SOME fake news has been doing the rounds – in the form of an alleged tweet by new Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.
A screenshot has been shared of his message, which reads: "SNP need to stop playing constitutional politics with Brexit. If we work together the Conservatives will deliver a successful deal for all England's regions, including Scotland."
It has been shared around on social media, including by SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford.
However, for the avoidance of any doubt – the tweet is fake.
Posted at 8:34am, it had apparently gained 4762 Retweets and 1690 Likes by 10:11am... but discussion of the apparent claims didn't gain any traction until the afternoon – which is unlikely.
Furthermore, the tweet doesn't appear on Dominic Raab's account – and is nowhere to be seen on the "@deletedbyMPs" feed of all the tweets politicians get rid of.
Raab himself has sought to clear it up too: "Happy to confirm this is a fake tweet."
The original source of the screenshot is not clear – although seems to have been posted this morning.
The tweet cited as a source by Blackford has also been deleted – as the source felt it was a fake.
It looks as if the person who Blackford is quote-tweeting deleted her tweet as she believed it was fake. https://t.co/fZaTTgJ16K
— James Chalmers (@ProfChalmers) July 26, 2018
Blackford expressed his sympathies for Raab, and withdrew his comments.
If it is a fake it is despicable anyone would do that and I am sorry that @DominicRaab has been targeted in such away and that myself and others took this at face value. I withdraw my comments on the remark.
— Ian Blackford (@IanBlackfordMP) July 26, 2018
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