Beano sends cease-and-desist letter to Jacob Rees-Mogg asking him to stop masquerading as cartoon character Walter Brown

THE Beano has sent a tongue-in-cheek letter to a Conservative MP asking him to stop masquerading as one of its cartoon characters.

In a post on Twitter, the children’s comic revealed they had reached out to Jacob Rees-Mogg and highlighted the likeness between the politician and Beano creation Walter Brown.

As well as accusing the MP of ‘copyright infringement’, the letter also lists the attributes which Mr Rees-Mogg shares with Walter Brown, including his hairstyle, glasses, ‘bullish behaviour’ and ‘snootiness’.

It’s come to our readers attention that @Jacob_Rees_Mogg has been masquerading as Beano character Walter Brown. A clear breach of our copyright. pic.twitter.com/voWQZ5VkPS

— Beano (@BeanoOfficial) April 4, 2018

The list also includes ‘the character’s insistence to remind others of his father’s successful career’ and listening to classical music because it makes him seem clever.

Mike Stirling, head of Beano Studios Scotland, said: “We were flattered when we discovered that Jacob Rees-Mogg has dedicated his life to impersonating one of my favourite Beano characters, young Walter.

“Nonetheless, as a hard-working British media company, we would prefer the public gets its Walter fix in the pages of our comics and on Beano.com, rather than played out on the political stage. In other words, bog off Rees-Mogg!”

The North East Somerset MP has since responded to the Beano, saying he’s ‘flattered’ by the comparison.

I am flattered to be accused by the Beano's legal eagles of imitating Walter the Softy whose powerful physical prowess is so much greater than my own https://t.co/p6uQ1Yy5dK

— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) April 4, 2018

The Beano is the longest running British children’s comic, first published on 30 July 1938.