Complaint
An item in the programme’s 8am news summary reported a call by a Green MSP for the First Minister to reaffirm the Scottish government’s commitment to control anti-abortion protests, and referred to concerns about views expressed by the Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, in an interview in 2023, to the effect that prayer outside abortion clinics should not be banned. A listener complained that, by referring to this concern without mentioning that Ms Forbes had voted in favour of the relevant legislation a few days previously, the item gave a misleading impression calculated to cast doubt on her integrity and honesty.  The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
The item in question was short (lasting just over a minute) and broadcast in a context where Green MSPs had expressed concern that, in the light of Ms Forbes’ previously-expressed opposition to aspects of it, the Scottish government might yet support amendments which would dilute the legislation’s protections. As such a possibility was not precluded by Ms Forbes’ recent voting record, the ECU saw no departure from due accuracy or impartiality in not mentioning it in this context.
Not upheld