TELL OFCOM: GB News is scaremongering about Net Zero

Watch: GB News host claims that the “green-eyed monster” of Net Zero will lead the government to “come for your car” and “hammer the working poor” and “the elderly”.

On 5 September 2024, GB News host Martin Daubney called Net Zero a “green-eyed monster” which will “hammer the working poor” and “the elderly” in his opening “Martin’s Monologue”. Guest Alison Pearson claimed that overseas climate aid is going to give Mercedes cars to “dictators in Central African Republics”.

This segment violated Ofcom rules 5.5 and 5.7 which require impartiality and the accurate representation of facts.

Submit your complaint to Ofcom using this form and by following the guidance below. 

Programme details:

Programme title: Patrick Christys Tonight
Date of broadcast: 5 September 2024
Time of broadcast (24 hour clock): 21:07
Channel / station: GB News

Your complaint:

Subject: GB News host Martin Daubney labelled government policy of Net Zero a “green-eyed monster”, and made a series of unproven scaremongering claims. A GB News guest also made an unfounded allegation that climate aid will result in overseas corruption.

Description:

Here’s a few bullet points to include:

• On 5 September, GB News host Martin Daubney, filling in for Patrick Christys, alleged “thanks to the green-eyed monster of net zero, you’re hammered with ULEZ schemes and low-traffic neighbourhoods. By 2030, they’ll come for your car. And all of these disproportionately hammer the working poor and, of course, the elderly. And I’ll put it to you again. Those are the actions of a nasty party”. These claims are a misrepresentation of views and facts, violating Ofcom rule 5.7. Daubney presented several of his contentious opinions as fact, such as the claim that these policies disproportionately affect the working poor and elderly. The potentially alarming claim that “they’ll come for your car” required further elaboration. Public policy, such as Net Zero, also requires due impartiality under rule 5.5, which was not afforded by Daubney to the subject.
• Minutes later, GB News guest Alison Pearson claimed that the Labour Government is “happily giving 11.6 billion in overseas climate aid” which she claims is “just basically code for ‘dictators in Central African Republics buying a new Mercedes diesel’, isn’t it, really?”. This unfair and unfounded claim was not challenged. It is an opinion which casts doubt on government policy and makes sweeping assertions about overseas corruption. This segment violated Ofcom rules 5.5 and 5.7 requiring impartiality and the accurate representation of facts.