Fact Check

Did UK Conservatives Vow to 'Cut All Homeless People in Half'?

A laudable goal ... that is, if worded right.

Published July 22, 2019

 (Foka Wolf/Instagram)
Image courtesy of Foka Wolf/Instagram
Claim:
UK Conservatives posted signs vowing they would "cut all homeless people in half' by 2025.

In mid-July 2019, social media users began seeing a purported photograph of a sign on public transport bearing the logo of the UK Conservative Party (also known the Conservative and Unionist Party, or simply the "Tories") and bearing a legend reading, "We plan to cut all homeless people in half by 2025":

The presumed interpretation of the sign was that the party meant to express they would succeed in addressing the vexing social issue of homelessness to the extent of reducing the number of homeless people by half within six years, but someone phrased that thought poorly and inadvertently produced a hilarious (and cynical) gaffe.

However, this wasn't a genuine political sign created by a hapless (if well-intentioned) party functionary. It was the work of a street artist who goes by the name of Foka Wolf on Instagram, self-identifies as a "Professional Gobshite," and has posted other similar signs lampooning UK conservatives:

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Tory party people cull... ??? #tory #toryparty #conservatives @conservatives

A post shared by FOKA WOLF (@fokawolf) on Jul 19, 2019 at 3:05am PDT

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Last one of the set... Had some great feedback. Thanks for the love guys! ? #tory #toryparty @conservatives

A post shared by FOKA WOLF (@fokawolf) on Jul 20, 2019 at 2:17am PDT

Sources

Sullivan, Alison.   "Viral 'Conservative' Homeless Ad Is Actually from a Trolling Street Artist, And There Are More."     WokeSloth.   20 July 2019.

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.