Tories use Facebook adverts to target marginal Labour seats where MPs backed freedom of movement
Facebook adverts promoted by the Tories to push the issue of immigration. Photographs: Facebook. - Credit: Archant
The Tories are seeking revenge on Labour MPs which voted against ending freedom of movement by stoking up fears over immigration on Facebook in their marginal seats.
The Independent discovered that 19 marginal constituencies have been singled out - including Bedford, Coventry North West, Wansbeck, Leamington and Warwick - to run adverts promoting that their local MP voted against the government's immigration bill.
Labour opposed the bill over visa restrictions on care workers coming into the country in the middle of a pandemic.
But the Tories instead are promoting the fact that their local politician has 'voted against ending free movement'.
One advert, targeting Yvette Cooper's seat, says: 'Yvette Cooper, your MP for Normanton Pontefract & Castleford, has JUST VOTED AGAINST a stronger points-based immigration system – one that takes back control of our borders.
'Do you back our Immigration Bill? Tell us on our survey below'.
You may also want to watch:
They have also selected the marginal seat of former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron in Cumbria.
The adverts ask voters to click through to fill in a 'survey' where respondents are asked to give views about immigration, before being asked to supply an email address and to opt-in to messages from the party's campaigns team.
According to Facebook the Tories are spending between £2,000 and £4,000 to reach approximately one to two million people in these areas.
Most Read
- 1 Susanna Reid takes on Priti Patel over government's gaslighting of public on coronavirus
- 2 Jacob Rees-Mogg says it's 'all the EU's fault' musicians can't tour Europe
- 3 Tory minister admits UK rejected EU's music visa offer in order to 'take back control' of borders
- 4 Piers Morgan tells Gavin Williamson to resign for being a 'catastrophe'
- 5 PMQs: Ben Bradshaw calls out Boris Johnson over Brexit lies
- 6 ‘Don’t haste ye back’ - Nicola Sturgeon's perfect farewell message to Donald Trump
- 7 Tory MP complains 'less scrutiny of trade deals' than when UK was in EU
- 8 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 9 Comedian wins praise after shaming No 10 during Dancing on Ice appearance
- 10 Brexiteer musician accused of hypocrisy after demanding No 10 help bands with EU visa
Separate advertising from Priti Patel also encourages people to fill in the survey, claiming it is the 'points-based system the public voted for'.
Sir Keir Starmer has reportedly ruled out spending money on Facebook adverts in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, who felt that the platform does not do enough to remove hate speech and fake news.
Last year an organisation found that nearly 90% of Tory adverts during the general election campaign were deemed misleading, whereas none were found to be misleading from Labour.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.