Don’t compare Labour and Conservative costings for police recruitment

ELECTION 2019

The election is here—and we're ready to fact check it

This election is hugely significant for everyone in this country. We know our electoral laws have left our democracy wide open to misinformation and manipulation.

We don’t care who you vote for. We don’t support any political party or campaign. But we will fight on your behalf for trustworthy information, honest campaigning and the integrity of this election.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be fighting round the clock to hold all candidates to the same three principles: get your facts right, back up your claims with evidence, and correct your mistakes. 

FACTCHECK

Boris Johnson must stop claiming that the Brexit extension will cost £1bn

Boris Johnson has claimed multiple times in the House of Commons this week that a Brexit extension will cost £1bn a month.

This is not true, as we’ve said before. 

Extension or not, the UK is set to pay into the EU budget until December 2020 under the deal Mr Johnson agreed with EU leaders. 

The Ministerial Code (which sets out standards of conduct for ministers) requires Mr Johnson to correct his error to the House. This is the second time Full Fact has requested that he corrects a statement he has made in Parliament.

Our Chief Executive Will Moy said: “The public deserves accurate, reliable information from leaders of all parties and campaigns.”

FACTCHECK

Flawed poll about support for violence against MPs for Brexit

Last week saw headlines about voters saying violence against MPs is a "price worth paying" to get their way in Brexit, based on a survey from the universities of Cardiff and Edinburgh. 

However, the question actually asked respondents if the risk of violence was a price worth paying. This is an important distinction. It’s also not clear whether the majority of respondents thought that risk was likely to happen. 

Neither universities’ press release explained this, and it’s irresponsible of them to distort the findings of the research in this way. We’ve contacted the universities, along with the news outlets that covered the study. Many thanks to the Evening Standard, which has corrected its copy.

FACTCHECKS

Also this week...

• 182 places could be happier than the "UK's happiest place"
• It's misleading to claim that the Lib Dems refused to support an end to NHS privatisation
• This image claiming there are four million 17 year-olds who’ll be able to vote in the election is not about the UK
• Some voters are eligible to register to vote at two different addresses, then choose where to vote on election day
• This image on flu jab ingredients is misleading

JOBS

We're hiring!

Full Fact is looking for a new Data Scientist and two new journalists to help find, expose and counter the harm caused by misinformation and evolve our automated factchecking.

Applications close: 10am on Monday 11 November (early applications encouraged)