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But first...
Today saw the first Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) since the parties concluded their conferences. It is set against the backdrop of the resignation of Sue Gray, Keir Starmer’s former Chief of Staff, and an ongoing leadership contest to select Rishi Sunak's replacement as Conservative leader.
We’ve seen several familiar claims that we have fact checked before including:
Claim 1: Sir Keir Starmer said that the previous government left a “£22 billion black hole in the economy”.
Claim 2: Rishi Sunak claimed that under Labour “economic growth had stalled”.
- UK GDP saw no growth in July 2024—the only month for which data has been published since Labour was elected. But the UK economy had also seen no growth in June, when the Conservatives were still in government.
Claim 3: Mr Starmer said that “child poverty went up 700,000 since 2010”
Claim 4: Mr Starmer said that the previous government’s plan to build 40 new hospitals “didn't involve 40, didn't involve hospitals and they weren’t new and they weren’t funded”.
- Exactly what counts as a new hospital may be a matter of opinion, but the last government set out a definition of the 40 and, using this, one project - the Dyson Cancer Centre in Bath - has been opened and counts towards the total.
The next few months are likely to be equally as busy with Labour’s first budget set to take place on 30 October, ongoing conflict in the Middle East and a highly competitive US Presidential election on 5 November.
Keep visiting Full Fact to ensure you have the correct information on the big claims made by the media, politicians and online influencers.
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Best wishes,
Craig, Digital Campaigns Manager—Full Fact
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The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and a number of other prominent Labour ministers have faced scrutiny in recent weeks for their acceptance of so-called “freebies” from donors and various organisations.
We look at the rules at what interests MPs must register, how guidance differs for government ministers and what changes have been proposed.
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In a statement last month following the end of the junior doctors’ strikes in England, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that NHS strikes in general had cost the taxpayer almost £1.7 billion since April 2023. This figure was repeated by health secretary Wes Streeting, the Daily Mail and BBC News.
The number isn’t quite right; the £1.7 billion does not include the junior doctors’ strikes of June and July 2024. A calculation using a broader definition of the cost to public funds might produce a different figure, but it's hard to be precise about this.
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