Downing Street later replaces digitally-enhanced image with a different one of the prime minister actually wearing a poppy

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Downing Street has been ridiculed for digitally adding a remembrance poppy to a photograph of David Cameron that it was using on its Facebook page.

Twitter user Dylan Morris first spotted the change on Monday afternoon, tweeting:

Dylan H Morris. (@dylanhm) Has the official 10 Downing Street Facebook page photoshopped a poppy onto David Cameron for their new picture? pic.twitter.com/inLOOVcR5G

Dylan H Morris. (@dylanhm) They definitely have. Here's the original picture from July. Embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/SX9xOJsjor

An hour later, Downing Street deleted the picture and replaced it with one of the prime minister actually wearing a poppy, but not before the original photo had been spotted by other people on social media.

Dylan H Morris. (@dylanhm) Update: they’ve changed it to one of David Cameron wearing an actual poppy. That was fun while it lasted. pic.twitter.com/tOhnk0agq4

The incident was quickly dubbed Poppygate, and the internet reacted in its usual way.

Skeptical Rob (@wcskeptic) .@BestoftheMail @dylanhm Now with added patriotism. pic.twitter.com/TQ26i6mUmy

ste (@stevahen) Here's a poppy wearing a photoshopped David Cameron badge pic.twitter.com/8KPdPCTEEI

Ian Payne (@01101001) @paulwaugh @mrjamesob @dylanhm Thank god they didn't go for the first draft of that photoshop! pic.twitter.com/FexJreOBST

David Whitley (@mrdavidwhitley) Number 10's first crude attempt to photoshop a poppy onto an old pic of David Cameron was an even bigger blunder. pic.twitter.com/AXFyG2CcVU

Tom Phillips (@flashboy) I see NO evidence that David Cameron’s poppy pic was Photoshopped. People need to stop jumping to conclusions. pic.twitter.com/xISpGwESD1

The original photograph of David Cameron was uploaded to Facebook in July and has been used widely in Downing Street publicity materials. A No 10 spokesperson blamed the incident on an “oversight” and said the digitally enhanced picture had now been deleted.