Factchecking Charity Executive Calls For 'Urgent Transparency' Ahead Of Next Election
30 July 2019, 16:00
The Chief Executive of factchecking charity Full Fact tells Shelagh Fogarty there was a need for 'urgent transparency' if the UK is headed for a general election.
Will Moy told the LBC presenter that "very little has changed" since the Department for Culture Media and Sport select committee said Britain's election law was "not fit for purpose".
"The politicians, the political parties, they haven't just dropped the ball they've probably burst it and are giving it a good kicking," he said.
"This is really urgent, the DCMS select committee called for emergency legislation before any future election because they recognise that targeted advertising ... undermines democracy.
"We need more transparency around this and we need it urgently because as you know there may well be an election happening soon."
It comes as the Chair of the DCMS committee, Damian Collins, published fresh evidence from a key figure within data firm Cambridge Analytica which draws further attention to its connections to the Leave.EU campaign and Ukip.
- Evidence Relating To Cambridge Analytica And Brexit Published By DCMS Committee
Shelagh said: "It feels to me like when I use my phone or my iPad, it feels like everything's still the same."
"I was conscious at the time that my knowledge of it all was inadequate, and it leaves us exposed to criminality, information dumping and targeted political campaigning.
"It strikes me that given the powerful committee of MPs concluded that our electoral laws are unfit for purpose in the face of this stuff.
"I haven't seen a great deal of movement on fixing that, and even though all of the political parties are using the same kind of tactics - but that sense that it's still going on.
"Do you know how to manage what's coming?"
Watch above.
