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Twitter accuses UK of misleading public in election row

Twitter accused Britain's governing Conservatives on Wednesday of misleading the public by rebranding themselves as fact-checkers during a live TV election debate, fuelling concerns about trust in politics.
The Tories also drew complaints from rival parties after renaming their press office Twitter account "factcheckUK" during Prime Minister Boris Johnson's clash with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday night.
The account fired off real-time rebuttals during the prime-time debate in what the Conservative party argued was a necessary corrective to Labour's "nonsense" claims.
But a Twitter spokeswoman warned that rules were in place to "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," she said.
As in other countries, social media is proving to be one of the key battlegrounds in Britain ahead of the December 12 election, but it can also be a conduit for rumour, misdirection and "fake news".
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, on Wednesday warned that "we all have a responsibility to speak accurately, to challenge falsehoods when we hear them, and to be careful to separate facts from opinion".
There are particular concerns in Britain after years of misleading claims, broken promises and toxic arguments about the country's tortuous exit from the European Union.
The government has yet to publish a report into concerns of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum vote, despite its completion months ago.
And Johnson himself has a history of lying, including in the 2016 campaign.
He also drew criticism for refusing to acknowledge he would have to delay Brexit beyond October 31 for long after it became obvious.
For his part, Corbyn is accused of hiding his true views on Brexit and of betraying party members who accuse him of not doing enough to address anti-Semitism.
In a sign of the times, the studio audience in Tuesday's debate laughed at Corbyn when he said his Brexit position was clear, and also at Johnson when he insisted that the truth was important.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab played down the move to rebrand the @CCHQPress account during Tuesday's debate, saying it was part of the "cut and thrust" of social media.
"We've had all sort of nonsense thrown at the Conservatives, we're going to be in the process... of having a really good instant rebuttal," he told the BBC.
He noted that the words CCHQ were underneath the factcheckUK brand, and insisted: "No-one who looked at it for more than a split second would have been fooled."
Asked about whether voters would be concerned, Raab said he had been out campaigning and "no-one gives a toss about the social media cut and thrust".
But an independent fact-checking charity Full Fact said it was "inappropriate and misleading" for a party press office to take on the moniker of a fact-checking site.
"They weren't putting out accurate information, they were putting out party lines, unlike a serious fact-checker giving sources," chief executive Will Moy told BBC radio.
Tom Brake, an MP with the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats, said the tactic was "straight out of Donald Trump or Putin's playbook".
"The Tories are now resorting to deliberately misleading the public," he added.
Johnson's party has previously been criticised for putting out a video of a top Labour figure talking about Brexit, which had been edited to make him appear confused.
Labour MP David Lammy said the fact-check row showed "what disdain this party and this government has for the truth".
"The Electoral Commission must investigate and punish this blatant attempt to deceive the public," he said.
An Electoral Commission spokesman said it did not have a role in regulating election campaign content.
But he added: "We repeat our call to all campaigners to undertake their vital role responsibly and to support campaigning transparency."
source:AFP
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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