Richard Tice, the leader of Reform UK and a presenter on GB News, has voiced his criticism of the recent ruling by Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, which found the news channel in breach of impartiality rules.

In a statement posted on X, Tice lambasted Ofcom, accusing the watchdog of “making themselves a laughingstock” with its decision. This comes after Ofcom identified five episodes of GB News programs hosted by Conservative MPs that were found to have breached impartiality regulations.

Among the programs cited were two hosted by former House of Commons leader Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, and three jointly presented by former pensions secretary Esther McVey and her husband, backbencher Philip Davies. Ofcom emphasised that according to the broadcasting code, news must be presented with due impartiality, and it stressed that there must be an “editorial justification” for politicians to take on roles as newsreaders, interviewers, or reporters.

Tice’s critique adds fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding the role of politicians in media, particularly in light of the proliferation of opinion-led news outlets like GB News. The intersection of political affiliations and journalistic integrity has been a contentious issue, with critics arguing that such alignments compromise the impartiality and credibility of news reporting.