Politicians Manipulating Statistics
How They Do It and How to Oppose Them

Discover how politicians across the world misuse statistics and manipulate statisticians, and what can be done to stop them.

Michael Billig (Author), Cristina Marinho (Author)

9781009488167, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 3 April 2025

264 pages
22.8 x 15.1 x 1.5 cm, 0.39 kg

'In a post-truth era of politics opposing the manipulation of statistics is more important than it has ever been … Billig and Marinho's book offers novel insight concerning the issue of defending democracy … an excellent addition to the critical social psychology of rhetoric and ideology.' Alexander Hunt, Social Psychological Review

Highly original and insightful, Billig and Marinho's book investigates how politicians misuse official statistics. Setting this problem in its historical context – and offering vivid case studies of Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Gérald Darmanin – the authors demonstrate that the manipulation of statistics involves the misuse of words as well as the misuse of numbers. Most importantly, the authors show that politicians will manipulate official statisticians to produce politically convenient, but statistically inappropriate, numbers. Another unique part of the book is that the authors are not content with analysing how statistics are manipulated, but they also rigorously analyse the efforts of statistical agencies in France and Britain to combat such manipulation. The chapters herald unsung heroes who operate largely 'behind the scenes' to expose and oppose the corruption of statistics. An indispensable read for anyone concerned with the intersection of power and data.

Acknowledgements, List of abbreviations
1. Introduction
2. The rise of statistics
3. Different ways of manipulating
4. Donald trump: master manipulator
5. Manipulating statistics and statisticians
6. Establishing a statistical authority in Britain
7. Establishing a statistical authority in France
8. Gérald Darmanin: populism against statistics
9. Boris Johnson: untruthful words and numbers
10. How a manipulated covid target was exposed
11. Final comments
Notes
Index.

Subject Areas: Social, group or collective psychology [JMH]