Government spent £100,000 promoting Brexit deal on Facebook

A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. Photograph: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire. - Credit: PA

Theresa May spent almost £100,000 on Facebook adverts promoting the Brexit deal before the vote was pulled.

Figures from the social media firm reveal that in the week leading up to the key vote – which has now been pulled – the government spent nearly £100,000 advertising through Facebook and Instagram.

MORE: ‘EU legislation at work!’ Tommy Robinson supporter tries to burn EU flag… and fails

The figure does not include advertising that would have taken place on Google and Twitter – where Number 10 was also advertising.

Facebook’s reporting showed that between Sunday December 2 and Saturday December 8 the government spent £96,684 on 11 promotions.

It makes the government the key political advertiser over the past 7 days.

The messages included videos on ‘What the Brexit Deal means for you – explained in 60 seconds’, plus others focusing on immigration and jobs.

Others set out the benefits of the deal for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland specifically.

MORE: She’s bottled it! May to pull Brexit vote

Jon Trickett MP, Labour’s shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, said: ‘This reveals a government deeply paranoid and insecure about the botched deal they have been trying to sell to the British public, but which they now appear to have abandoned. Not only is this a completely inappropriate use of public money, but it turns out to have been entirely wasted. When official resources are used for the prime minister’s personal purposes it threatens our democracy.’