UKIP instantly accused of ripping off the Premier League after unveiling its new logo

UKIP has instantly been accused of ripping off the Premier League after unveiling designs for its new logo.
The anti-EU party is banishing its traditional pound sign for "not resonating with today's voters" in favour of a lion.
But the lion - which was well in the lead this morning in a vote of UKIP members at the party conference in Torquay - looks terribly, terribly familiar.
Hundreds of Twitter users have had exactly the same thought: It looks exactly like the new Premier League logo that was unveiled only 19 months ago.
Both have a purple, stylised lion facing to its left.
"The Premier League will be thrilled," former England striker Gary Lineker tweeted. The League is understood to be consulting lawyers.
"I wouldn't have this lads," one Twitter user told the Premier League. "They've stolen your logo!".
Others mocked what UKIP interim leader Steve Crowther called the "British lion", considering lions are quite clearly from Africa.
"Bloody Africans coming over here, putting themselves on our political logos!! Putting the english hedgehog out of work!" one Twitter user joked.
A UKIP spokesman insisted: "Our logo is not a rip-off. It is a symbol that broadly is recognised internationally as a symbol of this country."
He added: "We've checked, it doesn't infringe copyright. We're not that stupid."
Told the Premier League was consulting lawyers he said: "How very nice for them, I'm sure that will be expensive, more expensive than our logo."
On Gary Lineker's criticism he added: "Gary Lineker is a very well-known, somewhat sanctimonious, extremely well-paid TV celebrity who has his own opinions."
He joked the lion would be called Flossie.
UKIP chairman Paul Oakden told the BBC: "I’m not worried. For a start, I don’t mind UKIP being associated with the Premier League… If they [the Premier League] feel they have a right to take legal action I’m sure they’ll consult with their lawyers.
“We did our due diligence before we put these logos to the membership and as I said, we are perfectly comfortable”.
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NEW: UKIP unveils the two options for its new logo. The lion got a big cheer. The pound sign is gone but the yellow and purple remain.

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