The Conservative Party has revived a fake “fact-checking” service to celebrate Boris Johnson’s election victory.
The party’s press office was widely criticised in November when it rebranded its Twitter account as “factcheckUK” during a televised election debate between Mr Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn.
Early on Friday morning, the CCHQ Twitter account posted a video with the factcheckUK logo and the caption: “FACT: @BorisJohnson and @Conservatives the winners of #GeneralElection19”
The move indicates the party will not apologise for its tactics during the election campaign, which involved an unrelenting slew of false claims and misleading promises.
Mr Johnson’s party won the general election with a comfortable majority after taking seats in former Labour heartlands in the North and Midlands.
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie with some her newly elected MP’s at the Glasgow count
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures after speaking
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A police officer breaks up a fight while Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell speaks
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Liberal Democrat candidate Luciana Berger reacts as she loses the Finchley & Golders Green constituency in north London
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DUP MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart with her son Charlie at Meadowbank Sports Arena as counting begins
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Labour’s John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor speaks after winning his constituency seat following the count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London
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Liberal Democrats candidate for Edinburgh West, Christine Jardine retains her seat at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
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DUP leader Arlene Foster watches on as Sinn Fein candidate John Finucane is declared the winner of the north Belfast seat over DUP candidate Nigel Dodds in the Belfast count centre at the Titanic Exhibition centre on December 13, 2019 in Belfast, United Kingdom. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
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Ballots in a tray labelled Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats candidate for East Dunbartonshire, are seen at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Bishopbriggs, Britain
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Sinn Fein’s John Finucane, the winning candidate in the Belfast North seat, with Party Vice President Michelle O’Neill and President Mary Lou McDonald, celebrates at the count centre, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon smiles as she arrives at the SEC Centre in Glasgow for the declaration in her constituency in the 2019 general election, Friday Dec. 13, 2019. An exit poll in Britain’s election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament. That outcome would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month.
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Conservative Party MP Dominic Raab being congratulated by Baron Badger after being re-elected to serve the constituency of Esher and Walton at Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey at the 2019 General Election.
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Conservative Party parliamentary candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg makes his way to the stage at the Sports Training Village, University of Bath, on December 13, 2019 in Bath, England. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
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Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaks on stage after losing her seat at the East Dunbartonshire count centre in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow, on December 13, 2019 after votes were counted as part of the UK general election.
AFP via Getty Images
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Bobby Smith, a political and fathers’ rights activist and founder and leader of the ‘Give Me Back Elmo’ party, left, and Independent candidate Count Binface stand either side of Britain’s Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson wait for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London, Friday
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, with wife Laura Alvarez, talks to workers as he arrives for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election.
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Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, visits the vote count in his Islington North constituency on December 12, 2019 in London, England. Corbyn, who has held the Islington North seat since 1983, is expected to step down as leader if his party is dealt a decisive defeat by the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
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Labour Party candidate Sharon Hodgson speaks after is announced as the winner for the constituency of Washington and Sunderland West at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Sunderland, Britain
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arriving for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election.
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Labour candidate for Walthamstow Stella Creasy carries her baby daughter as she speaks after winning in Britain’s general election in Waltham Forest Town Hall, Walthamstow, Britain
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The first ballot boxes for Belfast North are brought into the count centre in Belfast on December 12, 2019 to be counted for the UK general election. – Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain’s general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit
AFP via Getty Images
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Independent, Count Binface poses for a photograph as he waits for the results in the count centre in Uxbridge, where Britain’s Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson hopes to hold his seat, in west London, on December 12, 2019. – Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain’s general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit.
AFP via Getty Images
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Ballot boxes are emptied during the count at Northumbria University’s Sports Central in Newcastle for the 2019 General Election
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Ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Brighton, Britain
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Ballots arrive at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Esher, Britain
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General Election 2019 – Election count at Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt for Newry & Armagh, South Antrim, North Antrim, Upper Bann, East Londonderry, Foyle, Lagan Valley and Mid Ulster.
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A woman wears a rosette with the name of independent candidate Joe Bousfield on it as ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Hartlepool, Britain
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An exit poll from Thursday’s election is projected onto Broadcasting House in London, Britain, December
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The broadcaster’s exit poll results projected on the outside of the BBC building in London shows Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party predicted to win 368 seats and a majority (L) and Jeremy Corbyn’s opposition Labour Party to win 191 seats, as the ballots begin to be counted in the general election on December 12, 2019
AFP via Getty Images
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Ballot boxes are opened at Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, as counting begins 2019 General Election.
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Votes are counted at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, for the UK Parliamentary General Election count
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie with some her newly elected MP’s at the Glasgow count
Getty
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures after speaking
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A police officer breaks up a fight while Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell speaks
Getty Images
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Liberal Democrat candidate Luciana Berger reacts as she loses the Finchley & Golders Green constituency in north London
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DUP MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart with her son Charlie at Meadowbank Sports Arena as counting begins
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Labour’s John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor speaks after winning his constituency seat following the count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London
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Liberal Democrats candidate for Edinburgh West, Christine Jardine retains her seat at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
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AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
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DUP leader Arlene Foster watches on as Sinn Fein candidate John Finucane is declared the winner of the north Belfast seat over DUP candidate Nigel Dodds in the Belfast count centre at the Titanic Exhibition centre on December 13, 2019 in Belfast, United Kingdom. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
Getty Images
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Ballots in a tray labelled Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats candidate for East Dunbartonshire, are seen at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Bishopbriggs, Britain
REUTERS
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Sinn Fein’s John Finucane, the winning candidate in the Belfast North seat, with Party Vice President Michelle O’Neill and President Mary Lou McDonald, celebrates at the count centre, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, Northern Ireland
REUTERS
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Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon smiles as she arrives at the SEC Centre in Glasgow for the declaration in her constituency in the 2019 general election, Friday Dec. 13, 2019. An exit poll in Britain’s election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament. That outcome would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month.
AP
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Conservative Party MP Dominic Raab being congratulated by Baron Badger after being re-elected to serve the constituency of Esher and Walton at Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey at the 2019 General Election.
PA
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Conservative Party parliamentary candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg makes his way to the stage at the Sports Training Village, University of Bath, on December 13, 2019 in Bath, England. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
Getty Images
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Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaks on stage after losing her seat at the East Dunbartonshire count centre in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow, on December 13, 2019 after votes were counted as part of the UK general election.
AFP via Getty Images
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Bobby Smith, a political and fathers’ rights activist and founder and leader of the ‘Give Me Back Elmo’ party, left, and Independent candidate Count Binface stand either side of Britain’s Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson wait for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London, Friday
AP
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, with wife Laura Alvarez, talks to workers as he arrives for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election.
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Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, visits the vote count in his Islington North constituency on December 12, 2019 in London, England. Corbyn, who has held the Islington North seat since 1983, is expected to step down as leader if his party is dealt a decisive defeat by the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
Getty Images
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Labour Party candidate Sharon Hodgson speaks after is announced as the winner for the constituency of Washington and Sunderland West at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Sunderland, Britain
REUTERS
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arriving for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election.
PA
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Labour candidate for Walthamstow Stella Creasy carries her baby daughter as she speaks after winning in Britain’s general election in Waltham Forest Town Hall, Walthamstow, Britain
REUTERS
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The first ballot boxes for Belfast North are brought into the count centre in Belfast on December 12, 2019 to be counted for the UK general election. – Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain’s general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit
AFP via Getty Images
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Independent, Count Binface poses for a photograph as he waits for the results in the count centre in Uxbridge, where Britain’s Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson hopes to hold his seat, in west London, on December 12, 2019. – Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain’s general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit.
AFP via Getty Images
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Ballot boxes are emptied during the count at Northumbria University’s Sports Central in Newcastle for the 2019 General Election
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Ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Brighton, Britain
REUTERS
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Ballots arrive at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Esher, Britain
REUTERS
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General Election 2019 – Election count at Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt for Newry & Armagh, South Antrim, North Antrim, Upper Bann, East Londonderry, Foyle, Lagan Valley and Mid Ulster.
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A woman wears a rosette with the name of independent candidate Joe Bousfield on it as ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Hartlepool, Britain
REUTERS
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An exit poll from Thursday’s election is projected onto Broadcasting House in London, Britain, December
Jeff Overs/BBC via REUTERS
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The broadcaster’s exit poll results projected on the outside of the BBC building in London shows Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party predicted to win 368 seats and a majority (L) and Jeremy Corbyn’s opposition Labour Party to win 191 seats, as the ballots begin to be counted in the general election on December 12, 2019
AFP via Getty Images
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Ballot boxes are opened at Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, as counting begins 2019 General Election.
PA
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Votes are counted at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, for the UK Parliamentary General Election count
PA
In November, the fact-checking organisation Full Fact condemned the rebrand as “inappropriate and misleading”.
Twitter said in a statement that the Conservatives had misled the public during the debate and that it would take “decisive corrective action” if a similar stunt was attempted again.
On the morning after the debate, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, defended CCHQ’s decision and told the BBC that “no-one gives a toss about social media cut and thrust”.
The row came during a campaign defined by accusations of fake news and misleading information, particularly on social media.
Research by First Draft, a disinformation tracking organisation, found about 88 per cent of the most widely circulated online Tory ads during the first four days of December were misleading.
The organisation said it was not able to find misleading claims by Labour in Facebook adverts over the same period.
A BBC/Sky/ITV exit poll has predicted that the Conservatives will win 368 seats, with Labour on just 191 seats, the SNP on 55 seats and the Liberal Democrats on 13 seats.
Mr Corbyn’s party is expected to record its worst result in terms of seats since 1935.
The Labour leader, who blamed Brexit for the devastating defeat, has announced he will not lead his party into any future general election campaign.
The Liberal Democrats also suffered a disappointing night, with their leader Jo Swinson losing her seat to the SNP by just 149 votes.
