Election 2019 lies: BBC needs to rename ‘Reality Check’ after journalist catches it out
Not my image: Somebody else made this – indicating that concerns over the BBC’s claim to impartiality are well-founded.
The BBC tried to say the Tories haven’t “slashed taxes for the richest”, as claimed by Jeremy Corbyn – and got its corporate rear end handed to it on a plate by someone who is clearly far better-qualifed to carry out a “reality check”.
Auntie’s team laid down the gauntlet with this tweet…
Jeremy Corbyn says that the Conservatives have slashed taxes for the richest. Does the data back that up?https://t.co/bVPpuK77uv
— BBC Reality Check (@BBCRealityCheck) October 31, 2019
… leading to an article that discusses a few of the tax changes brought in by the Conservatives since 2010 and then claims, “it would be hard to describe those changes as taxes for the richest being slashed.”
But the piece fails to mention several major tax cuts and hides the benefit enjoyed by the richest by including it only in calculations referring to the top 10 per cent of earners.
So Steve Howell has kindly provided some genuine reality. Read it and weep, BBC:
2/6 First, there's a sleight of hand in defining 'richest'.@BBCRealityCheck acknowledges the Tories abolished the 50p tax rate for income of £150,000+.
But it measures the impact of this by using data for the top 10% when less than 1% of earners – the very richest – benefited.
— Steve Howell (@FromSteveHowell) November 1, 2019
4/6 Third, there's no mention of Entrepreneur's Relief – possibly the biggest single Tory giveaway.
In a blatant abuse of the term 'entrepreneur', they've opened ER to investors generally and increased the allowance from £1m to £20m.
Explained here: https://t.co/B1BcBcFzUL
— Steve Howell (@FromSteveHowell) November 1, 2019
6/6 The Tory years have seen a massive increase in wealth inequality. And tax cuts are a big part of that story.
These are giveaways beyond most people's wildest dreams: the ER changes alone yield a £3.6m tax saving on a £20m capital gain.@BBCRealityCheck – that's the reality! pic.twitter.com/eXAU7EpR2d
— Steve Howell (@FromSteveHowell) November 1, 2019
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
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