Pressure group sets UK “news”

Sept 4, 2011 – This “news” story about “benefits cheats” appeared in both the Telegraph and Daily Mail on 2/9/11. The story appears to have been created (ie promoted as “news”) by the rightwing pressure group, the TaxPayers’ Alliance. (The pressure group was also quoted on the front page of the Express on the same day – over a different story.)

A spokesperson for the TaxPayers’ Alliance was quoted at length in the Mail: “It’s shocking that so few benefits cheats are facing serious punishment for their crimes. If crooks think the system is a light touch, with little or no consequences for being caught, then they will carry on fleecing the taxpayer without hesitation. Tougher sentences will help to discourage would-be cheats but reforms to the system as a whole are  also needed, to make it easier to detect scammers.”

The same quote also appeared in the Telegraph. No other sources were provided by either newspaper for this particular “news” story.

Alternative made-up “breaking news”:
• ‘BANKS STILL OWE US A TRILLION POUNDS’
• ‘WAR ON UNELECTED PRESSURE GROUPS’