Oliver Dowden MP
We’ve fact checked Oliver Dowden eight times. We’ve asked him to correct the record three times. Join others in his constituency of Hertsmere to ask him to stand up for honesty in public life.
Your trust should be earned. Any MP making serious claims in public debate should be prepared to get their facts right, back up what they say with evidence and correct their mistakes.
When politicians fall short, we can demand better. Join us and take action for higher standards in public life now.
We’ve fact checked Oliver Dowden eight times
Full Fact scrutinises claims made by politicians on all sides of political debate. We prioritise claims that have the potential to cause most harm.
Our team isn’t able to monitor and fact check all claims made by every politician, so this list isn’t exhaustive. It isn’t accurate to use these examples to draw comparisons about the overall behaviour of individual MPs or political parties.
NHS waiting list was not falling before the pandemic
Actually the numbers [in the waiting list] were falling before the pandemic hit on many measures.
Oliver Dowden, 17 December 2023
How many people have been intercepted while attempting to cross the Channel in small boats?
“Thanks to our cooperation with the French there’s been a 40% increase in the number of people that we are intercepting in the Channel”.
Oliver Dowden, 3 August 2023
Conservative and Labour claims on house building fact checked
“It is under this party that we have record levels of housing being built.”
Oliver Dowden, 6 July 2023
We’ve asked Oliver Dowden to correct the record three times
It’s important that those making claims in public life correct their mistakes. We follow up on our fact checks to ask politicians and media organisations to issue corrections when they get things wrong.
We have been in touch with Oliver Dowden about three of his claims. He has yet to correct the record.
Oliver Dowden made a claim about NHS waiting list figures before the pandemic that was not true on 5 January 2024
Oliver Dowden made an unevidenced claim about the government's cost of living interventions on 17 May 2023
Together we can demand higher standards in public life
A new government is a new opportunity to improve the quality of public debate and restore trust in politics.
People in Hertsmere believe Oliver Dowden must stand up for honesty
We are calling on the new government to prioritise this issue.
Watch: Full Fact’s priorities for government