Why must Grant Shapps spoil a good story with a porkie?

An email arrives from Grant Shapps, chairman of the Tory Party, listing the things the Coalition has achieved in four years.  Here they are:-

• Our economy has grown faster than any other major advanced nation (True – since last year)

• There are more people in work than ever before (True – and amazing)

• We’ve continued to reduce the deficit – down by a half since 2010 (Porkie)

• A million more children are in schools ranked ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, getting a great start in life (True)

• We’ve delivered 2 million apprenticeships since 2010, helping young people learn a trade (True-ish. This includes apprenticeships for over 25s, so it rather stretches the definition of ‘young’)

• Our Help to Buy scheme has helped tens of thousands of people buy their first home (True – alas)

• Income tax has been cut for over 24 million hardworking people (True)

Those who have worked hard all their lives are getting more security in retirement, with the State Pension increased (True – at great expense)

So almost all of these are solid and laudable achievements.