The £100,000 fine imposed by Ofcom on GB News is a direct and unambiguous assault on free speech in the United Kingdom.
For the crime of allowing British citizens to question their then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak directly and openly earlier this year, GB News has now received a hefty financial penalty of £100,000 from Ofcom—enough to make any broadcaster in Britain think twice before doing the same.
The programme at the heart of this scandal, People’s Forum, aired back in February and featured the then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak taking questions from a live audience of everyday Britons. This was not some biased rant, nor a pre-packaged partisan broadcast. No, it was the very essence of public interest programming—an exercise in democracy. And for this, Ofcom has decided that GB News deserves to be punished.
One wonders, does Ofcom truly understand the responsibility that comes with safeguarding free speech? Are they aware that their very purpose as a regulator is not to strangle the diversity of viewpoints but to protect it? When GB News, rightly so, sought permission for a judicial review, the High Court granted it—a clear signal that there are serious concerns about the impartiality of Ofcom’s actions.
Let’s think about what this fine represents. To punish a broadcaster for a programme that saw the head of our government answering questions from the public is not just a financial sanction; it’s a chilling message that dares any broadcaster to allow the public to question those in power. It is the type of heavy-handed regulatory interference that we might expect in some illiberal democracy, not here in Britain.
It is the type of heavy-handed regulatory interference that we might expect in some illiberal democracy, not here in Britain.
And remember, all television channels carried on major UK broadcast platforms such as Freeview, Sky, and Virgin Media must be regulated by Ofcom. Unregulated channels are confined to online-only platforms, drastically limiting their reach and visibility. So it’s not as if GB News can simply take its business elsewhere. They’re forced to submit to a regulator that appears hostile to their politics and all too eager to shut them down.
Still skeptical? Then where, I ask, is the equivalent sanction for those bastions of left-wing bias at the BBC or Sky News? When was the last time Ofcom cracked down on them for lacking ‘due impartiality’? What we’re seeing here is a regulator that applies its powers selectively. The BBC, time and again, has shown clear bias on issues like Brexit and immigration, yet Ofcom’s response remains conspicuously muted. Has Ofcom ever truly scrutinised Newsnight or even BBC News? We know complaints of bias flood in, but it seems they’re ignored, time after time.
What we have here is a serious breach of public trust. Ofcom’s duty is to act fairly and proportionately, not to wield its powers in a manner that chills open debate or punishes only one side of the political spectrum. The British people have a right to hear unfiltered questions from real citizens, to know that their voices matter, and to see that the powerful can be challenged. In attempting to muzzle GB News, Ofcom is effectively trying to muzzle us all.
In attempting to muzzle GB News, Ofcom is effectively trying to muzzle us all.
Angelos Frangopoulos, the CEO of GB News, has rightly denounced this sanction as “unnecessary, unfair, and unlawful.” He’s absolutely correct, and I join him in calling this what it is: a travesty for our cherished principles of free speech and democratic accountability.
In Britain, we do not have kings and emperors who rule by fiat. We have politicians who answer to the people. The People’s Forum was one small step towards restoring that accountability.
Ofcom’s decision to fine GB News for broadcasting it is, frankly, an abomination. And to those who think this is merely about one news channel, let me assure you, it is about all of us. Because if they can silence GB News today, they can silence anyone tomorrow.
Read GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos’ statement in response to the fine:
“The announcement by Ofcom to impose sanctions upon GB News in relation to the People’s Forum is a direct attack on free speech and journalism in the United Kingdom.
“We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful.
“The High Court has already granted GB News permission to bring a judicial review to challenge Ofcom’s decision that the Programme was in breach of due impartiality requirements.
“The sanction proposed by Ofcom is therefore still subject to that legal challenge. The plan to sanction GB News flies in the face of Ofcom’s duty to act fairly, lawfully and proportionately to safeguard free speech, particularly political speech and on matters of public interest.
“We have believed from the very start the People’s Forum was an important piece of public interest programming, and that appropriate steps were taken to ensure due impartiality and compliance with the Broadcasting Code.
“It was designed to allow members of the public to put their own questions directly to leading politicians.
“GB News chooses to be regulated and we understand our obligations under the Code.
“But, equally, Ofcom is obliged by law to uphold freedom of expression and apply its rules fairly and lawfully.
“At the People’s Channel we will continue to fearlessly champion freedom; for our viewers, for our listeners, and for everyone in the United Kingdom. As we have all seen, this is needed more than ever.”
By Claire Bullivant, Editor
Claire is the founder and editor of the Conservative Post and was a co-founder of the Conservative Democratic Organisation. Claire is now setting up www.GreatBritishPAC.com. Pre-register today.
