📰 Full Fact · 20
United KingdomFarage blames Makerfield defeat on anti-Starmer votes
Nigel Farage expressed disappointment with Reform UK's performance in the Makerfield by-election, attributing the loss to voter frustration with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. He suggested that voters wanted to remove Starmer from office, leading to an 'emphatic' Labour victory over Reform's candidate. Farage acknowledged that some votes were also lost to the right-wing party Restore Britain, founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe. He urged Restore voters to support Reform as the main challenger to Labour. The by-election was seen as an opportunity for Reform to establish itself as the main
Elon Musk’s X not facing action from UK government over posts inciting violence in Belfast
The UK government has decided not to take immediate action against Elon Musk's X platform regarding posts that incited violence in Belfast, despite public outcry. Concerns about social media's role in spreading harmful content and escalating tensions have increased following recent unrest in Northern Ireland. Police and community leaders are urging calm, fearing a repeat of the violence seen earlier in the week. The government plans to amend the Online Safety Act to require faster removal of inflammatory content during crises, but these changes won't take effect until mid-July. In the interim,
No, Tesco isn’t selling a nutribullet baby food processor for £1.99
A Facebook post falsely claimed that Tesco was offering a Nutribullet baby food processor for £1.99 in exchange for completing a short survey. The post included a link to a website with the Tesco logo and an AI-generated image with a SynthID watermark indicating it was created using OpenAI tools. Tesco confirmed to Full Fact that the offer was not legitimate.
Viral image of Iran footballer holding pink school bag is AI
A viral image depicting an Iranian footballer holding a pink school bag, supposedly as a tribute to victims of a school attack in Minab, Iran, has been identified as AI-generated. The image includes a SynthID watermark indicating it was created using OpenAI tools like ChatGPT. While there are authentic images of Iranian footballers holding school bags in memory of those killed in the attack, the specific viral image is not real.
Footage of police taking wheelie bin is from 2022
A video showing police placing a wheelie bin into a van was falsely claimed to depict events related to recent protests in Southampton involving the Henry Nowak case. The video actually dates back to 2022 and was recorded in Belfast following an unrelated incident.
Footage of 2025 Ballymena fire falsely linked to recent Belfast riots
A video showing a house on fire in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, was incorrectly linked to recent riots in Belfast. The footage, originally shared in June 2025, was reused in June 2026 with false captions suggesting it depicted the current unrest in Belfast. Full Fact confirmed the video showed an incident from the previous year, unrelated to the recent violence.
Footage shows Henry Nowak killer ‘holding firearm’ years before stabbing
Newly discovered footage from 2022 shows Vickrum Digwa, the man convicted of murdering Henry Nowak, holding what appears to be an airgun in his backyard. A neighbor recorded the incident after hearing loud gunshots. The footage was shared with The Sun, though authorities initially dismissed the report. Airguns under specific regulations do not require a license in the UK. Hampshire Police later confirmed an air pistol was found during a search of Digwa's property following Nowak's murder. Digwa, now 23, stabbed 18-year-old Nowak in December and falsely claimed he was the victim of a racist act
Daily Mail corrects claim about welfare and income tax
The Daily Mail has corrected a claim that welfare payments have surpassed income tax receipts for the first time. The correction states that welfare payments have been higher than income tax receipts for at least 16 years.
Social media groups are fuelling misinformation in local communities, think tank warns
A report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) warns that social media groups are spreading misinformation in areas with limited access to local news sources, referred to as 'news deserts.' The study analyzed 125,000 social media posts and found that nearly one in 26 news-related posts on Facebook contained misinformation, while 28% of posts on X (formerly Twitter) were misinformation. Areas with more local news outlets had significantly less misinformation. The report highlights that social media is a primary source of local news for nearly half of Britons and notes an increase in election-相关
Video shows Polish Corpus Christi procession, not Henry Nowak tribute
A video showing a Corpus Christi Catholic procession in Poland was falsely claimed to depict Polish people taking the knee in tribute to Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed by police after being stabbed in December 2025. The video was originally shared with the correct context of the religious event but was later mislabeled with the claim about Nowak.
Viral image of Beaver Scouts at mosque with bearded man in white in the background has been edited
A viral image showing Beaver Scouts at a mosque with a bearded man in white in the background has been identified as an edited version of a real video. The bearded man was not present in the original footage, according to a spokesperson for the Scouts. The genuine footage shows Beaver Scouts visiting a mosque in Scotland, with some children kneeling and one boy standing. Both the authentic and altered images have circulated widely on social media platforms such as X and Facebook.
Do the latest teacher figures show Labour is on track to deliver its manifesto recruitment pledge?
The article discusses the discrepancy between Labour's teacher recruitment pledge and recent workforce data. The government claims progress toward its goal of recruiting 6,500 new teachers in key subjects, while the opposition argues the numbers do not reflect the full picture. The article clarifies that Labour's commitment specifically targets secondary and special schools, excluding primary and nursery teachers, which has led to criticism from the Conservatives.
Footage of Spanish football fans shared as Albanian protest
A video falsely claimed to show a protest in Albania against a proposed luxury resort development backed by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner was actually footage of RC Deportivo de La Coruña football fans celebrating their team's promotion in northern Spain.
Children’s Commissioner overstates how many young children see pornography
The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, claimed in interviews that 25% of eight-year-olds and 50% of 11-year-olds have seen 'the most heinous violent porn.' However, according to Full Fact, these claims are not supported by the research cited by the Children’s Commissioner’s office. The latest report from the office indicates that only about 19% of children have seen any pornography by age 11, with earlier research showing around 6% had seen any pornography by age nine. The report also notes that 27% of 16–21-year-olds who had seen online pornography first encountered it
Video of Israeli soldier taking her own life is from TV series
A video circulating online depicting a female Israeli soldier taking her own life after criticizing Israeli military actions was identified as a scene from an Egyptian television series titled 'Sohab Al-Ard,' set in Gaza and released in 2026. The clip, which includes Hebrew dialogue with subtitles, was falsely presented as authentic footage of an IDF soldier.
No, the Mayor of Rotherham hasn’t called for Sharia law in Britain
Full Fact investigated claims that the former Mayor of Rotherham, Councillor Rukhsana Ismail, had stated that Britain can only be made great again by implementing Sharia law. After reviewing available information, Full Fact found no evidence that she made such a statement. The false claims resurfaced on social media, often accompanied by images of Ismail, but there is no verified record of her expressing this view.
Katie Lam wrongly claims welfare has exceeded income tax ‘for the first time ever’
Katie Lam, a Conservative MP, claimed that for the first time ever, the UK government spends more on welfare benefits than it collects in income tax. Full Fact refutes this claim, stating that welfare spending has exceeded income tax receipts for at least the last 16 years. The organization cites data from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
Cost of living protest video is AI generated
A viral video depicting a large UK protest against the cost of living, immigration, and NHS issues has been identified as AI-generated. The video contains a SynthID watermark indicating it was created using AI tools, along with visual glitches and inconsistencies with real London geography. The clip, which appeared online in 2026, was captioned as being from 2025 and featured an interview with a man criticizing the government.
Fake image of Andy Burnham circulates online
An AI-generated image falsely depicting Andy Burnham greeting Asian men with a claim that he would 'make Makerfield home for more asylum seekers' has circulated online. The image includes a SynthID watermark indicating it was created or edited using Google's AI tools. Analysis reveals inconsistencies such as an unrealistic hand and misaligned teeth compared to authentic photographs of Burnham. No credible reports confirm Burnham made the stated comment.
Police haven’t given any official estimates of the number attending Arsenal’s victory parade
Full Fact investigated claims that the Metropolitan Police stated 1.5 million people attended Arsenal's victory parade and that it was the largest ever. The police denied providing such figures, while Islington Council estimated 'over a million' attendees. Full Fact is seeking further clarification from both the council and Arsenal Football Club.