GB News: Politicians' shows under scrutiny in new Ofcom investigations

An episode of Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg's show State of the Nation is one of those being investigated

Media regulator Ofcom has launched four new investigations into GB News after complaints that the channel broke impartiality rules.

Three episodes of shows hosted by Conservative MPs are being investigated in relation to a rule that politicians can't normally act as news presenters.

Programmes hosted by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Philip Davies and Esther McVey are among those being examined.

It takes the number of active Ofcom investigations into GB News to seven.

Politicians as presenters

The UK media watchdog has a rule that prevents politicians from acting as newsreaders, interviewers or reporters in news programmes "unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified".

However, some news networks have argued their programmes hosted by politicians do not break the rules because they should be classed as current affairs rather than news.

In June, Ofcom commissioned research into public attitudes towards such programmes to decide whether the rules should change.

GB News launched in 2021 and also broadcasts on radio

On Monday, Ofcom said it was looking into three editions of GB News programmes in relation to the restrictions on politicians acting as news presenters.

They include the 13 June episode of Sir Jacob's show State of the Nation, which covered a stabbing in Nottingham.

The regulator is also investigating the 12 May episode of Friday Morning with Esther and Phil, which featured issues including a teenager who was being sentenced for terrorism offences.

The following day's Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil is also being investigated under the "politicians as presenters" rule, as well as another rule that says news must be presented with due impartiality.

That episode featured an interview with Howard Cox - the Reform UK Party's candidate for the London mayoral election - who was speaking live from an anti-Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) demonstration.

Finally, Ofcom is investigating an episode of Laurence Fox's programme from 16 June, when it was being guest-presented by Martin Daubney.

That show featured an interview with Reform UK leader Richard Tice and included a discussion about immigration and asylum policy.

The regulator said it was looking into whether the programme broke rules requiring due impartiality to be "preserved on matters of major political or industrial controversy, or those relating to current public policy, and that an appropriately wide range of significant views are included and given due weight".

A spokesman for GB News declined to comment on the investigations.

There are three other Ofcom investigations into the channel - relating to Sir Jacob's show, Davies and McVey's programme, and the channel's Don't Kill Cash campaign.