Panorama: Partygate: Inside the Storm, 大象传媒 Two, 24 May 2022

Complaint

A viewer complained the programme was biased against Labour as a result of 鈥false equivalence鈥 between the Downing Street lockdown socialising known as Partygate and Sir Keir Starmer鈥檚 contested lockdown gathering in Durham, and of Labour鈥檚 Wes Streeting being 鈥済rilled like a criminal suspect鈥 .聽 The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards of impartiality.


Outcome

The programme was an investigation by Laura Kuenssberg into the Downing Street gatherings, and an examination of Boris Johnson鈥檚 culpability for them and his ability to survive the criticism they provoked.聽 The Durham gathering was not presented as equivalent, either in duration or gravity as a potential breach of regulations, and occupied only about five of the programme鈥檚 57 minutes.聽 In the ECU鈥檚 judgement, the interview with Wes Streeting, though challenging, consisted of questions it was legitimate to put to someone speaking as a representative of the Shadow Cabinet defending the Leader of the Opposition, and he had fair opportunity to answer them.聽 The ECU therefore found no breach of the 大象传媒鈥檚 standards of impartiality.聽
Not upheld