More or Less: Behind the Stats Leaflets, taxes, oil workers and classrooms
6 snips
Jun 12, 2024 Investigating misleading bar charts in political leaflets, tax promises, potential job losses for oil workers, and impact on class sizes in state schools. Tim Harford delves into the numbers in the news with Kate Lamble.
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Dodgy Bar Chart
- The Liberal Democrats' leaflet for Central Devon omitted the Conservatives, who have held the seat since 2010.
- It used 2010 election results to make it seem like a two-horse race between Labour and the Lib Dems.
Unreliable Data Sources
- Parties use various data sources like old elections, local elections, or MRP polling to support their claims.
- None of these sources are perfect; local elections differ from general elections, polls can be inaccurate, and old elections don't reflect current opinions.
Voter Warning
- Be wary of charts presented in political leaflets.
- Find comprehensive candidate information on the BBC website for accurate data.