Key Highlights :
1. Esther McVey and Philip Davies spoke to Mr Hunt ahead of the spring Budget.
2. Media watchdog Ofcom said it was looking into whether the show broke its rules “requiring news and current affairs to be presented with due impartiality”.
3. SNP MP John Nicolson previously suggested there had been a breach because the pair acted as interviewers.
4. Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes later wrote to the committee to clarify the rules on politicians presenting and appearing on TV programmes.
5. The guidelines currently say: “No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified. “In that case, the political allegiance of that person must be made clear to the audience.”
6. A number of serving MPs currently host programmes on TV. Former culture secretary Ms Dorries hosts a Friday night talk show for TalkTV, while Tory MP for North East Somerset Rees-Mogg is fronting a regular programme for GB News.
7. Ofcom also confirmed it was not pursuing 40 complaints about due impartiality made about Ms Dorries’ interview with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson on February 3.
8. The watchdog said it had “exceptionally” decided to publish the reasons for its decision because its assessment had involved “matters of public interest”.
The UK regulator, Ofcom, has launched an investigation into whether GB News breached impartiality rules by airing an interview between two Tory MPs and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The interview, which took place on the day of the Budget, was seen as favourable to the Conservative Party. Ofcom has the power to impose fines of up to £500,000 on GB News.
Continue Reading at Source : belfasttelegraph