Superb work by Channel 4 News in tonight’s broadcast showing that the Tories employed a company called Blue Telecoms to conduct paid canvassing thinly (and often very thinly) disguised as market research.
Paid canvassing to persuade someone to vote for a particular party is a major breach of electoral law.
Not only that, but the Tories targeted households that included many that had opted out of receiving calls via the TPS (Telephone Preference Service). Genuine market research calls are exempt from the TPS block, but working for the Tories to steer people to vote Conservative is not genuine market research.
Contacting TPS-registered people when you’re not a genuine market research company – or paying others to do so – is also a serious breach of the law, in this case the Data Protection Act.
Finally, Blue Telecoms lied about its identity to call recipients – another breach.
However, Channel 4 cannot really claim to have ‘broken’ this news, as online news outlet The Canary got there over 6 weeks ago by showing that the Tories used the same firm for the same illegal activities over two years ago for the 2015 General Election:
And the Canary appears to have known it was still ongoing, as they were appealing for witnesses in early May, asking anyone who had worked for the firm at any time since 2013.
Sterling work by Channel 4 to get a reporter inside the firm and obtain such damning footage.
But a big shout as well to The Canary for being on the case more than a month before the recent General Election campaign finished. Score one for the Left’s independent media – again.
The BBC is, so far, not reporting the news. That has to change. Illegal campaigning in 2015 and illegal campaigning in 2017 – this must not be allowed to be anything less than the straw that breaks the back of the wheezing, two-legged camel that is Theresa May’s floundering and flailing ‘government’.
And the Crown Prosecution Service must not let this pass unprosecuted as it did with the majority of the Tories’ 2015 election expense breaches.
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Dynamite !! I watched it.
Reblogged this on vondreassen.
Big difference here could be this story has broken within a week of the election. If I recall, the battlebus expenses wasn’t until at least 6 months after the 2015 election.
Which means the Electoral Commission won’t be so hampered by time constraints.
These Tory manipulaters Will do anything to stay in power, WE ARE NOTHING TO THEM‼️😡 #JC4PM4NHS ASAP
If ever there was a stronger case for another election this is it
Reblogged this on michaelsnaith and commented:
Why people soon forget all the hurt that this Tory Government have done since 2010, when in bed with the Lib-Dems and then the past few years.. More lies more deception.
HOW LONG BEFORE TORY SIMPTHISERS WAKE-UP, STOP LISTENING TO THOSE TORIES IN POWER ABOUT AUSTERITY, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS!
ALL THIS TORY TALK COMING FROM THOSE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TOTALLY IGNORE AUSTERITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE WHERE BE ALL TO DO SO!
THEY THEN CONVINCE THOSE GULLABLE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THEIR LIES AND FALSE NEWS TO REPEAT THIS BULLSHIT THAT SPINS FROM THE MOUTHS OF THE TORY FAITHFUL!
UNLIKE US THE ORDINARY PEOPLE, WHO CAN ILL AFFORD THESE CUTBACKS.
THIS IDEA OF LABOUR HAVING A MONEY TREE, PUT AROUND BY THE STINKING TORY RICH TO SHIFT THE SPOTLIGHT FROM THEM TO THE LABOUR PARTY WHO WANT TO HELP US, THE MAJORITY NOT THE FEW.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THESE PEOPLE TO GET WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND THEM?
“The BBC is, so far, not reporting the news”
Need I say any more?
“And the Crown Prosecution Service must not let this pass unprosecuted as it did with the majority of the Tories’ 2015 election expense breaches.”
Don’t hold yer breath…