Tory ‘factcheckUK’ Twitter account scam backfires
Conservatives accused of ‘misleading’ voters with social media rebranding

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The Conservative Party “misled” voters by rebranding one of its social media accounts to suggest it was an independent fact-checking service, Twitter has said.
The @CCHQPress account, which belongs to the Conservative Party press office, was renamed “factcheckUK” and given a new logo for the duration of the televised leaders’ debate on Tuesday evening.
The Tories have been accused of attempting to hide the account’s political origins and be seen as an independent fact-checking service, says The Guardian.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The account’s colour scheme was changed to a non-Conservative colour and all references to “Conservatives” were removed.
The only hint of the account’s political affiliation was a mention of “CCHQ” – an acronym that stands for Conservative Campaign Headquarters and one that is not widely known outside Westminster, says The Telegraph.
Asked about the stunt, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said “no one gives a toss” about social media, the BBC reports.
Twitter said in a statement: “We have global rules in place that prohibit behaviour that can mislead people, including those with verified accounts.
“Any further attempts to mislead people by editing verified profile information – in a manner seen during the UK Election Debate – will result in decisive corrective action.”
Despite the fact the tweets published by the account were “clearly partisan”, many users seeing posts would have had no idea of their origin.
Genuine fact-checking website Full Fact called the Conservatives’ move “inappropriate and misleading”.
The Labour Party said: “The Conservatives’ laughable attempt to dupe those watching the #ITVDebate by renaming their twitter account shows you can’t trust a word they say.”
The Liberal Democrats said it was “straight out of Donald Trump or Putin’s playbook”, adding the Tories were “deliberately misleading the public”.
Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly defended the rebranding, saying he was “absolutely comfortable” with it.
It follows CCHQ’s move earlier in the election campaign to release a doctored video of Sir Keir Starmer, in which the shadow Brexit secretary was made to look stumped by a question.
Johnny Mercer, the Tory candidate in Plymouth Moor View, apologised for sharing the Conservative press office’s video, saying it had “inexplicably been doctored”.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Today's political cartoons — September 30, 2023
Saturday's cartoons - Trump's poll numbers, the Hunter Biden investigation, and more
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 30, 2023
Daily Briefing Government shutdown looms after failed House vote, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein dies at 90, and more
By Justin Klawans Published
-
All about Zealandia, the Earth’s potential 8th continent
The Explainer The secret continent went undiscovered for over 300 years
By Devika Rao Published
-
Higher taxes ‘may be permanent’
Speed read UK households facing £3,500-a-year tax hike, says think tank
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why is the UK pushing Germany on fighter jets for Saudi Arabia?
Today's big question Berlin has opposed the sale of weapons to Riyadh on humanitarian grounds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Is it time the world re-evaluated the rules on migration?
Today's Big Question Home Secretary Suella Braverman questions whether 1951 UN Refugee Convention is 'fit for our modern age'
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Single people are ignored by politicians'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week Staff Published
-
Rishi Sunak's tree code: what is the PM's election strategy?
Today's Big Question Conservative leader lining up major policy announcements in bid to rebrand as 'change' candidate
By Elliott Goat Published
-
What's the point of party conferences?
Talking Point The annual gatherings have quirky rituals and eccentric attendees but also act as 'important way-markers for our politics'
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Will Rishi Sunak's green wedge issue win over the public?
Today's Big Question The PM draws dividing line with Labour on net zero ahead of the next general election
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Industry backlash as Sunak set to water down green pledges
Speed Read Automotive and energy bosses look for clarity after PM backs away from UK net zero goal
By Arion McNicoll Published