BBC Apologise For Branding Reform UK ‘Far Right’ In Article

Richard Tice launches Reform UK’s 2024 general election bid in January with a critique of both the Tory and Labour parties. (Screengrab via The Independent/X)

The BBC apologised to Reform UK leader Richard Tice Tuesday for branding his party “far right” in recent coverage.

Tice’s complaint resulted in the broadcaster’s removal of the contentious wording from an article on the Liberal Democrats’ conference, saying that the phrasing constituted a breach in its own editorial protocols.

Speaking to GB News, Tice said: “There are very significant implications of calling a political party, and by implication, its leader and senior leadership team far right. It is that which is defamatory and libellous. That is why they have apologised immediately.”

The BBC attributed the wording to “news agency copy” and said it took “full responsibility and apologise for the error.”

The correction read: “In an article about the Liberal Democrats’ spring conference we wrongly described the political party Reform UK as far right when referring to polling. This sentence was subsequently removed from the article as it fell short of our usual editorial standards.”

Reform UK was initially founded by now-GB News host Nigel Farage as the Brexit Party, before it’s rebrand. Farage still serves as the party’s honourary president.

The party made headlines this month after former Conservative deputy chair Lee Anderson joined its ranks to become its inaugural MP. Anderson had been suspended from the Conservative Party for remarks claiming that London mayor, Sadiq Khan, was under the influence of Islamists.

Reform UK is continuing to leverage its polling momentum, eyeing a slice of the Conservative voter base.