GB News Broke Impartiality Rules During Jeremy Hunt Interviews, Says Ofcom

Undated image of the GB News logo. GB News/PA

The television channel GB News has been reprimanded by the watchdog Ofcom for breaching impartiality rules when two Conservative MPs—who are married and jointly host a programme—interviewed the chancellor of the exchequer, Jeremy Hunt earlier this year.

It is the third time GB News has breached the impartiality rules since its launch two years ago.

In a ruling (pdf) on its website, Ofcom said the episode of “Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil” on March 11, 2023—four days before Mr. Hunt presented his Spring Budget—was a breach of impartiality.

The programme is presented by Esther McVey and Philip Davies, two Tory MPs, and their guest was one of the leading lights of the Conservative Party.

Ofcom said: “Our investigation found ... that in discussing these matters, the programme was overwhelmingly reflective of the viewpoints of different strands of opinion within the Conservative Party.”

‘Limited References to Wider Perspective’

“There were only very limited references to wider perspectives on UK economic and fiscal policy in the context of the forthcoming budget. For example, no real attention was given anywhere in the programme to the viewpoints of politicians, political parties, organisations or individuals that either, for example, criticised, opposed or put forward policy alternatives to the viewpoints given by the three Conservative politicians,” it added.

Ofcom added: “Given this programme featured two sitting MP presenters from one political party interviewing the Chancellor of the same political party about a matter of major political controversy and current public policy, we consider, in these circumstances, that GB News should have taken additional steps to ensure that due impartiality was preserved.”

Last month it emerged GB News was facing a number of investigations by Ofcom, including one in relation to an episode of Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg’s show “State Of The Nation.”

Ofcom said on Monday it had received 45 complaints about the Jeremy Hunt interview, which was focused on the government’s fiscal policy ahead of the Spring Budget.

The watchdog said it recognised, “that, in line with the right to freedom of expression, broadcasters are free to decide the editorial approach of their programmes.”

Ofcom said: “We also consider it essential for current affairs programmes to be able to discuss and analyse controversial matters and take a position on those issues. But in doing so, broadcasters must observe the rules set out in the Broadcasting Code.”

Under the code’s rules 5.11 and 5.12 it is required that an, “appropriately wide range of significant views must be included and given due weight” in current affairs programmes.

Ofcom said this was the third breach of impartiality rules since GB News was launched in June 2021 and they said they had, “six further investigations open into the channel’s compliance with our due impartiality rules.”

When GB News was launched it was described in a Guardian column as being “anti-impartiality news” but its CEO Angelos Frangopoulos, a former chief executive at Sky News Australia, described it as “adding plurality to UK media” and said it aimed, “to serve British communities who feel poorly represented by mainstream television media, especially outside London.”

GB News Says Definition of Impartiality is ‘Imprecise’

In a statement following Ofcom’s latest ruling, GB News said: “We are disappointed by Ofcom’s ruling on our programme, ‘Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil.’ We feel that the regulator’s definition of ‘due impartiality’ is imprecise.”

It added: “Ofcom’s finding also accepts that our programme included ‘reference to a wider range of views’ in its interview with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ahead of his budget in March. These included opinions from independent journalist and commentator Michael Crick and SDP politician Patrick O’Flynn, who disagreed with Mr Hunt on several key points.”

GB News said: “Our programme featured a range of views from our audience, and from two business owners who offered different perspectives on how the issues would affect them. Our two presenters, both Conservative MPs, also challenged Mr. Hunt.”

“GB News chose to be regulated by Ofcom, and we are proud to play our part in bringing a wider range of opinion to Britain’s media landscape. We take compliance seriously, and we believe our programme embraces this. We will reflect on Ofcom’s view,” the statement concluded.

PA Media contributed to this report.