Sir Keir Starmer has called for the Kremlin’s state-controlled TV network Russia Today to be banned from airing in the UK.
The Labour leader told Parliament action was needed to curb “Putin’s campaign of misinformation” after the Russian leader furthered his bid to split up Ukraine by moving Russian troops into the country’s east.
Sir Keir said: “Putin’s campaign of misinformation should be tackled, and Russia Today should be prevented from broadcasting its propaganda around the world.”
Shadow Cabinet minister Lisa Nandy also called for action, adding: “When the Russia Report was published we asked Ofcom to review Russia Today’s license. Given what is unfolding, why is it still freely broadcasting state propaganda in the UK?”
In recent weeks, Western officials have accused Russian state media outlets of fabricating bogus provocations blamed on Ukraine’s forces in a bid to justify the conflict, while RT’s news coverage has celebrated Russia’s “friendship” with the breakaway Donbass region.
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The TV channel, funded and controlled by the Russian government, continues to broadcast an English-language channel in the UK despite moves in other parts of Europe to curb its influence.
Critics have long accused Russia Today of being a mouthpiece for the Kremlin and skewing its coverage of international affairs in favour of Russia.
The broadcaster has faced previous enforcement action from Ofcom, with a fine issued in 2019 over what the broadcast regulator said were repeated breaches of impartiality rules.
Ofcom said that numerous news and current affairs programmes had shown “serious and repeated failures” to report with due impartiality over issues including the Salisbury Novichok poisonings, which were perpetrated by Russia.
RT attempted to challenge the fine but lost at both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Earlier this month, Germany’s media regulator moved to ban RT’s German-language channel, finding it had failed to adhere to media licensing laws. What are the chances that BRCSA or MultiChoice will do the same in Africa?
A petition was put up to have the channel removed on DStv.
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