Jacob Rees-Mogg locked horns with former BBC and Channel 4 journalist Michael Crick in a fiery debate about Ofcom’s latest GB News ruling.
The People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, which saw Rishi Sunak take questions from the audience during a live hour-long programme on February 12, was deemed by the media watchdog to have broken broadcasting due impartiality rules.
Crick, an outspoken critic of the channel, joined Jacob on State of the Nation to argue that Ofcom had taken the correct steps.
But the GB News star hit back and suggested the media regulator was keen to have a “more left-wing” programme.
Jacob Rees-Mogg clashed with Michael Crick on GB News
GB NEWS
Asked why he is “not a fan” of GB News, Crick said “it’s a right-wing propaganda channel”.
He added: “I think it’s absurd that you’re allowed to get away with ridiculous scenarios where you [Rees-Mogg] interview Nigel Farage, one senior right-wing politician interviewing another.
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“You can’t get away with that on any other channel.”
Jacob responded: “Nigel Farage’s critique of the Conservative Party when I interviewed him was brutal.”
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He went on to argue that left-wing interviews take place on Channel 4 “every day of the week”.
Crick continued his argument by saying GB News are “taking the mick” out of Ofcom and the regulator’s leaders “aren’t up to it”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg was joined by Michael Crick and Toby Young
GB NEWS
“But this ruling is like Al Capone being prosecuted for tax evasion”, he added.
“Ofcom is right when they said GB News should have allowed members of the audience to follow up.
“They let Rishi Sunak ramble on for far too long.”
Rees-Mogg waded in to say the questions were “pretty tough”, a point disputed by Crick who argued Sunak would have been “delighted” with the line of questioning.
The audience for the People's Forum was independently selectedGB News“This seems to be fundamentally about freedom of speech”, said Jacob.
“You must be able to have a programme that questions the Prime Minister and decides what is suitable.
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“Ofcom is applying its rules erratically, unfairly and it just wanted a left-wing programme.”
Ofcom said GB News should have taken “additional steps to mitigate” risks because of the “very high compliance” needed.
“We consider that the Prime Minister had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a UK general election,” the media watchdog said.
“We have therefore recorded a breach of rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Broadcasting Code against GB News.”
In a statement, GB News said: “Ofcom’s finding against GB News today is an alarming development in its attempt to silence us by standing in the way of a forum that allows the public to question politicians directly.
“The regulator’s threat to punish a news organisation with sanctions for enabling people to challenge their own Prime Minister strikes at the heart of democracy at a time when it could not be more vital.”