Accrington Stanley chairman Ilyas Khan has publicly backed the Labour Party’s prospective Parliamentary candidate.

Promotional leaflets for Labour’s campaign are headed ‘Ilyas Khan, Hon Chairman of Accrington Stanley supporting Graham Jones for MP’ and feature a picture of Mr Khan and Graham Jones out canvassing together.

Hyndburn Council’s Tory leader Coun Peter Britcliffe said he was surprised the football club’s famous name had been used on documents supporting one of the General Election candidates, but that Mr Khan, as an individual, was free to do as he wished.

However Coun Jones said he had received the backing of Mr Khan as a ‘private person who wants the best for Hyndburn’ and added that Mr Khan was even planning to post a large banner outside his home in Stanhill, urging people to vote Labour.

He said: “He really wants me to win and is not just supporting Labour in opinion but has been out canvassing with me as well.

"He’s backing me as an individual, not as the club.”

Coun Britcliffe said: “As an individual, Mr Khan can suport who he pleases but I’m surprised that the club’s name is mentioned.

"I know there are many people at the club who are a mixture of Conservative, Labour and Liberal supporters, so it strikes me as odd.”

Mr Khan was unavailable for comment.