Hannah Smith

Senior Political Journalist

Hannah joined Full Fact as a fact checker in May 2022. Before that she wrote news and features for UNILAD. She is a qualified journalist, and also has a degree in history.

1 June 2026

In progress

Government Tracker

Is the government on course to introduce a mandatory retirement age for members of the House of Lords?

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

Full Fact looks at Labour’s manifesto pledge to bring in a mandatory retirement age for House of Lords members, as part of a wider set of reforms. Read

Gov Tracker

29 May 2026

Health

Melanoma is not the ‘most common cancer globally’

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

Articles published in the i paper and the Guardian wrongly claim that melanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer globally. Read

Fact checks

28 May 2026

Economy, Business & Finance

Health and disability benefit spending is already higher than defence spending

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed in an article that “By the end of this decade, we could be spending more on incapacity and disability benefits than on defence.” This is true—but it’s also already the case. Read

Fact checks

28 May 2026

Achieved

Government Tracker

Has the government negotiated new immigration returns arrangements?

By Hannah Smith • 3 mins

Full Fact looks at Labour’s pledge to negotiate additional returns arrangements as part of its commitment to secure borders. Read

Gov Tracker

28 May 2026

Not kept

Government Tracker

Has the government kept its pledge not to increase taxes on ‘working people’?

By Hannah Smith • 4 mins

Full Fact looks at Labour’s manifesto commitment on taxation, which has led to much debate over the meaning of the phrase ‘working people’. Read

Gov Tracker

28 May 2026

Conflict

Video of ‘Pallywood’ actor is actually from an Iraqi comedy skit

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

A video showing a supposedly injured man “hopping on the wrong leg” has been shared online with claims it is “Palestinian propaganda”. But the clip is actually from a comedy skit filmed in Iraq. Read

Fact checks

28 May 2026

Achieved

Government Tracker

Has the government established a National Wealth Fund?

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

Full Fact looks at Labour’s pledge to establish a ‘National Wealth Fund’. Read

Gov Tracker

27 May 2026

Achieved

Government Tracker

Is the government on track to abolish ‘non-dom’ tax status?

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

Full Fact looks at Labour’s manifesto commitment to scrap the current domicile-based tax system. Read

Gov Tracker

27 May 2026

Not kept

Government Tracker

How much capital has the government committed to the National Wealth Fund?

By Joshua Salisbury and Hannah Smith • 2 mins

Full Fact looks at whether Labour has met its pledge to assign £7.3 billion of capital to the National Wealth Fund. Read

Gov Tracker

26 May 2026

Immigration

Video doesn’t show ‘illegal migrant’ losing temper because he couldn’t get a free PlayStation from Oxford council

By Hannah Smith • 2 mins

An old clip filmed in the US is being shared online with captions falsely claiming it shows an “illegal migrant” supposedly losing his temper because a store giving out free PlayStations on behalf of Oxford City Council ran out of the consoles. Read

Fact checks