TROUBLE was brewing for a Keighley election hopeful when he named his new political party.

Leo Robinson discovered that the witty name was certainly not one company’s cup of tea.

Supermarket trolley worker Mr Robinson, a former Tory Party member, this month set up the Yorkshire Tea Party.

He approached Taylor’s of Harrogate – makers of Yorkshire Tea – to ask whether he could use their brand name.

He this week told the Keighley News that the high-profile company politely declined permission.

Yorkshire Tea was the ‘official tea partner’of the Tour de France’s Grand Depart, and the company sponsored this year’s Keighley Amateurs pantomime Mother Goose.

Mr Robinson, 36, who is campaigning on a 10 point charter, has now reluctantly renamed his party the Northern Tea Party.

He said: “I wrote to Taylors of Harrogate two weeks ago because they own the Yorkshire Tea brand.

“I wanted to let them know I was starting Yorkshire Tea Party and asked whether it would be a problem.

“They brought me a polite letter asking whether I could change the name of the party. I felt it was a very courteous and polite letter.

“I could understand people might be confused between the brand and the party.

“Some people have been in touch with Taylors asking if they were sponsoring me.”

Mr Robinson has to raise £500 to register as a parliamentary candidate in the Keighley and Ilkley constituency, so he will approach other companies across the region for sponsorship.

He said, “I still feel there’s potential for sponsorship from various companies for mutual promotion.”

Mr Robinson will campaign on a charter whose 10 points range from taxing the HS2 high-speed rail link to legalising cannabis for medicinal use and downgrading marijuana to a Class C drug.

He wants to put a stop to benefits sanctions on 'petty things'; reverse privatisation of nursing homes, prisons and other services where corporate partners have a monopoly on provision; and reverse cuts to council budgets; scrap foreign aid to rich trading partners; and opt out of EU corporate tax rules.

He believes he can gain the five per cent of the vote which he needs in order to get back his £500 deposit.

He added: “I’m confident I’ll get over eight per cent of the vote. I’m confident I can come fourth in the election, but only if I get lots of sponsorship, funding and members.”