Full Fact is the UK's independent fact checking charity. We put reliable evidence at the heart of public debate so you can make sense of what matters. www.fullfact.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlxevyttd32hA Bengali-language campaign video posted by the Green Party’s candidate for the Mayor of Newham has been shared online with false claims it shows the Greens celebrating an election win. Our fact check 👇 https://fullfact.org/politics/campaign-video-falsely-shared-as-green-party-celebration-in-bengali/16 May 2026 08:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlxevyttd32hhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlvlmlhgvl2sWith two major protests set to take place in London tomorrow, it’s likely we’ll see claims about the number of people attending each march. Our explainer looks at how crowd sizes are estimated and why the numbers quoted are often wide of the mark. https://fullfact.org/culture-and-society/how-do-you-count-crowds/15 May 2026 14:54 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvlmlhgvl2shttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mltfizwnrd2uA picture of a map supposedly showing “Reform councils in the UK” has been widely shared on social media. But this map doesn’t include several county councils now run by Reform, or others the party won control of at local elections last year. https://fullfact.org/politics/map-reform-councils-uk-missing-context/14 May 2026 18:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mltfizwnrd2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mltdpj32bt2gThe Conservatives’ Alternative King’s Speech claimed the welfare bill is higher than income tax receipts “for the first time ever”. We’ve heard this a few times recently, but it’s not true. Welfare spending (including pensions) has been higher for years. https://fullfact.org/economy/income-tax-versus-welfare-spending/14 May 2026 17:27 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mltdpj32bt2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlsurcgro22vA clip that appears to show JFK criticising Israel for its “expansionist ideas” has been shared thousands of times. But there’s no evidence it’s real and media forensics experts say there are many clues that suggest it was generated with AI. https://fullfact.org/us/viral-clip-jfk-israel-likely-AI/14 May 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlsurcgro22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlqlluuqj22mThe Conservative party’s “Alternative King’s Speech” claims unemployment has risen “every month” that Labour have been in government. We’ve fact checked this claim several times over the past year—it isn’t correct. https://fullfact.org/economy/conservative-alternative-kings-speech-labour-unemployment-record/13 May 2026 15:11 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlqlluuqj22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlqecrknkj2mLast month our investigation found a series of misleading, unsourced or unreliable bar charts in local election leaflets. Now the elections are over, how did six of those charts compare with the results? Not always very closely, it turns out. https://fullfact.org/politics/election-2026-leaflet-results/13 May 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlqecrknkj2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlq6o5xqga2uIn the #KingsSpeech the government restated its commitment to bring forward a “draft Bill to ban abusive conversion practices”. This was also included in Labour’s 2024 King’s Speech, but it didn’t happen in the last parliamentary session. https://fullfact.org/government-tracker/trans-conversion-practices-ban/13 May 2026 11:19 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlq6o5xqga2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlq6eif6wg2mThe #KingsSpeech included a reference to “an Energy Independence Bill”. This was promised in Labour’s 2024 election manifesto and referenced in the last King’s Speech, but hasn’t yet been introduced. Our Government Tracker has the latest: https://fullfact.org/government-tracker/energy-independence-act/13 May 2026 11:14 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlq6eif6wg2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlq5uxihr72vIn the #KingsSpeech the government has recommitted to introducing the Hillsborough Law. This legislation was introduced in the last parliamentary session, but progress on the bill stalled. Our Government Tracker has more: https://fullfact.org/government-tracker/hillsborough-law-candour-duty/13 May 2026 11:05 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlq5uxihr72vhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlq2bncgpa22False claims that one of Reform UK’s newly elected councillors doesn’t actually exist have been spreading online. The councillor, George Boyd, is in fact real. https://fullfact.org/politics/reform-did-not-field-fake-candidate-george-boyd/13 May 2026 10:01 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlq2bncgpa22https://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlpzqamlfm2jOur Government Tracker has been following Labour's manifesto promises since 2024. Here's what to watch in today's King's Speech and beyond: https://fullfact.org/politics/the-kings-speech-2026-preview/13 May 2026 09:51 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlpzqamlfm2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlo23xoqx425What did Scottish and Welsh election candidates talk about on social media during their campaigns? We’ve used AI to help analyse 19,000+ posts to see what dominated. (And it was the economy, stupid—although there were a few surprises too.) https://fullfact.org/politics/election-campaign-social-posts-2026/12 May 2026 14:52 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlo23xoqx425https://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mllkilwn5g2hIn the run-up to last week’s elections we asked readers to send us claims to check from their local area. We received dozens of tips - many of them about bar charts in campaign leaflets. Here are some highlights 👇 https://fullfact.org/politics/we-asked-readers-to-send-us-election-claims-what-did-they-spot/11 May 2026 15:08 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mllkilwn5g2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mle5o3j45i2uPosts shared thousands of times online claim hantavirus is listed as a side effect of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine. This isn’t true. Hantavirus is listed as one of many health conditions monitored during vaccine trials for safety, not a side effect. (1/2) https://fullfact.org/health/hantavirus-not-listed-side-effect-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine/08 May 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mle5o3j45i2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlbkyijezh2gA picture that appears to show Tommy Robinson with the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ dinner shooting, Cole Allen, has been shared online. But this image is fake, and was made using AI. https://fullfact.org/us/cole-allen-tommy-robinson-picture-fake/07 May 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbkyijezh2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mlbbkrzxig22A viral video claiming to show Iranian missiles hitting US ships actually dates back to 2016 and shows a military sinking exercise. https://fullfact.org/conflict/old-video-2016-military-exercise-iranian-missiles-hitting-us-ships-false/07 May 2026 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbbkrzxig22https://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml753fvpuu2zBoth Reform UK and the Conservatives claim to have delivered the lowest average council tax increase of any major party. We’ve taken a look at these seemingly contrasting claims. (1/2) https://fullfact.org/economy/reform-conservative-council-tax-calculation-comparison/06 May 2026 16:36 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml753fvpuu2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml74qv6gcd25In the run-up to tomorrow’s elections in Scotland, Wales and parts of England, we’ve seen posts urging voters to take their own pen to the polling station rather than use the pencil provided. Here’s what the rules say about using pens and pencils to vote. https://fullfact.org/politics/pen-pencil-polling-station-election-may-england-scotland-wales/06 May 2026 16:30 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml74qv6gcd25https://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml6zg5qzla2uAfter a question from a reader, we’ve looked at bar charts on two Scottish Labour leaflets which show the party ahead of the SNP in Scottish parliamentary constituencies, based on projections from the 2024 general election. Our fact check 👇 https://fullfact.org/politics/scottish-labour-bar-chart-leaflets/06 May 2026 15:30 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6zg5qzla2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml6qz3bf6y2gIn the last few weeks we’ve been busy fact checking the 2026 elections, covering everything from AI videos to dodgy bar charts, as well as crowdsourcing claims and monitoring social media at scale. So, as polling day nears, what have we learnt? https://fullfact.org/politics/from-ai-videos-to-dodgy-bar-charts-what-we-learned-from-the-2026-elections/06 May 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6qz3bf6y2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml6q6fzwzt2u1/ Elections across England, Wales and Scotland take place tomorrow. We've been checking the claims. Here's everything we've published 🧵06 May 2026 12:45 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6q6fzwzt2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml6in6jdu62uA Scottish council has apologised after incorrectly sending voters information saying they would need photo ID for Thursday's Scottish Parliament elections. Here's a clear guide to where photo ID is and isn't required across the UK tomorrow: https://fullfact.org/law/voter-identification-elections/06 May 2026 10:30 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6in6jdu62uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml4kuhfcad2gIn election leaflets received by some households in Scotland, Reform UK have claimed Scotland is housing 10% of the UK’s asylum seekers. That isn’t correct according to the latest figures, which show it’s actually more like 6%. https://fullfact.org/politics/asylum-seekers-scotland-6percent/05 May 2026 16:04 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4kuhfcad2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3ml4ccogqny2mSocial media users have questioned whether an image shared on social media by SNP leader John Swinney was made with AI. It is a photo of a real event. But the SNP told us it was “edited quickly” to lighten a billboard. https://fullfact.org/politics/snp-edited-image/05 May 2026 13:31 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4ccogqny2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mkwow2kvco2hVideos which have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook claim the Supreme Court has ordered Sir Keir Starmer to resign. This simply isn’t true. https://fullfact.org/politics/supreme-court-not-ordered-keir-starmer-to-resign/03 May 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkwow2kvco2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mku6fricrh2uA video which seems to show the moment UK Border Force intercepts a small boat carrying migrants has thousands of comments, many from people who appear to believe it’s genuine. But the footage is fake, and created with AI: https://fullfact.org/immigration/migrant-small-boat-channel-fake-ai-video/02 May 2026 08:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mku6fricrh2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mkspidywku2jFalse reports that drivers have rammed into Muslim “street prayers” in London and Cardiff have been gaining traction on social media. But there’s no evidence that these incidents happened, and the posts include old and AI generated images. https://fullfact.org/crime/van-ram-muslim-prayers-false/01 May 2026 18:00 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkspidywku2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mksj4vbyuo2jSNP leader John Swinney claimed in a leaflet “there are no university tuition fees in Scotland”. That isn’t quite right. While many undergraduates have their degrees paid for, fees do need to be paid by some students, including many postgraduates. https://fullfact.org/politics/snp-tuition-fee-claim/01 May 2026 16:07 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mksj4vbyuo2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/fullfact.org/post/3mkrnxoicdq2bA video styled as a BBC report claims a stolen Cézanne painting has been identified in the background of a video posted by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But the real video posted by the Ukrainian president includes a different painting and the BBC confirmed the report is fake. https://fullfact.org/culture-and-society/fake-bbc-news-report-stolen-cezanne-painting-zelenskyy/01 May 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:27ovyakfahyrvm247jsfdkon/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkrnxoicdq2b