Tory party criticised after disguising Twitter as ‘Fact Check UK’ during ITV debate
Fact-checking organisation Full Fact has criticised the Conservatives for changing their Twitter handle to factcheckUK for the ITV debate. Photo: Twitter - Credit: Archant
The Tories have faced criticism after rebranding their Twitter as a fact-checking organistation during the ITV leaders' debate.
The Conservative Campaign Headquarters press office account was renamed factcheckUK during Tuesday evenings ITV debate. Photograph: Twitter/PA.
One of the UK's most respected fact-checking organisation Full Fact has criticised the Conservatives for changing their Twitter handle to "factcheckUK" for the ITV debate.
The Conservative Party's press account also rebranded itself with a new logo and header in an attempt to fool others on the social media platform.
Full Fact tweeted: "It is inappropriate and misleading for the Conservative press office to rename their twitter account 'factcheckUK' during this debate.
"Please do not mistake it for an independent fact checking service such as @FullFact, @FactCheck or @FactCheckNI."
You may also want to watch:
In one tweet by the Conservative Press account, pretending to be a fact-checking service, they wrote: "Jeremy Corbyn won't be honest with the British people about his Brexit policy. If he wins we will have months of dither and delay".
READ MORE: Audience laughs after PM claims truth is important to him in ITV debateThe tweet, which is not even an attempt at any fact-checking of Jeremy Corbyn or his claims, was widely condemned.
Most Read
- 1 Tory MP blames 'chaotic parents' for children going to school hungry
- 2 Boris Johnson 'hid in bedroom' to avoid grilling on Brexit stance days before becoming PM
- 3 Tory MP says policies no longer match 'principles on which millions have backed us'
- 4 George Osborne says it is 'game over' for Boris Johnson over free school meals
- 5 Danny Dyer praised for criticisms of Tory party - pointing out Etonians can't run the country
- 6 UKIP set to select 'Dr Gammons' as candidate for London mayoral election
- 7 Liz Truss' department slammed for false claim about cost of soy sauce after Brexit
- 8 Andy Burnham could have been 'halfway through tenure as PM by now', claims commentator
- 9 Minister sparks concerns about pig semen after Brexit
- 10 Liz Truss to deliver speech rejecting 'Britain First' strategy ahead of US election
One reply to it said: "This should be investigated by the Electoral Commission. Absolutely outrageous."
Another reply read: "The Conservative Party pretending to be 'factcheckUK' spotlights exactly why so few people have trust in you."
At the end of the debate the account declared that Boris Johnson was the winner.
It then reverted the account reverted back to its original name and branding.
Liberal Democrat shadow Brexit secretary Tom Brake said the move was straight out of the Trump playbook.
He said: "This is straight out of Donald Trump or Putin's playbook. Not content with excluding the voice of Remain from this debate, the Tories are now resorting to deliberately misleading the public.
"People know they can't trust a word that Boris Johnson or the Conservatives say. The country deserves better. Only the Liberal Democrats will stop Brexit on day one and build a brighter future."
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.
