‘Enforced veganism’: Ofcom lets GB News flout accuracy rules, say climate campaigners | Climate crisis

The UK TV and radio regulator allowed GB News and others to “ignore” accuracy rules and broadcast climate change denial, campaigners say. Examples cited include describing global warming as “climate fraud” and suggesting the government would introduce “forced veganism.”

Ofcom has received 1,221 complaints about the climate crisis since its searchable database began operating in January 2020. None led to a determination that the broadcast code had been violated. In fact, only two such violations have been detected since 2007.

More than 50 of the complaints were made by campaign group Reliable Media about UK News programs since March 2024. The group said the segments contained false statements about climate collapse that were either unchallenged or failed to be counterbalanced. Ofcom assessed the complaints but did not follow up on any of them. Campaigners accused Ofcom of “effectively suspending the rules of fairness in this matter of life and death”.

In contrast, French regulator Arcom found four broadcast code breaches related to the climate crisis in the past two years. One of them was the right-wing channel CNews. Fined €20,000 (£17,000) for a segment in which a speaker says climate change is “a lie, a hoax”.

GB News said campaigners were politically motivated and wanted to shut down public debate.

The Guardian reviewed a sample of 18 complaints made by Reliable Media. Among them was GB News presenter Ben Leo, who described global warming as follows: “Climate fraud” in April 2025 and as a guest on the September 2024 show hosted by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. criticize them “Those who say, ‘Oh global warming, global warming, global warming’ as if it’s a problem. Go out tonight and you’ll see that it’s not.” In November 2024, GB News presenter Leo Kearse misleadingly claimed that the UK government Introduce “mandatory veganism”.

Lewis Schaffer, a regular contributor to the Headliners show, claimed in July 2024 “Climate change is nonsense” and unlike the “culture war,” “climate is an all-out war.” Schaffer a few weeks ago requested “the truth is that climate change is not a real thing” and “we have been lied to”.

another guest Said in June 2024 “We have been checking the change since 1979 and comparing it with the predictions of the UN models… and nothing is happening as said.” In fact, UN climate models are quite accurate.

Burning fossil fuels, “it definitely caused global warming”According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC is a collaboration of thousands of leading scientists and its conclusions are signed by 195 member countries, including the United Kingdom. The IPCC said “widespread losses and damage to nature and people” will continue to intensify and a rapid reduction of carbon emissions to net zero is necessary: ​​“There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.”

Ofcom broadcast code It requires that fact-based programs “do not materially mislead the viewer” and that “the news, by any means necessary, must be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.” The rules also require that if program hosts express their own views on political debates or issues of public policy, “alternative viewpoints must be adequately represented.” Guidance notes on the regulation add: “An example of an issue that Ofcom generally considers to be resolved is the scientific principles behind the theory of anthropogenic global warming.”

“Frankly, we are all free as individuals to have whatever opinion we want,” said Richard Wilson, director of Reliable Media. “But running a TV or radio station [means] You promise to maintain some pretty basic standards of accuracy and precision. “The problem is that Ofcom is now allowing some TV and radio stations to break the rules and on an issue like climate change the stakes could not be higher.”

Ofcom was “hiding behind a simplistic and distorted definition of freedom of expression”, he said, adding that Arcom’s approach in France showed that it was possible for regulators to take firm action on climate-related misinformation.

A spokesman for Ofcom said: “We apply our rules fairly and proportionately, always acting independently and impartially. In line with the right to freedom of expression, our rules allow for robust debate on topical issues and broadcasters are free to include controversial views in their programmes, provided they comply with the rules.”

In response to a freedom of information request, Ofcom said “There has been no recent research” on climate change. It was stated that the only investigation recorded was from 2017 and 2007. BBC Radio 4 And channel 4 It was decided to violate the broadcast code respectively.

A. Great Britain News The spokesman said: “The only thing ‘credible’ about all these politically motivated activist groups is their desire to shut down public debate, even if the broadcaster complies fully with the rules. Unfortunately for them, they are losing. GB News is fearless in covering all perspectives, including those that may challenge the so-called consensus.”

Arcom announced that broadcast rules regarding climate change have been violated four times since 2023. In addition to fining CNews for a 2023 television segment in which a speaker said climate change was “a lie, a hoax” and “a form of totalitarianism,” Sud Radio accepted warnings After programs that included “strict and uncontradictory treatment in which several statements contradict or minimize the current scientific consensus on climate change” amounting to “a failure on the part of the company to meet its duty of honesty.”

Pauline Combredet-Blassel, deputy director of Arcom, said in April: “Since there is a scientific consensus on climate change, we verify whether there is a reference in the controversial section, and if there is no reference, we intervene.”

Eva Morel, KotaClimateThe French campaign group, which referred climate complaints to Arcom, said: “It is perfectly fine to have different views on climate change. What becomes problematic is when a society can no longer agree on the facts, because facts are the basis of trust, which in turn forms the basis of law and ultimately democracy.”

He added: “When the media blurs the lines between facts and opinions, it doesn’t lead people to trust alternative facts; it leads them to distrust anything at all. Sowing doubt about climate science serves to hinder climate action and puts lives at risk.”