Two photos depicting former TV personality Jimmy Savile – now considered to be one of the UKs most prolific sex offenders since his death in 2011 – endorsing the UK’s Conservative Party are circulating the Internet. In one, Savile is shown next to a blue van with Conservative Party branding on it, and in another Savile is seen wearing a Conservative Party branded t-shirt.
Examples of both photos as they appeared on social media are below.
Despite both photos being shared online for a number of years, a reverse image search reveals that both photos have actually been digitally altered. A genuine counterparts are seen below.
As is demonstrable from the genuine photos above, the white VOTE CONSERVATIVE slogan has been digitally added to the blue van. Again, the slogan VOTE CONSERVATIVE has been added to the t-shirt which previously read “DON’T GET YOUR FINGERS BURNT…”
The photo of Savile and the blue van is part of an old advertising campaign on behalf of Volkswagen.
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It is true that there are documented connections between Jimmy Savile and various members of the Conservative Party – perhaps most notably former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, of which a number of photos exist showing the pair together. However photos also exist with Savile and many other politicians and celebrities, including former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.
We could find no photos of Savile actively campaigning (or wearing campaign merchandise) for the Conservative Party (or indeed any other political party.)
Sadly we’ve seen attacks on either side of the political spectrum attempting to use the crimes committed by Savile to score cheap political points. This includes the doctored photos above, and also the largely misleading claim that current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer personally opted not to prosecute Savile when he was head of the Crown Prosecution Service.
We rank both of these photos as fake.