This week we're fact checking Labour party conference

View Email in Browser ([link removed])

Dear Friend,

In the newsletter this week...
1. Take our Audience survey (#survey1)
2. No, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has not pledged to build 46,000 new homes ‘just for Muslims’ (#body1)
3. Taylor Swift has not cancelled Eras tour due to ‘backlash’ from presidential endorsement (#body2)
4. No evidence the government plans to ‘means test’ the state pension (#body3)
5. Also this week... (#morefacts)

But first...

It has been a busy week in Liverpool for the Labour party who have held their first conference since winning the 2024 General Election.

The next general election might not be for some time but the first conference of a new government is where a Prime Minister and his party begin to set out their stall for re-election.
* So far we’ve looked at a claim made on Monday by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves about a‘£22 billion black hole’ ([link removed]) in the country's finances. The figure comes from a Treasury review published in July. While experts have said many of the challenges outlined in this review were “entirely predictable” they’ve also said the extent of the pressures do appear to be “greater than could be discerned from outside”.

* Angela Rayner claimed that Labour had ended a ‘ban’ on onshore wind. While it was widely described as a "de-facto ban" ([link removed]) , there was not an official ban of onshore wind farms. Planning rules meant applications did fall substantially.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke on Wednesday delivering his keynote address ([link removed]) to assembled delegates and guests. Asylum and Immigration ([link removed]) was a central theme of Mr Starmer’s speech.

We've looked at claims made about this topic closely over the last few months. Our explainer ([link removed]) on the asylum backlog is a good place to start from when trying to understand some of the facts at the heart of the debate.
Best wishes,

Craig, Digital Campaigns Manager—Full Fact
** We want your views ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
We would like your input in our 2024 Full Fact readership survey. Your feedback will tell us what is important to you, and help inform our output over the coming year.

The survey should take 5 minutes to complete and you have the option of entering a prize draw for one of five £20 Amazon vouchers for completing the survey.

Take the survey ([link removed])


------------------------------------------------------------
** No, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has not pledged to build 46,000 new homes ‘just for Muslims’ ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
Posts being shared on social media misinterpret comments made by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to falsely claim he pledged to build 46,000 houses “just for Muslims”.

Mr Khan has not pledged housing for a specific demographic. This is a misinterpretation of what he said in an interview with the Islam Channel shared earlier this year.
Read more ([link removed])
[ Back to top] (##emailtop)


** Taylor Swift has not cancelled Eras tour due to ‘backlash’ from presidential endorsement ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

[link removed]

A post has falsely claimed Taylor Swift has cancelled upcoming tour dates due to low ticket sales after endorsing Democratic presidential candidate and serving Vice President Kamala Harris.

This is false, and seems to originate on a satirical website. The remaining Eras tour dates are going ahead, and completely sold out.
Read more ([link removed])
[ Back to top] (##emailtop)


** No evidence the government plans to ‘means test’ the state pension ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]

Posts on Facebook shared thousands of times suggest the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is going to “means test” pensions.

We can find no evidence for this, and the government has said it isn’t true. It may originate with comments from a former civil servant before the election, which Labour says are not party policy.

Read more ([link removed])
[ Back to top] (##emailtop)


** Can the Conservative Party restore trust in British politics?
------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday 1 October, 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Hall 11b, Birmingham ICC

Speakers include Anand Menon (UK in a Changing Europe), Chris Morris (FullFact), Tim Montgomerie (Centre for Social Justice), Isabel Hardman (The Spectator) and Rachel Wolf (Public First)

This event will take place in the secure zone.

* Was a shadow minister right to claim the Conservatives ‘took a decision not to release prisoners’? ([link removed])
* Are student loan repayments really ‘the cost of a pint of beer’? ([link removed])
* Picture of Kamala Harris with Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been altered ([link removed])

Read our latest fact checks ([link removed])
[ Back to top] (##emailtop)
Stop the spread of bad information

Find these updates useful? We'd be incredibly grateful if you could share our fact checks and help more people access good information.
[link removed] Share ([link removed])
[link removed] https%3A%2F%2Fmailchi.mp%2Ffullfact%2Flabour-party-conference-fact-checked Tweet ([link removed] https%3A%2F%2Fmailchi.mp%2Ffullfact%2Flabour-party-conference-fact-checked)
[link removed] Forward ([link removed])
[link removed] Share ([link removed])
All the best,
Team Full Fact


** How likely would you be to recommend that a friend, family member or colleague subscribes to receive emails from Full Fact?
------------------------------------------------------------
0 = Least likely - 10 = Most Likely
<a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 0</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 1</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 2</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 3</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 4</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 5</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 6</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 7</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 8</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 9</a><a href="[link removed]" target="_blank"> 10</a>


============================================================
** Follow us ([link removed])
** Follow us ([link removed])
** Like us ([link removed])
** Follow us ([link removed])
Have any questions or feedback? Please ** get in touch via our contact form ([link removed])
. We do not respond to direct replies to this email address.

Find out ** how Full Fact is funded ([link removed])
.

Copyright © Full Fact 2024 - All rights reserved

A registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 6975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.

Our mailing address is:
17 Oval Way, London, SE11 5RR

We use Mailchimp to send you our emails and to see which articles are most popular. ** Read our privacy policy ([link removed])
or ** Mailchimp's privacy policy ([link removed])

** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
** update subscription preferences ([link removed])