Boris Johnson gets upset when he's not allowed to misuse statistics. That tells a story.

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Boris Johnson gets upset when he's not allowed to misuse statistics. That tells a story.

(Sir) Michael Scholar is head of the UK Statistics Authority. He writes polite, straightforward, clear letters to politicians and civil servants when they misuse statistics. He explains his concerns in plain language, making an effort to be understood by those who do not have a background in statistics, so that they can see where they have misused figures. He is a very good thing, as I've said many times before:
http://bengoldacre.posterous.com/michael-scholar-is-pretty-unfuckwithable
Boris Johnson today says Scholar is a "Labour stooge", because he raised concerns about the mayor's misuse of figures.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/nov/16/boris-johnson-statistics-authority-labour-stooge?CMP=twt_gu
This is silly, but also tells a story about the contempt with which politicians hold evidence and statistics. They want to be able to use them as narrative devices, without any responsibility or need for accuracy. They are indignant when this entitlement is questioned. This shows how they really feel about evidence.
In my view this problem is entrenched, and persists, because politicians operate in a permissive environment: popular public scrutiny from the press is hindered, because journalists and editors have the same issues with stats that politicians do. All pretty unfortunate.

More on evidence and politics:
http://www.badscience.net/category/politics/
More on Boris and evidence specifically:
http://www.badscience.net/2010/07/boris-johnson-and-his-innovative-trial-methodology/

Update:

couple of good points from twitter.

1. via @mngreenall: Scholar dished it out to Labour, eg: "Home Sec Jacqui Smith forced to apologise over knife crime figures"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3777808/Home-Secretary-Jacqui-Smith-ap...

2. via @Mayorwatch Boris has form:

http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/statistics-authority-vindicates-concerns-over-may...

http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/rebuke-for-boris-over-crime-stats/201114220

More on Boris and stats:

http://www.adambienkov.com/2011/11/boris-johnsons-false-crime-claims.html

http://fullfact.org/blog/full_fact_statement_boris_johnson_sir_michael_schola...

The Mayor's slight on Sir Michael Scholar is hugely misplaced. He is a former civil servant, was a Permanent Secretary under Conservative and Labour governments, and a Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher (see his biography)...
- 16 November 2011
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6 months ago sykobee (Twitter) responded:

We need an OFPOL (c.f. OFCOM, etc) to regulate politicians and set regulations and policy for their behaviour and practice. And this shouldn't be an agency like that chummy police complaints commission either.

6 months ago John Peat (Facebook) responded:

The easiest way to spot when someone has no retort to any argument is when they attack the person instead of the argument.
Politicians are usually smarter than this, arguing ad-hominem is taboo to them, so why Boris thinks he can get away with it, I've no idea.
Unless he's technically not elected by any meaningful democratic process that is - oh wait!!

6 months ago pkhit (Twitter) liked this post.

6 months ago ianstk (Twitter) responded:

It's not just statistics, it's any (purported) fact at all. This is what distinguishes bullshit from lies: the liar says something knowing it to be false; the bullshitter really doesn't care whether it is true or false, provided it serves the argument. From Frankfurt's "On Bullshit"
http://press.princeton.edu/titles/7929.html

6 months ago John Connolly responded:

Hi Ben,
I think this cuts to the heart of the bad science phenomenon - and bad politics/reporting/healthcare etc. for that matter. I honestly believe that no-one should be allowed to leave secondary school without a fundamental grasp of probability.
Of course, for Johnson, this seems less to do with statistical ineptitude as flat out bullshit - glad to see someone calling him on it.

6 months ago bob responded:

What else would one expect from Boris the bigot?

6 months ago geoff332 (Twitter) responded:

The problem for Sir Michael Scholar is he only has facts and evidence to defend himself with "The independence of the Statistics Authority and its chairman are evident from our published correspondence and reports". Clearly that's not enough...

6 months ago richardpolhill (Twitter) responded:

So what you are saying, Boris, is that you regard anyone who relies on the proper use of statistics and evidence as a Labour stooge?
So that means you identify Labour as being the party of facts, statistics and evidence, and the Conservatives as the opponent of facts?
Even if there were any basis for your claim that Scholar is a "Labour stooge", your linking of facts and truth to your opponents says a lot.
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Boris Johnson gets upset when he's not allowed to misuse statistics. That tells a story.

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