Paul Ryan's speech 'contained factual errors'

Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan has been accused of making factual errors during his convention speech in Tampa, Florida on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old Wisconsin congressman is a popular figure amongst conservatives due to his firm approach to fiscal issues affecting the United States.

However, fact-checkers listening to his speech pointed out that he had been careless with his information.

Speaking on the future of the government-run health program Medicare, Ryan alleged the White House had cut $716 billion from the scheme.

According to FactCheck.org, President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare reform law did not slash funds from Medicare. Instead it lowered the growth in spending on the scheme in a bid to keep it solvent.

Ryan also failed to mention that he proposed the same cuts in his own budget plans.

He also accused Obama of "political patronage" due to an $800 billion stimulus plan passed in 2008. Again, in his speech Ryan omitted that he had sought to obtain stimulus dollars for energy firms in his home state of Wisconsin.

Ryan was also accused of deceiving voters over the timing of the closure of a General Motors plant in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin after he neglected to note that the plant was shut down under the previous administration of President George W Bush.

On Thursday, the Obama campaign released a web video pointing out Ryan's questionable statements, labeling him as the "wrong choice for the middle class".