Critics accuse the UK media regulator of abandoning impartiality standards after it clears GB News over uncontested conspiracy theories broadcast to millions.

The UK’s media watchdog, Ofcom, is facing a crisis of credibility after refusing to investigate a broadcast in which the US President made wild, uncontested claims about the British capital. In a GB News interview aired last November, Donald Trump asserted that parts of London were under "sharia law" and that police were afraid to enter these "no-go" zones—tropes that have been debunked repeatedly but continue to circulate in far-right echo chambers.

What makes the ruling contentious is not the guest, but the host. Interviewer Bev Turner offered no pushback to these assertions, nor to the President’s claim that human-induced climate change is a "hoax." Instead, the falsehoods were allowed to stand as unchallenged facts, beamed directly into British living rooms.

The Death of "Due Impartiality"

Ofcom’s justification—that "alternative perspectives" were provided in a subsequent panel discussion—has been slammed by the very people who wrote the rulebook. Chris Banatvala, Ofcom’s founding director of standards, expressed astonishment at the decision. "If there were ever a case that merited investigation... this was it," he stated, arguing that the regulator has effectively abandoned its duty to protect viewers from misleading material.

• The Sharia Myth: The "no-go zone" conspiracy theory has been weaponized for years to stoke division. By allowing it to pass unchecked on a regulated channel, critics argue Ofcom is normalizing disinformation.
• Regulatory Retreat: This decision is seen as a bellwether. If a broadcaster can air unchallenged falsehoods from a world leader simply by holding a "debate" afterwards, the core tenet of "due impartiality" in British broadcasting may be dead in the water.

A Systemic Failure

The refusal to investigate the 32 formal complaints suggests a shifting landscape where populist rhetoric overrides factual accuracy. Banatvala’s verdict is damning: "It now appears that Ofcom has abandoned any pretence that meaningful regulation... is still being maintained."

As disinformation becomes the currency of modern politics, the watchdog charged with guarding the gate appears to have thrown away the key. The question now is not just about one interview, but whether the UK’s broadcasting standards can survive the era of post-truth politics.