Emma Thelwell

Youth unemployment sailed past the million mark last month with much furore, prompting the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to wade into the waters with some perspective. FactCheck takes a look at the findings.

“It makes a huge difference to patients that there are now more midwives working in the NHS than ever before”, said the Health Minister today. There might be record numbers of midwives, but the birth rate is soaring – so how much of a difference can it make? FactCheck investigates.

Are former News of the World journalists too toxic to join their sister publication’s new launch? FactCheck wonders if the Sun on Sunday is answering the SOS of the ex-NoW hacks.

The PM claimed that commercial ties were “deep and growing”. Yet just before Christmas, FactCheck recalls France’s finance minister showing a somewhat less than deep and growing enthusiasm for our economy – and British banks were seen whipping billions out of French bonds. FactCheck takes a look at Britain’s commerce with her old allies.

Take Network Rail, for example. Bosses there have announced they won’t accept their bonuses – but not before the mother of all ding dongs between the transport secretary and her Labour nemesis about whether or not the government had any power over their remuneration.Now, in respectful homage to Dickens and the man of fact and calculations himself, Thomas Gradgrind, FactCheck has unearthed an interesting document which casts light on this dispute.

Are there more people in work today than there were at the time of the last election as David Cameron claims? Channel 4 News FactCheck finds out.

Is Ken Livingstone’s proposal to cut London’s transport fares without hitting services plausible? Channel 4 News’ Factcheck investigates.

Charities have warned that thousands could become homeless when the government introduces a cap on benefits. Iain Duncan Smith says the public don’t understand the definition of homelessness and has given his guarantee that people won’t be left without a home to go to. FactCheck investigates.

As Wikipedia stages a blackout and people claim they will be “helpless” without it, FactCheck looks at how heavily people rely on Wikipedia? And how reliable a source it is.

FactCheck looks at how much foreign investment Scotland attracts, and asks some of the companies investing if they are worried about the prospect of an independent Scotland.

Are energy groups, such as EDF, too quick to put up gas prices when wholesale prices rise, but too slow to drop prices for hard-pressed consumers when wholesale prices drop? FactCheck investigates.

Is it true that voters only side with Labour during the “good times” as Ed Miliband claims? FactCheck looks at the evidence.

The FactCheck team looks at the rise of plastic surgery in Britain, the kind of aggressive marketing tactics used by the industry, and the lack of proper regulation.

The government says it has no plans to change Britain’s gun laws after a horrific shooting on New Year’s Day that left four people dead. We have some of the toughest gun laws in the world already, ministers have said. That’s almost exactly what Theresa May said 18 months ago, after taxi driver Derrick Bird shot 12 people dead in Cumbria with legally-owned guns.

MPs insist the neediest will still get free or subsidised legal help, but that the £2bn spent annually on legal aid has got to be cut. Will civil cases receive the legal aid they need and deserve? FactCheck investigates.