Leftie website The Canary spreads fake news claiming BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg will speak at Tory conference
THE CANARY has been caught peddling fake news by saying that BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg could address the Tory party conference.
The left-wing website ran a story earlier today saying that it "raises questions about the impartiality of the journalist and her organisation. Again."
The Centre for Social Justice listed a fringe event on Britain's productivity problem, and listed her under speakers, making it clear she was invited but had not confirmed she would come.
Also set to appear are former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, and Boris Johnson's former adviser Gerard Lyons.
The think-tank confirmed earlier today to Buzzfeed News that she will not be attending, and later removed her name from the list of speakers.
Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi told The Sun that the whole situation showed a "worrying underlying aggression and hostility to the media" from the Labour party.
"It's old Soviet-style behaviour," he said. "You're either with us or you're against us. Every time he is asked, Jeremy doesn't come out clearly and condemn it."
And former Labour leader Ed Miliband demanded the website make a change.
He tweeted: "It's clear she isn't speaking. Jeremy said today we don't tolerate abuse. Can you now withdraw/delete/correct."
accused the website of "running a sexist hate campaign" against her to get "clicks".
The website was also forced to delete a false viral story about The Sun's coverage of the Manchester attack earlier this year.
They claimed that Manchester was set to become the second story to ban The Sun after not putting the incident on the front page of the newspaper.
This was despite the fact the paper's first edition went to print 30 minutes before the attack took place - and completely rewrote it for the second edition.
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Today's story comes after the BBC Political Editor was forced to hire a bodyguard to protect her as she reports from the Labour party conference in Brighton.
Ms Kuenssberg has been targeted by sexist trolls who claim she is biased against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
An insider said: “We take the safety of our staff extremely seriously. Laura is a well-known public figure. She and her team will be covering events with big crowds where there can be hostility, so we want to ensure adequate precautions are taken.”
But Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell demanded that Labour abusers leave her alone.
He told LBC that any hate targeted at her was "unacceptable" and that she should tell them: "John McDonnell will sort them".
The BBC denied today that Ms Kuenssberg would be speaking. They tweeted: " is not speaking at this event. At Labour & Conservative conferences to report impartially for "
The BBC's press office told The Sun that she was never set to speak at any party conference events.