Complaint
A viewer complained an interview with Priti Patel showed 鈥渙pen hostility鈥 towards the then Home Secretary and was 鈥渙vertly aggressive鈥. 聽The ECU considered whether the report by the 大象传媒鈥檚 Home Editor Mark Easton met the 大象传媒 standards on impartiality.
Outcome
The Guidelines say the 大象传媒 must always 鈥渟crutinise arguments, question consensus and hold power to account with consistency and due impartiality鈥. 聽In this case, it was editorially justified to challenge Ms Patel over the delay in issuing visas to Ukrainians seeking to come to the UK and to question why the UK had taken proportionately fewer Ukrainians than countries such as Germany and Ireland. 聽Senior politicians such as Ms Patel expect to be held to account for the performance of their Government departments and to face questions about policy and matters of public interest. 聽The ECU acknowledged Mr Easton鈥檚 questions were robust and challenging but noted they were based on evidence. 聽Ms Patel apologised for the delays and said she was frustrated by what was happening. 聽The聽 interview included her assertion there had been a surge in the number of staff on the ground in France and there were now 鈥渉undreds of Home Office staff doing visa applications, processing on the ground, providing support鈥. 聽She also explained a bespoke centre to process applicants had been set up in France in conjunction with the French Government. 聽In the ECU鈥檚 view the manner and tone of the interview did not go beyond what would be regarded as generally acceptable in a political interview of this kind and Ms Patel was given an appropriate opportunity to respond and set out her position on a matter of public interest.
Not Upheld