A senior Conservative MP has claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning to sell off Channel 4 after his boycott of the “left-wing” channel.
Mr Johnson has refused to appear on any Channel 4 programs since its head of news Dorothy Byrne claimed that the PM was “a proven liar” at the Edinburgh TV Festival in August.
It has been alluded to that the network could morph into a UK-style Fox News as Britain’s broadcast media ‘is so biased to the left’.
“Boris Johnson has privately confirmed that he will definitely privatise Channel 4,” a Conservative MP told the Sunday Express. “He thinks it’s a great idea.”
Shipley MP Philip Davies, who sits on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said: “I’ve been arguing for years it should be sold off.”
Channel 4’s relationship with Downing Street has been in a dire situation since the prime minister cancelled a planned interview with the broadcaster at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France, in August, following Ms Byrne’s claims.
Mr Johnson previously cancelled plans for an interview with the broadcaster at the Conservative party conference in October and snubbed their political debate on climate change in November when he was replaced by an ice sculpture at the debate, which gradually melted throughout proceedings.
Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, had turned up to take Mr Johnson’s place in the debate however he refused access by the broadcaster. The Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage also refused to attend the event.
Channel 4’s editor, Ben de Pear claimed the PM was behaving like US President Donald Trump, he tweeted: “Put your leader Boris Johnson alongside the other leaders and stop playing games, don’t refuse and then threaten our license it’s a slippery slope.”
Channel 4 has had to apologise to Mr Johnson after it tweeted, he said ‘people of colour’ on the campaign trail. The prime minister had in actual fact said, ‘people of talent’.
Conservative MPs have previously accused the broadcaster of pushing and pursuing a political agenda.
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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