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Nigel Farage takes swipe at Guto Harri following ‘taking the knee’ storm

21 Jul 2021 3 minute read
Guto Harri. Picture handout by GB News. Right, Nigel Farage. Picture by Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nigel Farage has taken a swipe at Guto Harri following a blazing row about taking the knee.

The former UKIP and Brexit Party leader criticised the Welsh broadcaster for making the anti-racism gesture while speaking on his new GB News show.

Farage, who does occasional broadcast work, had a dig at Harri for being a “part-time presenter” who made a “political gesture”.

Harri quit the ‘anti-woke’ channel after he was rebuked by bosses for taking the knee during a live discussion about racism towards England’s black footballers.

In a column for The Sunday Times, he called the channel an “absurd parody” that is pandering to the far right, adding that he faced a “tsunami of disappointment, resentment and hate” after his on-air gesture had offended the “lynch mob”.

Farage has been drafted in by the GB News following a slump in viewer figures. Some shows have recorded zero viewers.

He said: “And yes, there was a part-time presenter who made a political gesture that wouldn’t be allowed on any channel in the United Kingdom. And he’s gone – those are the negatives.”

At the beginning of his broadcast, he said: “Good evening, this is GB News and we are five weeks old. A fledgling in broadcasting terms.

“I’m sure you’ve read and seen some criticism of GB News, the sets are dull and black and boring. Well, have a look around, you can see things are changing.

“Some of the tech issues didn’t work on day one. Well, show me a broadcaster that ever launched that didn’t have some tech issues on day one but they’re improving too.”

‘Resignation letter’ 

In his resignation letter to GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos, which was obtained by The Independent, Harri explains his reasons for quitting.

It says: “Before I took the knee on air I discussed it with my producer, director, co-presenters and head of newsroom.

“After I did it, GB News captured the moment and proactively cascaded it on social media.

“Two days later you told me you wanted me to take a break for the summer. You did not say you were briefing papers and issuing a statement that accused me of breaching your editorial standards.

“I asked you to change that on the night – pointing out it was defamatory. You ignored my texts and refused to take my calls.”


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Quornby
Quornby
3 years ago

Guto Harri is a tory nobody and his being attacked by yesterday’s racist nobody is of no interest.

Phil Davies
Phil Davies
3 years ago
Reply to  Quornby

Seems to be of great interest to Nation.Cymru. They seem obsessed with it. Oh and Paw Patrol!

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
3 years ago
Reply to  Phil Davies

Patrol Pawennau, please. Paw Patrol’s viewing figures would cause even more embarrassment for GBN!

Phil Davies
Phil Davies
3 years ago
Reply to  Huw Davies

Patrol Pawennau, os gwelwch yn dda, os gwelwch yn dda!

Chris
Chris
3 years ago

I don’t have a horse in this race. (Sorry probably should’t use the r-word on anything to do with GB News). A pox on both their houses.
It was inevitable though that Kermit Moseley was going to try and make a grand comment about the knee thing.
“Free Speech” broadcaster my hairy backside!

Phil Davies
Phil Davies
3 years ago

If Guto discussed it with the catalogue of production staff he lists then I hardly think his gesture could be described as ‘spontaneous’.

Chris
Chris
3 years ago
Reply to  Phil Davies

Or indeed “against the rules” . GB News just pandering to the prejudices of their viewer

Phil Davies
Phil Davies
3 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Has it occurred to anyone that he might just have fallen for their ploy and reinforced their anti-woke stance?

Chris
Chris
3 years ago
Reply to  Phil Davies

The Greeks had a saying “and there’s trouble in the gypsy camp” meaning, “doesn’t involve me, I don’t care”.
On that note: There’s trouble in GB News”

hdavies15
hdavies15
3 years ago

“Savaged by a paper tiger” – some headline !

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
3 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Cofiwch Jo Cox…

hdavies15
hdavies15
3 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

esbonia le mae’r cysylltiad.

Rwy’n cofio Jo Cox yn iawn, a peth o wybodaeth amdani cyn ei llofruddiaeth erchyll gan yr eithafwr a gafodd ei funudau yn yr “headlines”. Pur debyg taw hynny oedd ei nod, bod yn enwog yn y gymuned a fydde yn troi Prydain yn ynys 100% Seisnig anoddefgar.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
3 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Mae’n ddrwg gen i, I’d better answer this in English, I have no proof but I believe in my heart that Farage’s constant presence on the front pages of most of the newspapers and especially him being so often on the BBC and given so much opportunity to spread his lies’ by the BBC, added the legitimacy needed for this man to carry out such a deed. Boris also raised it out of the gutter and gave it wings…in my opinion.

Last edited 3 years ago by Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
3 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

The smirking face of Dom Cummings, when reminded of his little lie about the thousands of Turks coming this way, on the Guardian right now, echo’s what I am arguing. There should be a trial of all these individuals one day…in my opinion.

Chris
Chris
3 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Oh absolutely both Farage and the BBC have Jo Cox’s blood on their hands. Farage for being the disgusting new Moseley, inciting the base instincts of the scummy mob, and the apologist BBC for providing the political no mark a daily platform. Oh and the same for dePfeffel

Johnny Gamble
Johnny Gamble
3 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Yet Farage and his followers are always branding The BBC leftwing and woke.However this never stopped Nigel from taking every opportunity to appear on Question Time.

Joe Bach
Joe Bach
3 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Twpen oedd hu, bydde hun byw yb awr gyd atuymed bach o ofal ar iaeth..
trenu Mawr

Erisian
Erisian
3 years ago

Unless they put Wales in their sights – Please stop giving GB ‘News’ the oxygen of publicity.
Like the Late Great Linda Smith said – “I’m not happy with them them having the Oxygen of Oxygen”.

Joe Bach
Joe Bach
3 years ago
Reply to  Erisian

GBN am BYTH

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