GB News in breach of Ofcom’s impartiality rules over small boats discussion

GB News is once again in breach of Ofcom’s impartiality rules, following an interview with Martin Daubney and Reform Party leader, Richard Tice on UK’s small boats controversy.

Laurence Fox’s weekly topical debate show which aired on GB News on June 16, was hosted by the former Brexit Party MEP and former deputy leader of the Reclaim Party, filing in for Fox.

During the programme, Daubney and Tice shared their views on the topic of immigration and asylum policy, in the context of controversy over small boats crossing the English Channel, which Ofcom received complaints about.

Following an investigation by the UK media watchdog, it found the in-depth discussion about immigration and asylum policy, which is deemed a matter of major political controversy and current public policy, was in breach of Ofcom rules 5.11 and 5.12.

In a statement Ofcom said, “we consider that GB News should have taken additional steps to ensure that due impartiality was preserved. Our investigation found Mr Tice presented his views on immigration and asylum policy with insufficient challenge, and the limited alternative views presented in the programme were dismissed. The programme therefore did not include and give due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views, as required by the Code.”

GB News have since accepted Ofcom’s findings that the content from the programme was not compliant with the heightened special impartiality requirements in the code.

Another investigation by the media regulator into an episode of GB News’ Lee Anderson’s Real World, on September 29 was cleared following complaints.  The episode featured an interview with Home Secretary, Suella Braverman MP commenting on immigration and border control.