Jeremy Hunt interview with fellow Tory MPs breached Ofcom impartiality rules

Ofcom has found that an interview with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on GB News breached impartiality rules.

The segment in question was hosted by presenters Esther McVey, the Tory MP for Tatton, and Shipley MP Philip Davies, ahead of the spring budget.

The watchdog said: โ€œGiven 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.

A spokesperson for Ofcom added: โ€œOur investigation therefore concluded that GB News failed to represent and give due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views on a matter of major political controversy and current public policy within this programme, in breach of (the) rules.โ€

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SNP MP John Nicolson, who sits on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, previously suggested there had been a breach because the pair acted as interviewers.

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes later wrote to the committee to clarify the rules on politicians presenting and appearing on TV programmes.

The guidelines currently say: โ€œNo politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified.

โ€œIn that case, the political allegiance of that person must be made clear to the audience.โ€

A number of serving MPs currently host programmes on TV.

Former culture secretary Ms Dorries has regularly appeared on a Friday night talk show for TalkTV, while Tory MP for North East Somerset Rees-Mogg regularly presents a programme on GB News.

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