Ofcom has decided not to investigate GB News after presenter Bev Turner insisted there was no riot in Belfast in June, despite cars and houses being set alight, attacks on police, and families fleeing their homes. The media regulator received 446 complaints about Turner's comments on the broadcaster's Late Show Live, where she said there “weren’t riots” and that no houses had been burned.
Turner's Controversial Comments
During a show broadcast hours after the unrest, Turner stated: “There was no riot. There is not a house that has been burnt down. There are no riots.” When guest Matthew Stadlen pointed to footage of burning cars and houses, Turner replied she had seen it and it was “not that dramatic”. The violence in Belfast broke out after a Sudanese man was charged with attempted murder in relation to a knife attack. A video of the attack was posted by Tommy Robinson and other far-right figures, prompting protests.
Ofcom's Rationale
Ofcom said it would not investigate because Turner was expressing her personal view and was challenged by a guest. The regulator stated: “Taking into account that the comments reflected her personal view and received robust challenge by a guest – who referenced specific aspects of the disorder which countered the presenter’s own analysis – the programme did not raise potentially substantive issues warranting further investigation.” Turner later said on social media that she had been “relying on sparse footage and interpreting media descriptions” and feared the disorder would be used “by the government to introduce more powers of control”.
Criticism of the Decision
Critics argue the decision shows Ofcom has set a low bar for compliance. Richard Wilson, director of Reliable Media, said: “Whether or not a house burned down is not a matter of opinion … It now looks like Ofcom has told GB News that as long as someone in the studio disagrees with you, you can say what you like about settled facts. That’s not regulation. It’s a green light.” Chris Banatvala, who drafted Ofcom’s code, said Turner’s comments were “clearly misleading” and risked “fuelling conspiracy theories”. He added: “At a time when Ofcom is cracking down on misinformation … it appears to be allowing GB News to go unchecked, despite the higher legal standards that apply to broadcasters.” GB News was approached for comment.
