Round-up of fact checks from the last week compiled by Full Fact
This round-up of claims has been compiled by Full Fact, the UK’s largest fact-checking charity, which works to uncover and challenge misinformation.
Interest rates were not at 11% under the last conservative government
During Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated: “What did the Conservatives leave? Interest rates were at 11%.” The claim was echoed by Seema Malhotra MP, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, in a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter).
However, this claim is inaccurate. The Bank of England’s base rate, which heavily influences interest rates across the UK, has not been at 11% since 1991. When the Conservative government left office in July 2024, the base rate stood at 5.25%, its highest level since 2008.
While mortgage rates typically exceed the base rate, there is no evidence to suggest they reached anywhere near 11% under the last Conservative government. It is possible that Sir Keir was referring instead to inflation, which peaked at 11.1% in October 2022 before declining.
After being contacted by Full Fact, Ms Malhotra deleted her post and replaced it with a corrected version referencing inflation rates at 11% instead. However, by Friday, this correction had also been removed.
We reached out to Downing Street for clarification on Sir Keir’s statement but have not received a response.
Did Labour promise to freeze council tax?
Millions of households face council tax increases from April, leading to claims that Labour had previously pledged a freeze.
At Prime Minister’s Questions on 12 March, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “The average council tax bill is increasing by over £100 in April after [Sir Keir] promised to freeze it.”
Similarly, a Conservative Party video on social media featured clips of Sir Keir Starmer discussing a council tax freeze. The video caption stated: “Keir Starmer thought he could get away with his council tax betrayal. But we kept the receipts.”
Despite these claims, there is no evidence that Labour promised to freeze council tax in the 2025/26 financial year. The video clips referenced by the Conservatives date from March 2023, when Sir Keir proposed a one-year council tax freeze in response to the cost-of-living crisis—an idea that would have applied to the 2023/24 financial year had Labour been in power.
Neither Sir Keir nor then-shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves made any commitment to a freeze beyond this period. Sky News also reported at the time that this was “not a solid pledge for the next general election.”
Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto did not include a council tax freeze, and we have found no official statements from the party committing to such a policy for 2025/26.
Some have argued that council tax increases contradict Labour’s manifesto promise “not to increase taxes on working people.” However, Labour ministers and the Treasury have stated that this pledge referred specifically to income taxes and national insurance, not council tax. Even before the election, Sir Keir and other senior figures refused to rule out council tax rises in interviews.
We have asked the Conservative Party to provide evidence that Sir Keir specifically pledged a freeze for 2025/26 but have not received a response. Labour has also been contacted for comment.
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Angela Rayner did not gift a portrait of herself to a Vietnamese politician
A widely shared image on Facebook and X falsely claims that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner presented a framed portrait of herself to Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh during his UK visit on 18 March. One viral post read: “Angela Rayner gave a portrait of herself to the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam today. Yes, this is real. What is wrong with her?”
However, this claim is incorrect. In reality, the portrait was a gift to Ms Rayner from Mr Nguyen Hoa Binh, not the other way around.
A translated caption from the Vietnam News Agency states: “Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh (left) presents a souvenir to British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.”
Additionally, the frame of the painting includes a plaque, which upon closer inspection reads: “With the compliments of H.E. Mr. NGUYEN HOA BINH, Member of the Political Bureau, First Deputy Prime Minister of the S. R. of Viet Nam.”
This misrepresentation highlights the dangers of misleading social media posts. While the image is real, its interpretation has been distorted to push a false narrative.
Conclusion
These examples illustrate the importance of scrutinising political claims and viral social media posts. False or misleading statements—whether about interest rates, taxation, or international diplomacy—can shape public perception and fuel misinformation. By fact-checking statements and providing accurate context, we can ensure a more informed public discourse.
