Ed Davey used his question to the Prime Minister today to tackle the Prime Minister on the Government’s attitude to fraud:

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey asks if Boris Johnson "understands the hurt he and his ministers" cause fraud victims "when they write them out of the crime figures"

"This government hates fraud… we're helping people any way we can," PM replies#PMQs https://t.co/LkNnzYyQNh pic.twitter.com/nzgSPAyR4C

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) February 9, 2022

He demanded that  Boris Johnson correct the record after misleadingly claiming crime has fallen, and apologise to the four million victims of fraud he has written out of the picture.

Seventy-four-year-old Janet had twenty-five thousand pounds stolen by fraudsters.

The money was my mum and dad’s and I just felt I let them down,” she told the BBC.

For Janet and for the 4 million people who fell victim to fraudsters and online scammers last year, fraud is a crime.

Does the Prime Minister understand the hurt he and his Ministers cause fraud victims like Janet, when they write them out of the crime figures, and dismiss fraud as something people don’t experience in their day-to-day lives?

Will the Prime Minister correct the record and apologise?

The UK Statistics Authority last week officially rebuked Boris Johnson and Priti Patel for their misleading claim that crime had fallen, following a letter of complaint by Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael. The Chair, Sir David Norgrove, said in his reply:

I agree that Office for National Statistics (ONS) measures of crime must be used accurately, and not misrepresented. In this case, the Home Office news release presented the latest figures in a misleading way.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng then claimed last weekend that fraud isn’t something people experience in their day-to-day lives.

Speaking after today’s exchange, Ed said:

Boris Johnson must correct the record and apologise to the four million victims of fraud he is writing out of the picture, including thousands of people in his own backyard.

Conservative ministers are causing immense hurt to fraud victims by dismissing this cruel crime. Many people have lost their life savings to cruel scammers and suffered huge financial and emotional harm.

They deserve a proper apology from the prime minister and for this government to start taking fraud seriously.