Politics

No, Rishi Sunak has not sent Nigel Farage a personal message

Rumours that Rishi Sunak has sent Nigel Farage a personalised message have been circulating on social media after a new social media campaign put out by the Conservative Party was given the treatment it deserved by political website Guido Fawkes.

With the party flagging in the polls, Tory HQ has developed a new tool allowing Britons to send themselves a minute-long clip of the Prime Minister promising to ‘deliver for you’.

Yet it was quickly discovered how the video can be adapted to ensure Sunak vows to work on behalf of those he would perhaps rather not.

Website Guido Fawkes filled in the form in the name of former Ukip boss Nigel Farage, a fierce critic of Sunak’s record on immigration.

In the resulting video, published on YouTube, Sunak says: “Hi Nigel. I just wanted to take a moment to wish you a very happy New Year.

“Now, like you, I think immigration levels are too high, and I’ve taken more action than any prime minister ever to do something about it.

“We’re bringing in the toughest ever laws to stop the boats and get illegal migrants sent straight back out of the country.

“As a result of the action we’ve taken, boat crossings are down already over a third. Elsewhere in the world, they’re up 80%.

“And we’re cutting legal migration too, preventing migrants from undercutting British workers and ending the use of cut-price labour from overseas.

“This progress is only possible because of the long-term decisions we’re taking to build a brighter future for everyone across the country.”

Others put in Sir Keir Starmer’s name to the software, which shows Sunak at his kitchen table in front of a laptop screen displaying the words ‘Task list: Keir’s priorities’.

A version of the video also generates a mock newspaper titled ‘The Daily Starmer’ with a headline stating: ‘We’re delivering for London’.

Additionally, the PM can be made to send video messages to ‘Donald Trump’ and ‘Jeremy Corbyn’ – although unsavoury names from world history do appear to have been blocked.

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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