An astonishing Twitter thread has uncovered 15 clear factual errors and fabrications in the Daily Mail’s latest attempt to denigrate, humiliate and castigate the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn – in the so-called #DangerousHero hatchet job.
On the weekend, the Mail’s sister-title, The Mail on Sunday, published a massive 16-page serialisation based on work by Britain’s supposedly “top investigative author“, Tom Bower, which claimed to uncover ‘the truth‘ about Jeremy Corbyn.
The ridiculous smear piece contained numerous ‘explosive revelations’, including the fact that Jeremy Corbyn supposedly ‘buys Tesco own brand baked beans, not Heinz‘ and that the Labour leader, disgustingly, “found no interest in medieval towns”.
Unsurprisingly, the hit piece was absolutely lambasted and ridiculed by the vast majority on social media, with many even suggesting that the Mail’s hilariously failed attempt to take down the Labour leader would actually work in his favour.
However, if that wasn’t bad enough for the Daily Mail, an astonishing Twitter thread has just uncovered 15 provable fabrications and outright lies in the piece.
Published by the Corbyn-supporting media outlet, EL4C, the thread begins by stating:
Tom Bower’s #DangerousHero was laughed out of court the other day, but imagine billing yourself as an “investigative author” and then getting as many basic facts wrong as he did. Let’s take a look. Thread—
The astonishingly well-researched thread then goes on to list Bower’s claims in the piece, coupled with the reality, stating:
1) “Claim: Corbyn disappeared on referendum night, got up late next morning and was seen laughing over breakfast with his team.
Reality: Corbyn was on TV at 7.29am.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234909243875328
2) “Claim: Corbyn was a Trotskyist, “no doubt about it.”
No wait! Claim: Corbyn was a Tankie.
So… at least one of his sources is lying. Which kind of knocks your confidence in the other one too.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234911311667201
3) “Claim:… WTF is this claim?! That Blairite MPs have been removed in seven constituencies? Including Mansfield and Hastings, that Labour doesn’t hold?! Did no one think to fact check this?
Reality: no MPs have been deselected. MPs can only be deselected at election time.”
Claim:… WTF is this claim?! That Blairite MPs have been removed in seven constituencies? Including Mansfield and Hastings, that Labour doesn't hold?! Did on one think to fact check this?
Reality: no MPs have been deselected. MPs can only be deselected at election time. pic.twitter.com/XPvEXLolOC
— EL4C (@EL4JC) February 12, 2019
4) “Claim: “In the weeks after Corbyn’s election” Trotskyites were joining Labour “from Momentum.”
Reality: In “the weeks after Corbyn’s election” Momentum didn’t yet exist, but don’t let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.”
Claim: "In the weeks after Corbyn’s election" Trotskyites were joining Labour "from Momentum."
Reality: In “the weeks after Corbyn’s election” Momentum didn’t yet exist, but don’t let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory. pic.twitter.com/8EZFX2zKO8
— EL4C (@EL4JC) February 12, 2019
5) “Claim: Haringey councillors were forced to “succumb” to a “democracy review.”
Reality: Bower spent 18 months “investigating” Labour yet somehow confused the giant reform to national party rules that was the Democracy Review with council selections in Haringey.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234917347266560
6) “Claim: “Corbyn called every Labour MP, asking for their support” in 2015.
Reality: not only wrong (he didn’t phone every MP) but the opposite of the truth, which is that his campaign team couldn’t get Corbyn to phone MPs, as Lansman revealed in The Candidate.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234918802694149
7) “Claim: Rosa Prince was Corbyn’s “semi-authorised biographer.”
Reality: “She had no approval from me, for the writing of it or approaching people to undertake interviews” – Jeremy Corbyn.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234920451112960
8) “Claim: Len McCluskey has “a large portrait of Lenin” in his office and Unite has funded Momentum.
Reality: both claims are straight up lies rejected on the record by Unite.”
Claim: Len McCluskey has "a large portrait of Lenin" in his office and Unite has funded Momentum.
Reality: both claims are straight up lies rejected on the record by Unite. pic.twitter.com/NFI6FvNkkB
— EL4C (@EL4JC) February 12, 2019
9) “Claim: Momentum had “a list of party members” provided by Labour.
Reality: the Information Commissioner investigated this allegation in December 2015 & dismissed it. Quite what Hilary Benn being dropped from the NEC by Corbyn has to do with Momentum’s email list is a mystery.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234924360146946
10) “Claim: Seumas Milne was “vital in helping Corbyn get elected Labour leader in September 2015.”
Reality: Milne was working at the Guardian and had no official part in the 2015 campaign.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234926084083712
11) “Claim: “all four” of Corbyn, McDonnell, McCluskey and Milne talked “in public… about a kinder, gentler politics.”
Reality: it’s a small point but all four didn’t say that in public, because Milne hasn’t spoken in public since becoming Labour staff.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234927552024576
12) “Claim: Andrew Fisher was brought in to “assist” Katy Clark.
Reality: Andrew Fisher is head of policy, not an assistant to the political secretary.”
Claim: Andrew Fisher was brought in to "assist" Katy Clark.
Reality: Andrew Fisher is head of policy, not an assistant to the political secretary. pic.twitter.com/03TBeXPu97
— EL4C (@EL4JC) February 12, 2019
13) “Claim: Lenin blah.
Reality: the quote is wrong – it’s “support Henderson…” – & the meaning is wrong – Lenin urged voting for Labour not infiltrating it – & the strategy is wrong – he didn’t think capitalism could be destroyed by winning elections. But other than that, spot on.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234931054260224
14) “Claim: Trotsky blah.
Reality: Assuming Bower is thinking of “Permant Revolution,” Trotsky had in mind undeveloped countries in the throws of revolution, not Haringey CLP.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234932618579969
15) “Claim: ‘He was a communist fellow-traveller.
The b*stard never apologised for the Moscow trials.’ Is this the ultimate #BlameCorbyn?”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234934300704768
EL4C end their astonishing Twitter thread by simply stating:
“The point is this: if Bower can’t get the most basic facts right about recent events – let alone all the stuff from 40 years ago that we can’t check – then why should anyone believe anything he writes? This is worse than embarrassing for a journalist – it rules him out.”
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1095234936783675394
The Daily Mail should take note – that is how you do real journalism.
