Fact check: Not sure I love Doctor Who as a comforting Covid fable when it’s understood but not acknowledged that the British government kept the public exposed to the virus against medical advice, because the owners of the Telegraph told Boris Johnson to not do another lockdown. Because the owners of the Telegraph told Boris Johnson to not do another lockdown *because it would hurt their property portfolio*. I feel like a country where that happened but it can’t be acknowledged because it would burn the careers of half of our political/media class if we did address it, should not be doing comforting Covid myths. I would prefer it one of my favourite shows did not become a vehicle for helping the public to harmlessly and ineffectually process the crimes of their leaders, all told. Let me put it this way: How many 21st century Prime Ministers *are not* personally implicated in a gigantic bodycount of needless deaths? This is one of the few metrics where Liz Truss is kicking ass. I mean, family Christmas drama should not be helping the public to process the quite stark crimes of their leaders that they will never be held accountable for! Am I nuts.

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The core claim about Telegraph's influence on Boris Johnson's COVID-19 policy decisions is substantiated by multiple sources, including testimony from Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings at the COVID inquiry. Johnson himself referred to the Telegraph as his "real boss." The UK's COVID death toll reached 209,000, significantly higher than the officially reported 154,000, suggesting policy decisions had serious consequences.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

• The decision-making process was more complex than just Telegraph influence. Johnson faced pressure from multiple sources, including his own party's right wing.
• While the Telegraph consistently opposed lockdowns, there were legitimate economic and social concerns about extended lockdowns that were shared by various experts and politicians.
• Johnson's own COVID-19 experience in intensive care and his subsequent testimony at the inquiry showed he believed he was working to save lives, even if his approach was criticized.
• The statement omits that other major newspapers and media outlets also influenced policy, not just the Telegraph.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:

• The statement presents a simplified cause-and-effect relationship between Telegraph owners' property interests and lockdown policies, while evidence suggests multiple factors influenced decisions.
• The claim about "crimes of their leaders" implies proven criminal intent, when the available evidence shows poor decision-making and policy failures rather than criminal activity.
• The comparison of Prime Ministers' "bodycounts" oversimplifies complex policy decisions made during unprecedented circumstances.
• The statement assumes a direct link between media ownership and specific policy outcomes, when the relationship between media influence and government decision-making is typically more nuanced.