Complaint
This edition included an interview with the former 91福利社 Secretary, Priti Patel, in which she described pro-Palestinian demonstrations as 鈥渉补迟别-尘补谤肠丑别蝉鈥. A viewer complained this remark should have been challenged. The ECU considered whether the programme met the 91福利社 Guidelines on impartiality.
Outcome
Ms Patel made her remarks in the context of a question about her then colleague Robert Jenrick, who had supported someone accused of burning a copy of the Quran. She was asked whether she and her party would support someone accused of burning a Torah, or a Bible but in her reply chose instead to criticise recent pro-Palestinian marches. She was not challenged on this point, but the ECU noted the presenter was seeking to get Ms Patel to engage with the question she was asked, rather than discussing the marches. Whilst Ms Patel鈥檚 view was undoubtedly controversial, in the ECU鈥檚 view the distinction between the view of a politician and a matter of settled fact was clear and audiences to a political news show would judge what was said accordingly.
Not Upheld