Lincolnshire Police distances itself from General Election banner for Conservative candidate for Rutland and Stamford constituency Alicia Kearns put up on building adjoining Stamford Police Station

A police force has made clear it is not associated with a political party after a banner was strung up near one of its stations.

A political banner has been put up on the building adjoining Stamford Police Station in North Street.

It is encouraging people to vote for Alicia Kearns, Conservative candidate for the new Rutland and Stamford constituency, in the General Election.

However, officers have been keen to distance themselves from the election poster and made a statement on the Stamford, Bourne and Deepings Facebook page.

They said: “If you are in the Stamford area you may have seen a political banner on the building joined to the local police station.

“This is no longer a police-owned building and is privately owned, and the imagery has not been positioned there by Lincolnshire Police.

“Lincolnshire Police is a politically neutral organisation and while we recognise that people may perceive this as a force building, we would like to make clear that this imagery is not associated with the organisation.”

A row broke out last week as Mrs Kearns accused Rutland County Council workers of removing her billboard poster from fencing on the A606.

There are six candidates standing for the Rutland and Stamford seat at the General Election on July 4:

Emma Baker (Green Party); Joanna Burrows (Rejoin EU); Christopher Clowes (Reform UK); Alicia Kearns (Conservative); James Moore (Liberal Democrats) and Joe Wood (Labour).