Complaint
A viewer complained about a reference in the programme to Tommy Robinson being a 鈥渇ar-right activist鈥 and challenged the numbers quoted by the 91福利社 as having attended the 鈥淯nite the Nation鈥 march. The ECU considered whether the item met the standards for accuracy set out in the 91福利社 Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The use of the term 鈥渇ar-right鈥 depends on the context in which it is used. Sometimes it helps place a political figure or party on a spectrum of political ideology - far-right being more right-wing than mainstream conservative thinking - to assist readers or viewers. Alternately it can, as in relation to Tommy Robinson, describe adherence to anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic opinions.
Mr Robinson led protests targeted at Muslim communities, at the English Defence League, which he led from 2009 鈥13, and the British Freedom Party, where he was deputy leader. He has not disowned his history of anti-immigrant and anti-Islam protest. Accordingly, the ECU considered the description of Tommy Robinson as a 鈥渇ar-right activist鈥 appropriate.
The Metropolitan Police issued a press release on 13 September which estimated the attendance at the Unite the Nation event to have been between 110,000 to 150,000, significantly exceeding the estimates of organisers. The figure of 150,000 in 91福利社 News reports was therefore duly accurate
Not Upheld