Full Fact

What was claimed A picture of Andy Burnham’s return to Parliament shows him standing next to several women who are wearing Islamic dress. Our verdict This image has been edited to include the women in Islamic dress. They do not appear in the original photo posted by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Lucy Powell MP. An image that appears to show the new MP for Makerfield, Andy Burnham, standing next to several women who are wearing Islamic dress, is circulating on social media.

What was claimed Using sunscreen raises the risk of skin cancer. Our verdict No it doesn’t. Sunscreen lowers the risk of skin cancer. But people who use more of it may well be exposed to more sunlight too. A number of social media posts are wrongly claiming that using sunscreen raises people’s risk of skin cancer. These claims are based on a classic misunderstanding.

What was claimed The government is spending an extra £270 billion on defence in this parliament. Our verdict Incorrect. This figure refers to the Ministry of Defence’s total budget between 2025/26 and 2028/29, as outlined in the Spending Review (although an increase to this figure has now been announced). This figure does not refer to the year-on-year increases in the MoD’s budget.

Posts on Facebook falsely claim that Smyths Toys is selling Little Tikes inflatable “bounce houses” for just £2 to people who complete a short survey. The posts and adverts claim to be written by a woman whose sister works at Smyths Toys and feature photos of the inflatables, alongside a fabricated receipt or checkout page. But they aren’t legitimate offers from the retailer. A Smyths Toys spokesperson confirmed to Full Fact the offers were “fake”.

What was claimed Videos show members of the public talking about their views on immigration. Our verdict These videos are fake. They contain SynthID watermarks and visual glitches which indicate they were generated using AI. Videos supposedly showing members of the public talking about their views on immigration are fake. The clips, which have been shared on Facebook, appear to show people talking to someone off-screen holding a microphone.

What was claimed A video shows UK police seizing a mannequin after the Pakistani community complained about its “immodest clothing”. Our verdict False. This video actually shows police officers attending a protest in November 2025 against the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action. A viral video of police officers loading a mannequin into a police van has been shared with claims the mannequin was “seized” because the “Pakistani community complained about its ‘immodest clothing’”.

What was claimed A person detained by police at a protest in Sheffield on 13 June died after his arrest. Our verdict Incorrect. The individual involved—a 17-year-old boy—did not die. He was taken to hospital to receive treatment for his injuries and later discharged himself. Earlier this month we saw claims on social media that a person died after being detained by police officers at a protest in Sheffield. But this isn’t true.

What was claimed A video shows a Royal Navy officer telling an interviewer that small boat crossings of the English Channel are a violation of British sovereignty. Our verdict This video is fake. The presence of the SynthID watermark and visual glitches show it has been created with artificial intelligence. A video claiming to show a Royal Navy officer telling an interviewer that small boat crossings of the English Channel are a violation of British sovereignty is fake.

What was claimed The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said that social media is as bad for children as smoking. Our verdict This is not what the academy said. Its statement to the government compared the way the medical profession reacted to social media to the way it reacted to smoking. It didn’t compare how harmful they are.

Posts on Facebook have claimed that SEA LIFE London Aquarium is “offering an exciting Young Explorer Kit” to people who fill in a “short survey”. But a spokesperson confirmed to Full Fact that this isn’t a genuine offer from the aquarium. The videos each show a woman wearing a SEA LIFE branded top and holding a large SEA LIFE branded box, in front of what appears to be an aquarium tank. These videos are probably AI-generated.