How Boris told lies on council tax & crime


by Sunny Hundal    
9:10 am - April 11th 2012

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Yesterday evening Mayor Boris Johnson unveiled his re-election broadcast, where he said he would save Londoner’s £445 in council tax.

The figure is completely made up, and debunked here.

In fact the figure was also debunked by Channel 4′s Fact-check, who said:

Boris is lumping the presumed savings from the last three years in with the cut he’s making this year. We’re looking back at the supposed achievements of his first term, not looking ahead to what Londoners can expect to get from Boris in the future.

The actual cash saving this year is nothing like £445. It’s £3.10, barely enough to buy you a pint of beer in a central London pub.

In fact the lie is also repeated in all of Boris’ 9-point pledges.

How much do you want to bet the Evening Standard will say nothing about Boris’s lie in his election broadcast?

Lies on knife crime
On four separate occasions Boris Johnson has claimed knife crime is falling, yet official Metropolitan Police figures show it has risen three years in a row under the Tory Mayor.

- On 27th March 2012, Boris Johnson told the media said that, “knife crime…is well down.”

- At Mayor’s Questions on the 22nd February 2012, Boris Johnson told the London Assembly that, “to the best of my knowledge, knife crime overall is down.”

- The Tory Mayor’s official taxpayer funded website (www.london.gov.uk) currently claims, “overall, knife crime has declined in the capital.”

- At Mayor’s Question Time at City Hall on the 16th November 2011, Boris Johnson told the London Assembly that, “serious youth violence, I am pleased to say, is coming down.”

- In an interview with BBC London on 27th March 2012, Boris Johnson said that, “the figures I’ve seen most recently suggest that we’ve had a great deal of success on knife crime.”

But the facts contradict Boris.

There were 156 more incidents of serious youth violence than there were three years ago

Under Boris Johnson there has been a 16 % increase in knife crime and a fall in the detection rate for knife crime.

The Metropolitan Police say knife crime has risen every year for the last three years. It has gone up 16% in the last three years.

The Evening Standard – which campaigned on knife crime in London – has not yet asked Boris to explain himself.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Barrie J

Tory politician masquerading as village idiot ‘spins’ a lie – well, I’ll go to the foot of our stairs.

2. cjcjc

So 2 ‘fictions’ out of 9 on the Factcheck blog.

Could certainly do better!

Of course this is the blog which also rubbished Livingstone’s policies on the EMA and on fares – both also ‘fictions’.

http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-could-ken-save-the-ema-in-london/9712

http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/can-ken-livingstone-deliver-a-fare-deal-for-london/9186

3. Sally

” The Evening Standard – which campaigned on knife crime in London – has not yet asked Boris to explain himself.”

HA HA HA. I bet they haven’t.

THE EVENING BORIS is nothing but a tory propaganda sheet.

4. Tyler

Tell us Sunny, for fair and impartial journalism’s sake (though i note that LC is hardly about fair and impartial journalism), how did Ken’s policies stack up on the Channel 4 fact-check blog?

5. Bob B

In the near past, Boris has claimed much for the enduring benefits of his education in Classics at Oxford after his schooling at Eton.

Even a passing knowledge of the history of Imperial Rome informs us that pervasive corruption in Roman politics was endemic – consider only the reigns of the emperors Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero or the Crisis of the Third Century. I suspect that Boris was indeed deeply influenced by his education in the history and languages of those ancient times and really believes that the lessons he gleaned from that history inform his administration of the Greater London Authority. Boris needs to beware the Ides of May. Yon Ken has mean and hungry look.

6. Sally

4 tory troll who spends much time coming to this site , complains he does not like this site. Go figure?

7. Schmidt

That’s an image I could have done well without, its put me right off bacon sandwiches. Does it mean Boris can trace his lineage back to the pig/man scene from O Lucky Man?

8. David Watts

Sunny Hundal: “Under Boris Johnson there has been a 16 % increase in knife crime and a fall in the detection rate for knife crime.”

Channel 4: “Knife crime drops: The number of people cautioned or sentenced for carrying a knife or offensive weapon has fallen by 16 per cent since 2009, according to new figures.”

http://www.channel4.com/news/knife-crime-drops

9. David

You have used a cartoon of a pig to illustrate this piece, on your main page.

Given that Boris is of both Jewish and Muslim extraction, isn’t this a rather antisemitic and Islamophobic way of depicting him?

10. Cylux

@9 Obviously not if he indulges in porkie pies.

11. Bob B

Classicists like Boris are apt to suffer the personal delusion that because the Roman empire lasted about 400 years – rather longer than Britain’s empire – the Romans really knew a thing or two about running sustainable government before the empire finally succumbed to invading barbarians – the notorious Anglo-Saxons, in the case of Britannia.

Slavery apart and the savagery of whimsical executions and the most popular form of public entertainment, the quality of life in Rome – never mind the provinces – depended on the character of the emperor, aqueducts and the tribute grain from Egypt. If some emperors, like Marcus Aurelius were benign, others were positively evil, like Caligula.

The emperor Claudius was regarded as a fool in his time – he was certainly gullible about his wives – but he did many sensible things, including commanding the conquest of Britannia and making it part of the empire. The Roman conquerors soon founded Londinium on the north bank of the Thames, and that is still with us but grown a little. Hadrian was another relatively good emperor – he ordered the construction of Hadrian’s wall, the most fortified frontier in the empire, to protect the denizens of Britannia from the ever marauding Calendonians: it turned out that Hadrian was almost certainly gay but that was tolerated.

The question is, where do Boris and his henchmen fit in the classification of emperors?

12. Sally

Actually the picture of Boris as a pig is far more flattering than the one of him in the Bullingham club. He looks positively Psychotic in that one.

13. Mr James

Even his good friend and fellow Tory sack Boris Johnson in 2004 for telling outright lies when serving with the Tories.

Also Boris was sacked whilst working as a journalist for telling outright lies.

Boris is just a typical Tory that constantly lies for gain and thinks that the electorate are dim.

14. buddyhell

@11

I reckon Boris is little like those late (Western) Roman emperors that no one ever talks about.

15. Shatterface

Channel 4: “Knife crime drops: The number of people cautioned or sentenced for carrying a knife or offensive weapon has fallen by 16 per cent since 2009, according to new figures.”

Ah, but Ken’s supporters will just argue that’s a drop in convictions – and the Army of Mad Stabbing Bastards are getting away with it.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/1vldxqb5

  2. Will Wilcox

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/1vldxqb5

  3. Gael

    RT @libcon: How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/t37untoS

  4. James Smith

    Details of EDL backed Boris' lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/K23uMRQ3 in which he's contradicting his own gov's stats.

  5. sunny hundal

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  6. London Muslim

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  7. Riz Ahmed

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  8. MK

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  9. Em

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  13. Bob Ellard

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  14. Liam Bright

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/1vldxqb5

  15. Kirk Simpson

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  16. Raza Nadim

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  17. Stephen Crabtree

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  18. Gary Northfield

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  19. Sharon Elliott

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/1vldxqb5

  20. Daniel Harkin

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  21. Gael

    RT @sunny_hundal: How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/t37untoS

  22. Keron Knight

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

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    RT @sunny_hundal: How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/t37untoS

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  26. Pucci D

    RT @libcon: How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/AJ2FBPzk #getagripboris .@sackboris2012 #fb

  27. Lisa Jenkins

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  28. Jason Brickley

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/iqWeDccD

  29. Marcus A. Roberts

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  30. Trevor Mitchell

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  31. leftlinks

    Liberal Conspiracy – How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/z7ej0OLo

  32. Shane Britton

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  33. Richard Battye

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  34. Sahil Khan

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  35. Mmazipan Rammstein

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

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    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

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    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  38. Esther Dominy

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  39. Coz Hyatt

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  40. Gavin Cowell

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  41. Alex Braithwaite

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/AuHpRDLj via @libcon

  42. BevR

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  43. Ian

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  44. Juli

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/naXEb0dk via @libcon

  45. jaydeepee

    Why is it that Boris Johnson is never held to account by the media for his lies?He persistently lies about crime http://t.co/nJIQ0zcq

  46. jaydeepee

    Will Gilligan at the Telegraph or the Evening Standard ever question Boris Johnson over his persistent lies on crime? http://t.co/nJIQ0zcq

  47. MrsKrabapple

    Why is it that Boris Johnson is never held to account by the media for his lies?He persistently lies about crime http://t.co/nJIQ0zcq

  48. bill bold

    Why is it that Boris Johnson is never held to account by the media for his lies?He persistently lies about crime http://t.co/nJIQ0zcq

  49. Geoff Byers

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  50. Martin Confusion

    RT @libcon: How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/AJ2FBPzk #getagripboris .@sackboris2012 #fb

  51. Yvonne

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  52. AnyoneButBoris

    RT @libcon: How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/AJ2FBPzk #getagripboris .@sackboris2012 #fb

  53. Andrew G

    RT @sunny_hundal: How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/cQpD1R2H

  54. etonmess

    RT @sunny_hundal: How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/cQpD1R2H

  55. Janet Graham

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  56. cwilliams

    RT @sunny_hundal: How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/cQpD1R2H

  57. Gary

    Why is it that Boris Johnson is never held to account by the media for his lies?He persistently lies about crime http://t.co/nJIQ0zcq

  58. BONKERS

    The Evening Standard hasn't yet bothered asking Boris about his lies on council tax or crime http://t.co/aLKzqH8M (from morning)

  59. Jasper Jackson

    The Evening Standard hasn't yet bothered asking Boris about his lies on council tax or crime http://t.co/aLKzqH8M (from morning)

  60. McGinOxford

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  61. Joseph Burnett

    The Evening Standard hasn't yet bothered asking Boris about his lies on council tax or crime http://t.co/aLKzqH8M (from morning)

  62. heather smart

    Evening Standard when are you going to ask #boris about his lies on council tax or crime ? http://t.co/5F5iXQun (from morning) #mayor2012

  63. heather smart

    Evening Standard ask #boris about the 5m that's gone missing ? after you ask about the lies on council tax or crime http://t.co/5F5iXQun

  64. duona

    The Evening Standard hasn't yet bothered asking Boris about his lies on council tax or crime http://t.co/aLKzqH8M (from morning)

  65. duona

    Evening Standard when are you going to ask #boris about his lies on council tax or crime ? http://t.co/5F5iXQun (from morning) #mayor2012

  66. Neil Partridge

    How Boris repeatedly lies on council tax & crime (but doesn't get queried on it by media) – http://t.co/aLKzqH8M

  67. The Costume Lady

    How Boris told lies on council tax & crime | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/YizxxhCM via @libcon

  68. Paul

    RT @libcon: How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/e3yT7fL1. Does he think life is just HIGNFY?

  69. Aidan Smith

    http://t.co/XUSqNj9K Boris will save every Londoner £3.10.

  70. Simon Watkins

    @PippaCrerar come on Pippa buck up! RT @sunny_hundal: The Evening Standard hasn't yet bothered asking Boris about ..: http://t.co/DiwyjhQh

  71. Reuben Williamson

    RT @libcon: How Boris told lies on council tax & crime http://t.co/AJ2FBPzk #getagripboris .@sackboris2012 #fb





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