Former UCP caucus members trying to resurrect PC name in Alberta

Alberta's governing United Conservative Party has now brought in the lawyers in a fight over a legacy name.

The U-C-P was created eight years ago in a merging of the old Progressive Conservatives and the Wildrose Party.

But now two former members of Premier Danielle Smith's U-C-P caucus want to resurrect the P-C name and use it for a party to run against Smith. The U-C-P says it has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the two members, saying the P-C name still belongs to them and can't be legally appropriated.

The two former members _ Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair _ were booted out of Smith's caucus for challenging her policies.

They say the U-C-P under Smith has abandoned its conservative principles and is catering to extremists. Guthrie says their group is also looking to join and rebrand the centrist Alberta Party and the lawyer letter shows the U-C-P is worried about their challenge.