Complaint
The programme included an interview with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg on the House of Commons Privileges Committee鈥檚 report on the conduct of Boris Johnson while Prime Minister.聽 A listener complained that Sir Jacob had been allowed to make his case, which included unfounded and potentially defamatory comments about the Chair of the Committee, Harriet Harman, without appropriate challenge.聽 The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards of impartiality.
Outcome
In pressing Sir Jacob on a range of issues, the interviewer referred to his views on Ms Harman鈥檚 position but did not persist in a line of questioning about them.聽 The ECU noted, however, that the interview formed part of a sequence which also consisted of a summary of the report and its main conclusions, Boris Johnson鈥檚 response (in the form of a press statement), an interview with the Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant and analysis by the 大象传媒鈥檚 Political Editor Chris Mason, none of which it was reasonable to judge in isolation.聽 The ECU also noted that Sir Jacob鈥檚 argument that the report was fatally undermined by Ms Harman鈥檚 record as a critic of Mr Johnson was put to Sir Chris, who put a contrary view.聽 In the context, this sufficed to ensure the impartiality of the sequence on the point in question.
Not upheld