Fact check: Video from election night 2015 has been manipulated

The video starts with a clip from the revealing of an exit poll in 2015, but is then edited to include fake audio and a fake graphic.

The 2015 election was fought between Conservative David Cameron, Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg and Labour’s Ed Miliband (Chris Jackson/PA) (PA Archive)

A video circulating on social media shows what appears to be the close of polling on July 4 2024, revealing an exit poll where the Conservatives won zero seats.

The video presents itself as a clip from BBC News on election night, with David Dimbleby hosting the election coverage.

In it, Mr Dimbleby is heard saying: “So, we’d better get started… first, with our exit poll, which even now I can’t reveal until Big Ben strikes 10. Remember this is an exit poll, very carefully calculated – not necessarily on the nail.

“But here it is, 10 o’clock, and we are saying that the Conservative Party have won zero seats. Rishi Sunak has led the most successful and tenacious political party in history into oblivion.”

Evaluation

The video is clearly fake and likely intended as satire as it claims to be from the future, having been originally posted on June 18. The video is partly from the BBC’s election night coverage in 2015, but then at one point changes to include fake audio and a fake graphic.

The facts

The first part of the clip, up until Mr Dimbleby says “…not necessarily on the nail”, is taken from the BBC’s 2015 election night coverage when the exit poll was revealed.

The rest of the quote is a fake of Mr Dimbleby’s voice, possibly computer-generated.

In the real clip he goes on to say: “But here it is, 10 o’clock, and we are saying the Conservatives are the largest party.”

The BBC’s 2024 coverage will be presented by Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie, not Mr Dimbleby.

Links

Post on X (archived post and video)

YouTube – BBC Exit poll 1992-2019 (archived)

BBC Media Centre: Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie to host BBC network TV election night coverage (archived)