Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has just destroyed Tory propaganda about the Labour Party’s 2019 manifesto. And he did it with just one tweet, saying:
The first number is true. The second number is fake. https://t.co/GS3CPY2udY
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) November 21, 2019
People have previously called the Tories’ £2,400 claim either misleading, “largely meaningless”, or just “fake news”. Because as Labour’s tax calculator shows, only the very richest 5% will pay more. So as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has made crystal clear, there will be absolutely no tax rises “for every worker”:
"These policies are fully costed, with no increase in VAT or income tax or national insurance for anyone earning less than £80,000 per year"
Jeremy Corbyn says Labour pledges will be paid for without increasing taxes for 95% of people
Manifesto updates: https://t.co/CX1irdX7Hg pic.twitter.com/kYBY3WJLT5
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 21, 2019
For more information, see the full costings of Labour’s 2019 manifesto.
Establishment campaign going south
The Conservatives’ election campaign is going from bad to worse. They’re flailing around hopelessly, facing scandal after scandal. And they’re lying consistently in the process.
In fact, despite establishment media hacks pushing a clear anti-Labour position so far, even some right-wing journalists have been breaking ranks to call the Tories out. Former Daily Mail columnist Peter Oborne, for example, is now contributing to a website detailing “the lies, falsehoods and misrepresentations of Boris Johnson and his government”. And he has slammed the stance of BBC bosses on Boris Johnson, saying:
I have talked to senior BBC executives, and they tell me they personally think it’s wrong to expose lies told by a British prime minister because it undermines trust in British politics.
The BBC are more interested in not making a scene with a senior member of the establishment than holding a brazen liar to account.
Spot on #GE2019 pic.twitter.com/l6aYFIjFlR
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) November 20, 2019
Right-wing BBC presenter Andrew Neil is also definitely holding Tory feet to the fire this election:
Yowza.
Tory Minister comes on to attack Labour's plans to build 100,000 Council Homes and walks straight into Andrew Neil's trap. Beautiful television. https://t.co/UZCTSxrVff
— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) November 21, 2019
And it’s good that some right-wing journalists are doing their job and challenging the Tories. Because it seems the party is shutting other journalists out:
NEW: Editor of the left-wing Daily Mirror Alison Philips writes to Society of Editors calling for solidarity after her reporter was blocked from the Conservative campaign bus — “If we don't take a stand now, we do not know where this could lead” pic.twitter.com/7YNMRcLNdj
— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) November 20, 2019
But remember: the Tories still have the full support of the ultra-wealthy
If there was any doubt about the Tories still having the support of the rich and powerful, though, new figures should put that doubt to rest:
£5.67m for Conservatives
£0.22m for LabourThat’s quite the difference. https://t.co/Bx0XByb2zz
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) November 21, 2019
Labour says the Conservative Party has received over £50m from around a third of Britain’s billionaires since 2005. And as the BBC‘s Chris Mason pointed out, one of the recent donations came from regular Tory donor Lubov Chernukhin – one of numerous Russian-linked tycoons who have donated to the party in recent years:
Lubov Chernukhin donated £200,000 to the Conservatives. If the name rings a bell… https://t.co/sHssvx5W0m
— Chris Mason (@ChrisMasonBBC) November 21, 2019
Keep up the pressure
In short, the electoral campaign is far from over. Because the Tories still have vast sums of money behind them. And while the scandals will no doubt continue, they and their billionaire media allies won’t stop deceiving British voters. That’s why progressives need to remain vigilant, keep up the pressure, and keep campaigning hard.
Featured image via Chatham House and Conservatives
