Culture Secretary Accused Of ‘Disinformation’ Double Standard In Condemning MPs On Russia Today But Not GB News

Committee member John Nicolson criticised Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer for not condemning Conservative colleagues hosting GB News shows with presenters who spread “disinformation,” despite her past condemnation of MPs appearing on Russia Today for the same reason.

The feisty exchange happened at a Culture, Media & Sport Committee hearing on Wednesday. Having just grilled the Culture Secretary on her having urged the BBC to label Hamas as “terrorists” in its news reports in a private meeting, Scottish National Party MP Nicolson pressed on to interrogate Frazer about GB News.

Opening his new line of questioning, Nicolson said: “Your predecessors rightly condemned Russia Today as a channel which spouted disinformation and argued that no Member of Parliament should ever be in Russia Today.”

He added: “I agree with all of them. I was offered lots of money by Russia Today. would throw money at MPs to appear. I always said no, it was a mouthpiece for Putin, it sprouted propaganda and no self-respecting MP should ever have appeared on it.”

Rounding on his question he asked: “So what do you think about your colleagues who appear on GB News as some of their fellow presenters spout disinformation?”

“Can I just clarify, are you equating GB News with Russia Today?” Frazer returned.

Nicolson replied: “Well, they both spread disinformation, yes. One is subject to Ofcom rules. The other has been taken off air by Ofcom for repeated breaches of Ofcom rules. And we know GB News is going down that road at the moment by defiant breaches of Ofcom.”

He continued: “But how do you feel about your colleagues popping up on GP News alongside spreaders of COVID and other disinformation?”

Frazer replied that breaches of the broadcasting code “are matters for Ofcom” which regulates GB News.

Nicolson, however, didn’t relent. He continued to quote GB News host Neil Oliver calling the climate crisis “all lies.”

He added: “​​So he comes out with this nonsense and then up pops [Jacob Rees-]Mogg & Co. to give the channel some credibility.”

He approached the question again: “I put it to you that in the same way that you and your colleagues condemned those MPs who sat beside spreaders of disinformation from Russia Today, you should also be condemning your colleagues who sit beside people who are COVID deniers and climate change deniers. They shouldn’t be on that channel.”

The Culture Secretary replied: “Well, that’s your view, I would say.”

“What’s your view?” the committee member said.

Frazer reiterated her position: “My view is that GB News is regulated by Ofcom. As was Russia Today. As is ITV regulated by Ofcom, as are a whole host of other things and it’s Ofcom’s responsibility, as you are aware, to make sure that it does its job and that is Ofcom’s responsibility.”

Unsold on the response, Nicolson noted: “Sure but the difference of course is that you condemned MPs who appeared in Russia today because the channel spread disinformation. You’re choosing not to do so with colleagues who appear on GB News.”