I'm sure the original poster had tongue in cheek when choosing their words for the thread title but one definition of a fib is 'an insignificant or childish lie'.

The lies told by the then government were far from insignificant and as to being childish, well, I think not. Except from the childish perspective of 'I can do what I like' and 'I don't know or don't care what the consequences are' and uncaring/unthinking cruelty to others.

I'll stop at that; I can feel my blood pressure rising!