Politics

General election: Labour complains to Ofcom about 'Tory bias' on Sky News


Labour has complained to Ofcom about Sky News – claiming there is Tory bias in the way it has branded the election.

Sky is calling December’s poll “The Brexit Election”.

But Labour believes this description “gives undue and unfair weight to the Conservative Party’s political agenda”.

The party points out that the Tories are using Brexit in their campaign slogan.

Labour said the news channel’s branding “represents unnecessary and slanted editorialising”.

In the complaint, the party wrote: “We are requesting that Ofcom investigates Sky News for its corporate branding of the General Election as ‘The Brexit Election’.

“We believe it gives undue and unfair weight to the Conservative Party’s political agenda because it frames the election in terms chosen by Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party, which is using Brexit in its campaign slogan.

“It is also, of course, the name being used by one of the political parties contesting seats in the election, which is seeking to form an electoral alliance with the Conservatives.

Labour says Sky’s “Brexit Election” branding is too similar to the Conservative Party’s “Get Brexit Done” slogan

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General election 2019

“If Sky had chosen the entirely reasonable branding of The Change Election, that could be argued to favour the Labour Party, which is using ‘It’s Time For Real Change’.

“We do not believe Sky is complying with the special impartiality requirements that must be applied during elections – with particular reference to sections 319(2)(c) and 320 of the Communications Act 2003.

“We believe this corporate branding represents unnecessary and slanted editorialising by Sky. It is the voting public who should decide what issues – and their range and balance – define the election for them.

Labour says, for many voters, this election is about issues such as the NHS, rather than Brexit

 

“Voters might consider it to be The NHS Election, The Climate Election or The Foodbanks Election, depending on their priorities.

“We have raised the issue at a senior level with Sky News on numerous occasions since the branding first appeared.

“It has been made clear that Sky intends to continue to use the branding. We therefore believe we have exhausted our complaints with the broadcaster so we are asking Ofcom to investigate.”

A spokesman for Ofcom said it is assessing the complaints before deciding whether or not to investigate.

Sky News was not available for comment.





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