The Plymouth Evening Herald carried the following story on 3 August:

Is this the best picture in Britain?

Fans of the late Plymouth artist Robert Lenkiewicz have launched a campaign to vote his work into the top 10 best paintings in Britain.

Lenkiewicz enthusiasts are keen for his work to feature in a poll of BBC Radio 4's listeners aimed at discovering the greatest painting in Britain.

They want the Plymouth painter's portrait of former Labour leader Michael Foot to be included in the shortlist, which is to be drawn up later this month after nominations by the public.

Dave Goodwin, webmaster of the Lenkiewicz appreciation site lenkiewicz.org, said the campaign was gathering pace.

He said: "Following some discussion on the website, it's been decided that we should organise a concerted campaign to have a Lenkiewicz painting shortlisted.

"This would certainly raise Lenkiewicz's profile significantly."

The portrait of Michael Foot is presently at Portcullis House, Westminster, where it is not on public display but is seen daily by hundreds of MPs, Parliamentary officials and their guests.

The painting, which was moved to the building in September 2003, depicts the former Labour leader wearing a green Plymouth Argyle scarf.

Lenkiewicz died in August 2002, aged 60.

Shortlisted paintings will be featured on Radio 4's Today programme in the last two weeks of August, when the public will be able to vote for their favourite.

Mr Goodwin said a Lenkiewicz nomination would be a fitting way to mark the third anniversary of the artist's death on August 5.

Radio Devon featured an interview with Anna Navas this morning, whilst today's Western Morning News carried the following article:

Bid To Win Acclaim for Lenkiewicz

A campaign has been launched to vote a portrait by late Westcountry artist Robert Lenkiewicz into the top ten best paintings in Britain.

BBC Radio 4's Today programme is running a listener poll to find the "Greatest Painting in Britain", and a shortlist of ten will be drawn up in the middle of next month.

Fans of the Plymouth artist Lenkiewicz, who died in August 2002 aged 60, want listeners to support the case for his portrait of the former Labour leader Michael Foot, which is on display in Portcullis House, Westminster.

Dave Goodwin, who runs the website www.lenkiewicz.org, said it was time Robert Lenkiewicz was afforded the recognition he had earned.

"I think there is a bit of anger among fans because he hasn't got the recognition he deserved," he said. "Part of that was down to the fact that he was a regional artist and didn't play the establishment games by doing exhibitions and tours around London.

"A lot of media coverage has also centred around the more salacious aspects of his life, like the embalming of Diogenes.

"But his work stands side by side with any of his peers in the second half of the 20th century. Personally, I think his work forces you to have a reaction to it. It is not like some of the eye candy you see so often which doesn't challenge you at all.

"I think this is a good opportunity to raise the profile of his work and have a serious examination of it."

Nominations for the BBC poll are limited to paintings which are on display in public collections. Although the Plymouth Museum and Gallery has at least one Lenkiewicz painting on permanent display, Mr Goodwin said they had decided to back the case for the portrait of Lord Foot.

It would also be a fitting way to mark the third anniversary of Lenkiewicz's death on August 3 [Editor's note: this was not the date I stated in my conversation with them!], he added.

Further details of the poll can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ today/vote/greatestpainting/ index.shtml?