Media regulator Ofcom has confirmed it will not launch an investigation after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was interviewed by her husband Ed Balls live on TV.
Mr Balls, a former Labour cabinet minister and a regular presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, had questioned Ms Cooper about riots gripping the UK on the programme in August.
At the time, Ofcom said there were 8,201 complaints relating to the segment. Some were about Mr Balls’s interview with Ms Cooper, and others were about an exchange with MP Zarah Sultana.
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After reviewing these complaints, the media regulator has now decided not to investigate further.
ITV has, however, been issued guidance urging “particular care” to be taken over future such interviews to “ensure due impartiality is preserved”.
An Ofcom spokesperson told Sky News: “Taking into account that their relationship was made clear twice, that a range of views about Labour’s handling of the riots were included in the programme as a whole, and given the vast majority of the interview was conducted by co-presenter, Kate Garraway, we will not be pursuing further.
“We have, however, issued guidance warning ITV to take particular care over the compliance of such interviews in future to ensure due impartiality is preserved given the clear potential issues that could arise from such an editorial decision.”
The issue of politicians interviewing other politicians has been controversial in recent years, after GB News allowed a number of Conservative MP presenters to interview their colleagues.
Mr Balls is no longer a politician, having pursued a media career and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing since losing his seat in 2015.
The broadcaster and Ms Cooper have been married for more than 25 years and have three children together.
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Before the interview in August, the former shadow chancellor said he had “genuine questions” for his other half, as he has “rarely seen her at all in the last week” because of the disorder on the streets.
While questioning was mostly led by GMB host Kate Garraway, Mr Balls had grilled his wife on accusations of “two-tier policing” – a phrase used to describe the impression that some protests and demonstrations are dealt with more harshly than others.
Source : Sky News
