Welsh Labour withdraws political broadcast that features an actor playing a nurse

Parties must clarify use of actors if the audience could be ‘misled’ by their appearance

A party political broadcast has been withdrawn after it emerged it featured an actor playing a nurse.

The Welsh Labour party video, which was broadcast earlier this week, features a female actor in blue scrubs.

During the video she says: ‘We will increase the funding available to our health service. Labour is the party that created the NHS, and we will defend it against Tory attempts to sell it off for parts to Donald Trump.’

Guidelines on using actors in party political broadcasts

Broadcast guidelines state that the use of reconstructions or actors in a party political broadcast must be made clear to the audience if there is any possibility that the audience could be ‘confused or misled’ by their appearance.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said the actor was employed by a private production company, without the party’s permission.

He added: ‘We have spoken with the company involved, withdrawn the broadcast from future use and will not be working with the production company in future.’

Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards said: ‘I can see why Labour felt they had to use a fake nurse in their political advert, as their woeful record on the NHS in Wales means they have everything to hide. Issues with the NHS in Wales fall squarely at the door of the Labour party, who have been running it for decades.’

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