As discussed on Scrapbook at the weekend, the Liberal Democrats aren’t ones to let the facts get in the way of a misleading bar graph. A reader has since supplied a copy of a chart distributed by “Fib Dems” in Batchwood ward in St. Albans.
The graph on the left was what councillors Allan Witherick and Amanda Archer put their name to. The one on the right shows how it should look:
Perhaps eagle eyed readers can spot the difference?
11 Comments
You make an assumption, which appears to invalidate your claim on this one. You assume that the bottom of the visible bars is zero. If it is about 1500 then the graph is correct. Dishonest, but correct
Actually, I don’t think this is dishonest or misleading at all (and I have seen misleading ones!). The subtitle of the graphs is “Only one vote in it” and it is concentrating on the difference between the vote margins. In fact if you look at the representation of the one vote difference then it is being overly kind to the Conservatives when representing the 80 vote difference. By your argument using the same scale the Conservative bar should be somewhere off the bottom of the leaflet!
@Tom: We’ve double checked. Our source says: “There’s no continuation of the graph below. ‘Only one vote in it’ is the bottom of the textbox”, adding (correctly): “There is no mathematical reasoning that can explain a Lib Dem bar graph. They just make shit up!”
@LibSync: Well it isn’t off the bottom of the leaflet. This is the totality of the graph! Therefore this *is* completely dishonest and misleading. QED!
… as for the argument going “the Y scale doesn’t necessarily start at zero”, there would need to be some signifier of this. This is usually a number OR a zig-zag line at the bottom of the axis.
Aye, looks awful to me. If, that is, you ignore the fact that the bargraph is not to scale and the fact that the figures are also given. A funny sort of dishonesty right there…..
Where does it indicate the graph is not to scale, Matt? What you are talking about is a “broken scale” graph, for which there would need to be a signifier: http://www.hickeyonline.us/Chapman/brknscalegraphs.htm. There is none.
But let’s assume there was such a signifier. Even then, the gaps between the bars don’t correspond to a consistent X millimetres per vote.
“Well it isn’t off the bottom of the leaflet. This is the totality of the graph! Therefore this *is* completely dishonest and misleading. QED!”
You miss my point.
By your reasoning above it is massively under-estimating the difference between the Tory and Labour vote (the gap should be 80 times bigger than between LibDem and Labour) and I assume your argument is that it is making the Tory deficit look larger than it is to encourage tactical voting. But it is being TOO kind to the Tory vote! Therefore if it is “misleading” (which I don’t think it is for the reason stated above (and the massive figures printed on the bars also help!)) it is in the opposite way than you imply and actually mitigates against the “lie” that you think is being perpetrated!
What intellectually dishonest tribal crap. You are invoking some imaginary form of bar graph which doesn’t exist. I.e. one where “the Conservative bar should be somewhere off the bottom of the leaflet”. The correct form is indicated on the right of the image in the post: everything is to scale!
“What intellectually dishonest tribal crap”
Right back at you!!
We could go round in circle all night arguing this but my point is that the bar chart is all about the one vote difference (as evidenced by the massive subtitle and the massive numbers!).
Would you say the same chart with just the LibDem and Labour bar would be misleading? (what with the massive numbers and the subtitle an’ all)
If you do then, well… (we’ll never see each other’s point)
However if it isn’t then would the addition of the Tory vote using the same scale be misleading (the Tory vote would be 80 times further down)?
Then artificially increasing the Tory vote so it fitted on the graph, would this mislead you further into thinking the Tory vote was way down lower than it was to encourage Tories to tactically vote?
You play down the significance of the Tory bar being wrong by saying “the bar chart is all about the one vote difference” between Lib Dems and Labour. In fact, the purpose of the chart is to disguise the a three way marginal by misrepresenting the Conservative showing. You say that it’s fine for the bars to be the wrong size provided that they have figures on.
The size of the graph is as it appears in the images above. There is no “virtual graph” extending off the leaflet to accommodate an invisible Tory vote that “would be 80 times further down”.
You really are Through the Looking Glass on this one.
A more accurate and clear breakdown would be by %.
LD 32.51%
Green 4.59%
Lab 32.48%
Cons 30.43%
Total Votes 3904
26 Trackbacks
NEW –> More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/cEIIbu
I wish we'd drop the bar charts when they aren't appropriate RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/cEIIbu
@isaby @TimMontgomerie @PaulGoodmanCH Feel free to steal this graphic http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @psbook: NEW –> More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/cEIIbu
RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/dwyPey
Lib Dems accused of dodgy graphs in #stalbans via @psbook http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @estellehart: RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/dwyPey
I wonder @Review_Eagle and @hertsad think of http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @estellehart: RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/dwyPey
RT @psbook: NEW –> More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/cEIIbu
Meanwhile, Lib Dems are busily lying on their leaflets again: http://tinyurl.com/384afot
RT @tommilleruk: Meanwhile, Lib Dems are busily lying on their leaflets again: http://tinyurl.com/384afot
RT @tommilleruk: Meanwhile, Lib Dems are busily lying on their leaflets again: http://tinyurl.com/384afot
RT @tommilleruk: Meanwhile, Lib Dems are busily lying on their leaflets again: http://tinyurl.com/384afot
RT @tommilleruk: Meanwhile, Lib Dems are busily lying on their leaflets again: http://tinyurl.com/384afot
RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/dwyPey
This must be illegal right? http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/dwyPey
RT @psbook: NEW –> More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/cEIIbu
RT @psbook: More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/dwyPey
RT @psbook: NEW –> More bar graph lies from the Liberal Democrats http://bit.ly/cEIIbu
I can't believe people in the comments are actually trying to defend this graph http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @psbook: I can't believe people in the comments are actually trying to defend this graph http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @psbook: I can't believe people in the comments are actually trying to defend this graph http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
RT @psbook: I can't believe people in the comments are actually trying to defend this graph http://bit.ly/d8VuBr
@LibDemKitty @NeilWhitstable @mathew4barwell Lol, we're stopping them in St Albans after this.. http://bit.ly/dwyPey