MPs demand that Russia’s ‘lie machine’ TV channel in UK is shut down
TORY MPs have demanded the TV regulator take immediate action against Russia Today after it described Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as a ‘special military operation’ to ‘liberate’ the country.
Misinformation spread by the television channel about the conflict includes the notion that Ukrainian soldiers are ‘radical nationalists’ who are defending a genocide against Russians.
Its reporters have also insisted the Russian military is not targeting civilians, despite images of bloodied Ukrainians and bombed-out towerblocks, and false claims that Ukrainians are using civilians as human shields.
A reporter on Friday evening also compared a law signed by Ukraine’s Jewish President, Volodymyr Zelensky, to the policies of Adolf Hitler.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries last week told Ofcom to take ‘timely and transparent’ action against the channel.
However, criticism of RT was shrugged off by former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who used an appearance on the station last week to declare: ‘I have never seen propaganda. I’ve never seen a lie.’
Despite an expectation that Ofcom would crack down on RT, a spokeswoman last night admitted that no new action had been taken.
Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons’ Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said RT was ‘not an information network, it’s a weapon against us’.
‘So, what is it doing on our screens when media watchdog Ofcom already has the power to take action?’ he added.
The Kremlin-funded news channel, which launched in 2005, is run by Putin’s ally Margarita Simonyan, who once said that RT would conduct ‘an information war against the Western world’.
On Wednesday, she wrote on Twitter that the invasion was ‘a standard parade rehearsal’, adding: ‘Except
‘A mouthpiece for pro Kremlin disinformation’
this year we have decided to hold the parade in Kyiv.’
Similarly outrageous opinions about the invasion have been spouted by the channel in the past week. Analysis shows it only refers to the conflict as a ‘special military operation’ and reporters cite the Russian claim that it will ‘liberate the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk peoples’ republics’.
On Thursday, news presenter Rory Suchet – the son of ITN journalist John Suchet – repeated Russian defence ministry claims that ‘direct fighting with Ukraine soldiers has largely been avoided’, despite clear pictorial evidence of clashes.
And on Friday, a voiceover on a package ostensibly to explain the origins of Russia’s aggression described a law signed by President Zelensky last July as ‘almost a direct copy of a 1935 Reich citizenship law of Hitler’s Germany’.
The Mail on Sunday can also reveal that at least 20 current and former British MPs have received almost £100,000 from the channel to speak on its programmes since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Those who have appeared include Tory MP Kwasi Kwarteng, who was paid £750 for an appearance in February 2017 before he was appointed Business Secretary. Europe Minis
ter James Cleverly appeared on RT in 2016 to discuss the Tory leadership campaign, but said he did not accept payment. ‘RT has become considerably more partisan since then and is now a regular mouthpiece for pro Kremlin disinformation,’ he added. ‘I would not appear now.’
Labour MP Richard Burgon has appeared 11 times and Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell at least three times since 2014. Labour frontbencher David Lammy has earned £2,000 for two appearances.
Mr Campbell said he has ‘refused many invitations to appear since those interviews, because I do think it has been much clearer in recent years the extent to which it has become Putin’s personal propaganda tool’.
A spokeswoman for Ofcom said: ‘All licensees must observe Ofcom’s rules, including due accuracy and due impartiality. If broadcasters break those rules, we will not hesitate to step in.’
Last night, a number of Russian TV channels appeared to have been hacked, with Ukrainian songs replacing usual programming. Russian Government webpages were down, while RT went offline for several hours.
It was unclear who the hackers are, but the Anonymous group have declared they are ‘at war’ with Russia.