It's time Welsh Senedd's worrying ban on GB News finally ended if free speech is to be defended in Britain - Andrew RT Davies

GB News is a mainstream news channel. In only the last few days, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds have all appeared on GB News as part of the UK Government’s morning media round.

How can we be in a situation where people who work in the Senedd can’t view the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s entire media round on internal televisions, just because some people don’t enjoy GB News?

This is clearly ridiculous. While GB News’ frank style might bother some sensitive Members of the Senedd, that’s not a reason to remove it from the internal televisions. This is censorship.

George Orwell, who wrote 1984 about big state censorship and totalitarianism, said: “If Liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear”.

I believe it would do some Senedd Members some good to break out of their left wing echo-chamber and hear some views they don’t agree with.

There is, in general, a worrying trend of censorship in Britain. It’s been reported this year that pubs could be forced to ban customers from discussing subjects like religion and transgender rights thanks to Labour’s workers’ right reforms.

Indeed, the Equality and Human Rights Commission have said the rules could “disproportionately curtail” free expression.

The Senedd’s GB News ban is part of this worrying trend.

Proponents of the ban tell us that people in the Senedd can still access GB News online. Well, thanks very much, but GB News is a television channel which the Senedd has deliberately taken off the system.

The fact it’s available online is neither here nor there. The televisions are there to help us do our jobs, and a key part of that is keeping up to date with news and key interviews. Now that GB News forms part of the Government’s broadcast round, not having it puts lawmakers in the dark.

Contrast this approach with Donald Trump’s White House. Whether you like him or not, I think it’s admirable that Trump’s White House is inviting podcasters and smaller news providers to apply for White House press passes so the government can reach audiences where they are.

Meanwhile, in the Senedd, well-established, mainstream broadcasters are being banned just because a small group of people don’t like their output.

It might sound to some like a small issue, but when free speech is not protected in a lawmaking body in Wales, that sets a dangerous precedent.

My colleague Darren Millar was shut down in the Senedd recently when he was factually describing a grooming gang victim’s harrowing story because the Presiding Officer said he risked “inflaming discrimination” by being “overly descriptive”.

This pattern, of banning television channels, policing language and shutting down debate, is all part of an effort to control the narrative.

Welsh Secretary tears into Senedd for GB News ban

A Parliament – if that’s what the Senedd wishes to be – should channel the voice of the people and allow debate.

But the current situation will lead many in Wales to conclude that free speech and diversity of opinion is not welcome in the Senedd.

It’s time to re-think this knee-jerk ban, which looked silly when it began, but looks frankly ridiculous now.

I hope common sense will prevail, and we can get some common sense tele back on in the Senedd.