Joseph O’Leary

Training Manager

Joe has been fact checking UK politics and policy for over a decade, having joined the team in 2011. He has delivered training in fact checking to civil servants, statisticians, journalists and businesses, both in the UK and internationally, as well as designing accredited courses in data analysis for the FE sector. Joe also enjoys teaching critical thinking in primary and secondary schools, and regularly gives talks to journalism students. He is now designing courses to help businesses and employees use data with more confidence.

1 March 2019

Economy, Business & Finance

What happens to the money from National Insurance Contributions?

By Joseph O’Leary • 5 mins

Surplus funds from National Insurance Contributions in the UK are currently invested to reduce the national debt. Read

Fact check

13 February 2019

Immigration

Here’s why Migration Watch got their study on post-Brexit immigration wrong

By Joseph O’Leary • 4 mins

Migration Watch has withdrawn a study into post-Brexit immigration levels due to accuracy concerns. Read

Fact check

1 February 2019

Crime

Violent crime is not at record levels

By Joseph O’Leary • 6 mins

It’s not correct that violent crime is at a record high. Several reliable sources indicate that violent crime is far lower now than it was in the 1990s. Read

Fact check

30 January 2019

Europe

What’s the cost of preparing for Brexit?

By Joseph O’Leary • 6 mins

The government hasn’t said how much money departments are spending preparing for a ‘no deal’ Brexit outcome. Read

Fact check

17 January 2019

Immigration

Do refugees have to stay in the first safe country they reach?

By Joël Reland • 7 mins

Refugees are not required to seek asylum in the first safe country they reach. But under EU law they can sometimes be returned to the first safe EU country they reached. Read

Fact check

26 October 2018

Europe

What was promised about the customs union before the referendum?

By Joseph O’Leary • 6 mins

Campaigners weren’t explicit about what Brexit would mean for the customs union before the referendum. Read

Fact check

12 October 2018

Economy, Business & Finance

200,000 more people in work under Universal Credit? The government can’t know the answer

By Joseph O’Leary • 5 mins

The National Audit Office says the government will never be able to measure whether Universal Credit leads to 200,000 more people in work. Read

Fact check

18 September 2018

Immigration

EU immigrant workers in the UK: five things we learned

By Joseph O’Leary • 7 mins

The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) today released a report about the impacts of EU immigrant workers on the UK economy, and recommendations for how immigration policy should change. Read