Green accuses Labour of 'fake news' as he plays down election

Damian Green, the Government’s First Minister, launched the attack as he rejected the suggestion the Conservatives are “unfeeling and hard-hearted”.

But he risked ridicule by attempting to play down the result of the snap general election called by the prime minister, admitting only it “did not go as we hoped” and stressing “the Conservatives did win the most votes and the most seats”.

Mr Green told delegates at the party conference in Manchester they should be “proud” of the Government’s record in areas including tackling unemployment and international aid.

“So let’s be clear that when the Labour Party tries to paint us as unfeeling and hard-hearted, they are Britain’s biggest purveyor of fake news.

“We are helping more people into work than ever, allowing more mental health trained professionals to treat patients than ever, seeing more children from disadvantaged backgrounds go to university than ever.

“That’s modern compassionate Conservatism in action, and Labour’s Twitter trolls can go and stick that in their timeline.”

As the Conservatives made a string of new spending pledges, Mr Green insisted they were still more responsible than Labour when it comes to managing the Government’s finances.

Mr Green said Labour “always promises to spend more, with money that miraculously never comes from your taxes” while the Conservatives would take a “balanced approach”.