The UK Conservative Party has faced numerous accusations of spreading misinformation, misleading the public, and even telling outright lies. Below are some of the most notable examples, based on historical context up to October 2023, where the party or its members have been caught bending—or breaking—the truth.
Brexit: The £350 Million NHS Lie
The Claim: During the 2016 Brexit referendum, the Leave campaign, backed by prominent Tories like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, plastered a campaign bus with the message: “We send the EU £350 million a week. Let’s fund our NHS instead.”
The Reality: The claim was a blatant falsehood. It ignored the UK’s rebate, which significantly reduced the amount sent to the EU, and the fact that much of the money was returned through EU funding for UK projects. The UK Statistics Authority called the claim “misleading.”
The Fallout: After the referendum, Johnson admitted it was a “mistake” to use the figure, but the damage was done. The promise of extra NHS funding became a symbol of broken Brexit promises.
Partygate: “No Rules Were Broken”
The Claim: During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Boris Johnson and other Conservative officials repeatedly denied that any rules had been broken in Downing Street. Johnson told Parliament in December 2021: “All guidance was followed completely in No. 10.”
The Reality: Investigations by Sue Gray and the Metropolitan Police revealed multiple parties had taken place, with fines issued to Johnson and others for breaking lockdown rules.
The Fallout: The scandal led to widespread public outrage and calls for Johnson’s resignation, which he eventually did in July 2022.
Austerity: “We’re Paying Down the National Debt”
The Claim: Under Chancellor George Osborne, the Conservatives claimed their austerity policies were “paying down the national debt.”
The Reality: The national debt actually doubled from £1 trillion in 2010 to over £2 trillion by 2020. While the deficit was reduced, the overall debt continued to grow.
The Fallout: Critics accused the Tories of misleading the public to justify deep cuts to public services, which disproportionately affected the most vulnerable.
NHS: “40 New Hospitals”
The Claim: In 2019, Boris Johnson announced the Conservatives would build “40 new hospitals” by 2030.
The Reality: Investigations revealed only a handful of these were entirely new hospitals. Most were upgrades or smaller-scale developments. The National Audit Office raised concerns about the plan’s feasibility.
The Fallout: The claim was widely criticised as a misleading overpromise designed to win votes.
Immigration: “Tens of Thousands” Target
The Claim: Under David Cameron and Theresa May, the Conservatives promised to reduce net migration to “tens of thousands” per year.
The Reality: Net migration consistently remained in the hundreds of thousands, and the target was never met.
The Fallout: The failure to deliver on this promise undermined trust in the party’s ability to manage immigration.
Education: “We’re Increasing School Funding”
The Claim: The Conservatives have repeatedly claimed they are increasing school funding in real terms.
The Reality: Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) showed school funding per pupil fell between 2010 and 2019 when adjusted for inflation and rising costs.
The Fallout: Teachers, unions, and parents accused the government of misleading the public about the true state of school funding.
Rwanda Policy: “It Will Deter Illegal Migration”
The Claim: The government claimed its plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda would deter illegal migration and “break the business model of people smugglers.”
The Reality: Legal challenges and expert analysis suggested the policy was unlikely to work. The first flight was blocked by the European Court of Human Rights, and the scheme faced widespread criticism for being costly and unethical.
The Fallout: Critics accused the government of using the policy as a political stunt rather than a genuine solution.
Boris Johnson’s “Letterbox” Comments
The Claim: In 2018, Boris Johnson wrote that Muslim women wearing burqas “look like letterboxes” and compared them to “bank robbers.”
The Reality: Johnson claimed it was a defence of free speech, but the comments were widely condemned as Islamophobic and led to a surge in hate crimes against Muslim women.
The Fallout: The incident raised serious questions about the Conservative Party’s commitment to tackling Islamophobia.
These examples highlight a pattern of misleading claims and outright lies that have damaged public trust in the Conservative Party. While political spin is nothing new, the scale and impact of these falsehoods have left a lasting mark on the party’s reputation.
Worst of all? No accountability. No resignations, no apologies, no shame. Just more spin and denial.
Why no scrutiny?
- A complicit media often lets them off the hook.
- A broken system protects those in power.
- And too many voters are distracted by culture wars instead of holding them to account.
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