Jacob Rees-Mogg broke his lifelong principle this afternoon and blasted Ofcom for being old-fashioned and out-of-date.
The politician-turned-presenter tore into the broadcast regulator after it ruled against GB News for breaching rules five times.
A probe found that two episodes of Sir Jacob’s State of the Nation, along with three episodes presented by Esther McVey and Philip Davies, had broken rules around politicians acting as newsreaders, interviewers or reporters.
Delivering a withering response for the first time since this morning’s ruling, Mr Rees-Mogg accused Ofcom of being stuck in the past, and at least 70 years behind the times on news broadcasting.
Speaking to the camera he said: “For once, I’m going to criticise people who are old-fashioned”.
“Normally being old fashioned is great. But I think Ofcom thinks the news is still being presented by Alvar Lidell, a BBC news presenter from the middle of the 20th century who was authoritative and clear and was the only voice of news.
“That world’s gone! We now have presenters who aren’t the trusted voice of authority.
“We have people in the BBC who go off to present left wing podcasts. We have people from the BBC, like Huw Edwards who aren’t as respected as perhaps you might hope they ought to be.”
He also blasted the double standards of allowing left-wing Channel 4 news to broadcast without criticism.
Sir Jacob fumed: “Ofcom is simply out of date. There is a diversity of news. It’s not the authoritative 1950s style ‘minister is there and he would like to say’”.
“It is a vibrant, widespread view of news across a spectrum of opinion. Free speech requires that and free speech trumps bureaucracy!”
Speaking this evening, Nigel Farage joined in with Sir Jacob’s criticism and pledged that GB News will “fight like hell” against the establishment’s war against the popular right-wing news channel.
Revealing that tomorrow night the channel will broadcast an exclusive interview with Donald Trump, Mr Farage said the former President is “very excited to hear how GB News is doing”.
He added: “Is it any wonder that Ofcom are on our case? Is it any wonder that Sky News have obsessed all day about GB News?”
Mr Farage accused the regulator of becoming “overtly political” due to the pressure from the established media.
“GB News is posing a threat to the other broadcasters – a challenge to British politics – and when you’re there and part of the status quo the one thing you do not want is a new boy coming along and challenging your position.
He warned the channel’s rivals: “GB News are going to fight like hell!”
