“GB News peddled unverified and frankly racist statistics to thousands grounded in dodgy methods.”
GB News has been accused of peddling “frankly racist statistics” after it presented unscientific research which counted the number of defendants with foreign sounding names.
Ofcom has received complaints about a segment aired last week where GB News’ Martin Daubney presented what he called “exclusive analysis” of crimes committed by non-British people.
The figures, gathered by solicitor and media commentator Marcus Johnstone, used a methodology which involved going to nine crown courts over a six-week period and counting the number of defendants with non-British sounding surnames.
Johnstone admitted that “the analysis based on names is not scientific”.
“We know there’s problems with that, but it’s the best that we can get at the moment because there’s no other data being obtained,” he added.
One of the complaints to the regulator was submitted by Anna Sabine, the Liberal Democrats’ culture, media and sport spokesperson.
She said she believes GB News has breached Ofcom’s broadcasting code, which says “views and facts must not be misrepresented”.
Sabine said: “GB News peddled unverified and frankly racist statistics to thousands grounded in dodgy methods”.
“Turning up to court and counting people with names that don’t sound British to you is no way to engage with the complex and sensitive topic of immigration.”
The Lib Dem MP also said: “It risks stirring up hatred and stoking division among communities who are part of the fabric of Britain.”
The Lib Dems are calling for Ofcom to launch an investigation into GB News and “take serious action”.
Responding to the GB News’ segment, a spokesperson from campaign group Stop Funding Hate, told Left Foot Forward: “Racist media coverage has dangerous real-world consequences – and Ofcom has clear rules against hateful and “materially misleading” content.
“So clearly the broadcasting regulator should take action in this case – but serious questions must also be asked about Ofcom’s systematic failure to act up until this point.”
However, the spokesperson added: “Under its current chair, Ofcom has repeatedly refused to apply its rules to GB News, enabling the channel to pump out increasingly dangerous and extreme messages.
“Ofcom is accountable to Parliament via the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. Whatever the outcome in this specific case, it’s time for the Committee to investigate what’s been going wrong with Britain’s broadcasting regulator and how things have been allowed to get this bad.”
A GB News spokesperson called the complaints “politically motivated”.
They said: “Unlike some other broadcasters, GB News takes its compliance seriously.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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