Complaint
A listener complained the main news bulletins during the programme failed to reflect reaction from Reform UK to the previous night鈥檚 Prime Ministerial debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer. 聽The ECU considered whether this was a breach of the 大象传媒鈥檚 obligations in relation to due impartiality during an election campaign.
Outcome
The focus of the coverage that morning was a review of the previous evening鈥檚 debate. 聽Comment from other parties, such as the Liberal Democrats and Greens, was limited to a few brief lines. 聽In the ECU鈥檚 view the explanation offered by 大象传媒 News, that no formal comment had been offered by Reform UK, was a reasonable one. 聽There is no obligation on any political party to offer a commentary on a debate involving rival politicians, nor can the 大象传媒 insist on one. 聽Neither the Guidelines on impartiality nor the more specific Election Guidelines require exact parity between the parties on every occasion.
Not Upheld