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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/13/tories-misrepresent-critical-bbc-news-article-in-facebook-ad
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Tories misrepresent critical BBC News article in Facebook ad | Tories misrepresent critical BBC News article in Facebook ad |
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The Conservative party has been funding ads on Facebook that present a BBC News article as endorsing the government’s inflated figure for school spending – when the article actually criticised the figure’s credibility. | The Conservative party has been funding ads on Facebook that present a BBC News article as endorsing the government’s inflated figure for school spending – when the article actually criticised the figure’s credibility. |
Since the beginning of September the Conservative party has paid for ads on Facebook that link to a BBC article on school funding, with the headline “£14 billion pound cash boost for schools” appearing between a photo with the BBC News logo and its web address BBC.co.uk/News. | Since the beginning of September the Conservative party has paid for ads on Facebook that link to a BBC article on school funding, with the headline “£14 billion pound cash boost for schools” appearing between a photo with the BBC News logo and its web address BBC.co.uk/News. |
Sean Coughlan, the BBC’s education editor, said the BBC article only used the government’s £14bn figure in order to dismiss it. “The only reference to the £14bn figure in the story is from the head of stats saying it’s not a correct figure to use,” Coughlan said on Twitter. | Sean Coughlan, the BBC’s education editor, said the BBC article only used the government’s £14bn figure in order to dismiss it. “The only reference to the £14bn figure in the story is from the head of stats saying it’s not a correct figure to use,” Coughlan said on Twitter. |
This is the Conservative advert on Facebook on school spending, with the BBC logo and pic used on news story. But with a different headline.... The only reference to the £14bn figure in the story is from the head of stats saying it's not a correct figure to use. pic.twitter.com/xuIVh3gFAi | This is the Conservative advert on Facebook on school spending, with the BBC logo and pic used on news story. But with a different headline.... The only reference to the £14bn figure in the story is from the head of stats saying it's not a correct figure to use. pic.twitter.com/xuIVh3gFAi |
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “We are looking into this matter.” | A spokesperson for the BBC said: “We are looking into this matter.” |
The BBC News article by Coughlan carried the headline: “School spending: multi-billion pound cash boost announced,” referring to the increased funding for schools in England announced by Boris Johnson in August. | The BBC News article by Coughlan carried the headline: “School spending: multi-billion pound cash boost announced,” referring to the increased funding for schools in England announced by Boris Johnson in August. |
But the BBC article noted that annual school spending would rise by £2.6bn initially and culminate in extra annual funding in three-year’s time of £7.1bn – half the amount trumpeted in the Conservative party’s Facebook ads. | But the BBC article noted that annual school spending would rise by £2.6bn initially and culminate in extra annual funding in three-year’s time of £7.1bn – half the amount trumpeted in the Conservative party’s Facebook ads. |
The article carried analysis by Robert Cuffe, the BBC’s head of statistics, discussing the funding announcement: “The prime minister said he would invest ‘over £14bn in primary and secondary education between now and 2022-23’. That includes an additional £2.6bn next year, £4.8bn the year after that and £7.1bn in 2022-23. When you add all three together, you get £14.5bn, but that’s not normally how we talk about spending increases.” | The article carried analysis by Robert Cuffe, the BBC’s head of statistics, discussing the funding announcement: “The prime minister said he would invest ‘over £14bn in primary and secondary education between now and 2022-23’. That includes an additional £2.6bn next year, £4.8bn the year after that and £7.1bn in 2022-23. When you add all three together, you get £14.5bn, but that’s not normally how we talk about spending increases.” |
Cuffe concluded: “Describing this as a £14bn increase would make the government seem more generous than it is in fact being.” | Cuffe concluded: “Describing this as a £14bn increase would make the government seem more generous than it is in fact being.” |
Full Fact, the fact-checking organisation that first wrote about the ads, said about 200,000-500,000 impressions of different versions of the ads had been displayed on Facebook. The ads appear to have been deactivated today. | Full Fact, the fact-checking organisation that first wrote about the ads, said about 200,000-500,000 impressions of different versions of the ads had been displayed on Facebook. The ads appear to have been deactivated today. |
New teachers' salary in England could reach £30,000, says DfE | New teachers' salary in England could reach £30,000, says DfE |
“If you were looking at the ad the Conservative party posted, you would be forgiven for thinking that the BBC headline actually read ‘£14 billion pound cash boost for schools’,” Full Fact stated. | “If you were looking at the ad the Conservative party posted, you would be forgiven for thinking that the BBC headline actually read ‘£14 billion pound cash boost for schools’,” Full Fact stated. |
Some versions of the ad carried photos of Johnson and linked directly to the Conservative party website, with the headline: “We’re giving a £14 billion cash boost to schools across the UK.” | Some versions of the ad carried photos of Johnson and linked directly to the Conservative party website, with the headline: “We’re giving a £14 billion cash boost to schools across the UK.” |
Another version of the ad began: “Tell this news to a friend. We’re giving schools a record £14bn, levelling up per pupil funding across the country.” | Another version of the ad began: “Tell this news to a friend. We’re giving schools a record £14bn, levelling up per pupil funding across the country.” |
In his speech confirming the additional spending, the chancellor, Sajid Javid, told parliament: “Today we are delivering on our pledge to increase school spending by £7.1 billion by 2022-23.” | In his speech confirming the additional spending, the chancellor, Sajid Javid, told parliament: “Today we are delivering on our pledge to increase school spending by £7.1 billion by 2022-23.” |
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