo, Vote Leave refused, and government lawyers are now reportedly threatening to sue the Brexit campaign group

Bad Brexiter: Vote Leave, supported by jusice secretary Michael Gove, has been using the NHS logo on its leaflets which is in breach of usage guidelines, and government lawyers now threaten to sue

The leaflets for Vote Leave, which is backed by justice secretary Michael Gove, Commons leader Chris Grayling and culture secretary John Whittingdale, shows the famous white-and-blue public health service logo with the 'Save our NHS' message.

Underneath the logo is a Vote Leave message, stating: 'Help protect your local hospital…' as well as the group's own slogan and red ballot box-logo.

However, as the NHS logo is a registered trademark owned by the Department of Health, it may only be used under a set of strict guidelines.

The guidelines state that the logo and letters can only be used in official NHS communications 'to protect the NHS from being seen as the source of materials that have not originated from the NHS.'

Support: Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, Michael Gove, Leader of the House of Commons Chris Grayling, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith and Employment Minister Priti Patel all support Vote Leave

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said earlier this week that they have 'informed Vote Leave this is an inappropriate use of the NHS brand.'

However, Vote Leave refused to withdraw the leaflets, and instead accused Downing Street of 'bully boy tactics', according to The Observer.

A legal letter was sent to the Vote Leave campaign on Saturday, warning the group of legal consequences unless the leaflets are pulled by March 8, the newspaper added.

'It's shameless of Leave campaigners to use the NHS's much loved brand in this cynical, grubby and underhand manner,' a spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe told the Independent.