Andrew RT Davies blasts BBC as he seeks GB News U-turn from Llywydd
Emily Price
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies has blasted the BBC in a letter to the Llywydd, Elin Jones asking that she U-turns on her decision to remove GB News from Senedd TVs.
Ms Jones removed the right-wing TV station this week following a recent broadcast that she said was “deliberately offensive, demeaning to public debate and contrary to our Parliament’s values”.
In a letter sent by Mr Davies on Thursday (October 19), he compared the misogynistic comments aired on GB News with that of serious failings at the BBC involving Jimmy Savile who sexually abused children without detection.
In a social media post alongside the letter, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives said: “By banning GB News, the Senedd has set a dangerous precedent. It means the BBC will have to go too.”
Responding to the post, Tory MS Tom Giffard said: “Andrew RT Davies is correct. If we care about the future of [the] Senedd, we need to make sure all views across Wales are heard and properly represented.
“It sets a dangerous precedent to say that our national parliament will only listen to certain views and ignore others.”
Complaints
Earlier this month thousands of complaints were made to Ofcom about GB News following comments made by Laurence Fox during an interview with former Sun journalist, Dan Wootton.
Talking about female journalist, Ava Evans, the former actor and political activist asked what “self-respecting man” would “climb into bed” with her.
During the interview, Dan Wootten smiled when Mr Fox asked,”Who’d want to shag that?”
Laurence Fox has since been sacked by GB News and Dan Wootton remains suspended pending an internal investigation.
The Presiding Officer made reference to the exchange on X, formally know as Twitter, after Mr Davies published a post describing her decision as “disgraceful”.
Responding to Mr Davies, Ms Jones posted: “Do you seriously support a channel that allows a woman to be talked about unchallenged as below to continue to be broadcast on our Senedd internal system? ‘show me a single, self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman … ever …Who’d want to shag that?”
Recently GB News was found to have breached impartiality rules by Ofcom for the third time since its launch in 2021.
The Welsh Tory leader has made regular appearances on the channel and last month he attacked the 20mph speed limit on Dan Wootton’s programme.
The day after the station was removed from the Senedd’s internal TV systems, several Welsh Conservative MSs, including Mr Davies gave interviews to a GB News reporter outside the building.
Scandals
In the letter sent to the Presiding Officer, Mr Davies wrote: “I find your decision to ban the network incredibly disturbing. Put simply, it is censorship. It is also sets a dangerous precedent, which if followed will result in many other broadcasters being removed.
“As you will be aware, the BBC has been involved in a number of scandals over the years. In 2008, obscene comments of an explicit and sexual nature were made about a woman by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross as part of a Radio 2 show.
“Serious allegations against the presenter Jimmy Savile were covered up. And over the past fortnight, it has refused to describe the proscribed organisation Hamas as ‘terrorists’.
“I strongly oppose all of these decisions. Nonetheless, the BBC is a national broadcaster with a large viewership. I watch its content myself and appear frequently on both its TV and radio stations.
“I do not want the BBC to be banned by the Senedd. But the precedent you have set means that will now have to happen. Other media outlets will also need to be removed.
“It is therefore imperative that this precedent is removed as soon as possible. It is in this spirit that I write to request that the Senedd GB News ban is urgently overturned.”
Ms Jones has stated that Senedd Members who wish to continue watching GB News can do so online.
“Offensive”
Nation.Cymru contacted Ms Jones for a statement regarding Mr Davies’ letter.
A spokesman for the Llywydd said Ms Jones won’t be commenting on each issue raised in the letter and the only statement will be the one issued previously: “GB News has been removed from the Senedd’s internal television system following a recent broadcast that was deliberately offensive, demeaning to public debate and contrary to our Parliament’s values.
“There are now several ongoing Ofcom investigations into the channel. The Commission will discuss the issue at a future meeting, and staff and Members who wish to view GB News will still be able to do so online in the Senedd.”
Mr Davies was invited to comment but did not respond.
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To conflate GB News (under investigation by Ofcom) with the long dead Jimmy Saville is frankly bizarre. This is a party taken over by conspiracy theorists.
….I wonder who has been told by their masters in Westminster (another public body that has had amongst its number dangerous sexual predators that it has shielded) that the preferred channel is the one spouting right-wing culture war propaganda that features Tory and other Far-Right politicians?
He really does need to look at who set up GB. Who funds it. The people that present on it, the angle this station is going for. None of it is good or for a decent UK. It is a UK version of Fox News and that is doing immense damage in the US at the moment. Then look at the view espoused without pulling it. It was only post transmission they did anything but the channel continues, and they are happy to sit alongside Farage. The BBC has several issues at the moment with regards interference from the Conservatives,… Read more »
RT says that because Jimmy Saville did what he did, all manner of unacceptable behaviours must now be deemed acceptable so anyone launching a vicious misogynistic attack at a named individual must be free to do so and a station which facilitates that should be available for all to watch in our national Parliament where such behaviour is obviously unacceptable. To the best of my knowledge, this odious man has never once condemned the misogyny on his favourite freak right wing channel nor has he ever condemned any Tory from an ever growing list for sexual misconduct so it seems… Read more »
The arch hypocrit strikes again,trying to claim the moral high ground, he goes back years for a story,but seems to ignore the fact that he will do articles for the Daily Mail and appear in the Mail on line, a paper who supported Hitler and the British league of fascists, at the outbreak of world war 2.
And yet the most popular Welsh newspaper.
Please slow the next passing bandwagon down, so that RT can fully jump on it.
Thanks.
Although generaly a fan of Elin, im afraid i find myself “ keeping dodgey company “ on this one.
We cannot down the road of shutting out unpleasant comments and views we find abhorrent…..
We cannot oppose the 1984 Big Brother 😎
totalitarian bully’s in Russia, Iran , Syria or North Korea while moving in that direction ourselves.
Gwynfor always warned the emerging young Wales to challenge and oppose racist and totalitarian advocates and stand up ⬆️ to
bullies. Words for the 1960s but true to this day.
No one has prevented anyone from viewing GBNews, it’s just been removed from the Senedd’s internal TV system. As the article points out, GBNews can still be viewed online in the Senedd by those who are deluded enough to want to.
As the Senedd’s internal TV system is their own platform, the Senedd is well within its rights to determine what is presented on that platform.
People really need to inform themselves of what censorship really is.
I don’t put gb news on the telly in my workplace either. does that make me guilty of censorship too?
I thinking it’s the stopping of others in our national legislature rather than our own private viewing habits
Tory MS Tom Giffard said: “Andrew RT Davies is correct………“It sets a dangerous precedent to say that our national parliament will only listen to certain views and ignore others.” That is fair comment in isolation. However GB News is pro the elimination of any form of devolved entity and by adopting such a stance it renders itself irrelevant to the Senedd’s activities. So it has no place there.
No dangerous precedent has been set as there has been no censorship, GBNews has merely been denied a platform on the Senedd’s internal TV system. As GBNews can be viewed on other platforms, there is no censorship.
Lets put things in prospective if G B news was a News channel it should not be banned BUT ITS NOT A NEWS CHANNEL it is an Outlet for Tory and right wing propaganda no mor no les no news look at the commentators and interviewers all right wing no body from any other Political party on there and the Odious Oaf Davies on about Saville dont forget the odious witch Thatcher gave him a Knighthood when she was warned by senior Tories at the time and high ranking civil service who knew all about what the vile CREATURE SAVILLE… Read more »
I suspect R2 might be getting cozy with geebeebies in the hope of lining up a presenter’s job when he inevitably ends up on the dole after the next Senedd election.
Yes indeed. He can go there to his spiritual home and become the full Dic Sion Dafydd spewing his venom back at our country to his hearts’ content.
From the Channel that brought you Wootton (how’s the investigation going?), Farage, Fox, Calvin Robinson, the coast guy (7 grades off woo in there), conspiracy theories, attacks on anything not supporting the far right in the UK, laughingly trying to appear serious, we now bring you ARTD.
Yep, it fits.
He’d. ever get a job because he has the communication skills (and appearance) of an elderly aggressive pug with a head injury
Shoe in for GBeebies.
It’s not a news service, it’s a conflict farm. I’d like to see banned entirely.
Let it run but call it what it is. A hate channel. A far right disinformation and mis info channel. Welsh cons appeared with Farage, really, they supported the channel that put up Fox views and only pulled him when the stench was too much. They put up covid conspiracy stuff, you look at who they host and who reads the news etc. and there is no way they should be labelled a news channel. Thing is, after letting Fox and Wootton have their 1960’s sexist “bantz”, would you want that in a modern workplace. Remove it from the EPG,… Read more »
Can I buy thicker planks at B&Q?
When will that fascist foghorn Andrew RT Davies shut up? He whines on and on like a stuck record. Nothing he says is ever constructive or positive for Wales. Remember his numerous gaffs? I do. “Wales needs a bit of Dom”, he said in reference to Dominic Cummings, a man with the COVID virus who travelled hundreds of miles with his family effectively spreading the virus like a Conservative crop sprayer. Man’s a bloody fool! What about his Conservative conference Breakfast (Brexit) speech that included numerous foot-in-mouth moments. He isn’t capable of winning a one legged arse kicking contest let… Read more »
If you ask me, (and nobody has), it’s typical Senedd response… just like the opposition and huge petition against the 20mph imposition, it’s ‘fingers in the ears and it’ll go away’ from Drakeford & Co.
Saville commited many a crime, none on air that I am aware of. If he wants the far right gbeebies back on, tell them to improve their standards, to gain Ofcom approval again. When Andrew Neil, a man with Epstein party links, feels GBNews is extreme. You know its worse than anyone can imagine.