Complaint
The programme included an interview with the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Secretary. One listener complained that Laura Kuenssberg failed to challenge an inaccurate claim by the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Secretary that men of Pakistani origin formed the majority of those responsible for the sexual abuse of children. Another complained that she did not challenge the accuracy of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Secretary’s reference to “illegal migrantsâ€. The ECU considered the complaints in the light of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½â€™s editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
In answer to a question about her plan to introduce mandatory reporting of child abuse, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Secretary said “in towns around England, and around the country vulnerable white girls, who have been living in troubled circumstances, in challenging situations have been abused, exploited, drugged, raped by networks of gangs of rapists. And we have to be honest about the fact that some of these gangs have been overwhelmingly British Pakistani malesâ€. In the ECU’s view, this provided no grounds for understanding the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Secretary to be claiming that men of Pakistani origin were responsible for the majority of such abuse.Â
In relation to the term “illegal migrants†the complainant argued that it was inaccurate on the grounds that it is legal for refugees to seek asylum in the UK and the UK is party to an international convention to that effect. The ECU noted, however, that the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 had created the offence of illegal arrival and that the Act’s provisions, although some argue they conflict with the UK’s obligations under the Refugee Convention of 1951, had been upheld by the Court of Appeal in a recent series of test cases.
In neither instance was there inaccuracy or an occasion for challenge as to fact by Ms Kuenssberg.
Not Upheld