FAQ

What is the purpose of this website?

Assuming we vote in general elections on the basis of the policies and promises of the political parties (quite the assumption, I realise), we ought to have a clear view on the delivery (or quiet "deprioritisation", as the case may be) of those policies and promises. Such a view allows us to confidently appraise the government's performance, informing our discussion and voting choices in the future, as well as encouraging political engagement today if we feel certain of those policies aren't receiving the attention they deserve.

What is your political affiliation/leaning?

This website has no official political affiliation or leaning. That said, there are inevitably judgement calls to be made when assessing the delivery of policies, and we are mindful of our biases in these cases. If Labour promises to spend £1.5 billion on "attractive" new homes, we can assess half of that promise somewhat objectively by looking at independent spending estimates. For the other half, we guard against bias by deferring to surveys and experts. It's not perfect, and we encourage you to let us know if you notice bias in our assessments so we can more closely approximate objectivity.

Is the information on the website up to date?

We endeavour to stay abreast of the news and update policy statuses accordingly. If you notice our failing to do so, feel free to let us know (more on that next).

Can I suggest changes or updates if I believe information is outdated or incorrect?

Absolutely. Simply click on the status badge of the relevant policy and you will be taken to a form pre-populated with some boilerplate for you to edit with your requested changes and their supporting evidence. Note that whether this feedback is implemented is a matter of the strength and credibility of your evidence.

Where does the data come from?

Every policy and justification of policy status is followed by a citation linking to the relevant source. These sources are usually either reputable mainstream news outlets like the BBC, or the party manifesto itself in the case of policies. We also use Freedom of Information requests where necessary, and often refer to GOV.UK for press releases and UK Parliament for legislation records.

What do the policy statuses mean?

Not yet rated - This usually means we have no evidence either of the policy having made progress or of its being reneged on.
Occassionally, it may be used simply because the promise in question is not substantive, e.g. is mere rhetoric.
Partially achieved - The policy is in progress but has yet to be fully realised.
Completely achieved - With a fair interpretation of the policy's wording, this policy has been delivered in its entirety.
Promise broken - Either the party explicitly reneged on their promise, or they enacted contradictory policy.

Can I sign up for notifications about specific policies?

Yes - just click the bell icon () beside the policy of interest and provide your email address. We will send you an email the moment we update that policy's status. We will not use your email address for any other purpose, nor will we sell or distribute any of your personal data.

Can I share policy updates on social media or via email?

Yes - click the share icon () beside the policy you would like to share and a pre-prepared message will appear that you can edit before sharing by your chosen means.

How can I report a bug or issue with the website?

We really appreciate this kind of feedback! Please submit details of the issue here.