Party says it didn’t know production company used actor as NHS nurse, contravening guidelines

This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

The Labour party in Wales has withdrawn a party election broadcast after it emerged that a nurse featured in the video who criticised the Conservative party was an actor.

In the film, which was broadcast on Tuesday on the BBC, ITV and S4C, the nurse tells viewers how a trade deal with US president Donald Trump is a threat to the NHS.

The actor, dressed in a blue NHS style uniform, told viewers: “We will increase the funding available to our health service. Labour is the party that created the NHS, and we will defend it against Tory attempts to sell it off for parts to Donald Trump.”

Labour said it was not aware that the nurse was fake until someone pointed out she was an actor, in contravention of the guidelines for such broadcasts.

“It has been brought to our attention that a private production company used an actor for our PPB [party political broadcast] without permission.

“We have spoken with the company involved, withdrawn the broadcast from future use and we will not be working with the production company in future,” said a spokesman.

Plaid Cymru branded the advert “fake” and attacked the Labour party’s record on the NHS in Wales.

The election broadcast first went out in September but it was not until it went on air on Tuesday that Labour became aware the woman was not a nurse in real life.

The rules on election broadcasts say the “use of reconstructions or actors in a broadcast must be made clear to the audience”.

Guidelines say actors or reconstructions must be made clear “if there is any possibility that the audience could be confused or misled by their appearance.”

Plaid Cymru candidate Jonathan Edwards said “I can see why Labour felt they had to use a fake nurse in their political advert as their woeful record on the NHS in Wales means they have everything to hide.

“Issues with the NHS Wales fall squarely at the door of the Labour party who have been running it for decades.

“Plaid Cymru has a plan to properly invest in the Welsh NHS to recruit 10,000 more doctors and 5,000 more nurses. By the looks of it, Labour couldn’t find one.”