GB News ad boycott group facing scrutiny by regulator

THE campaign group behind the advertising boycott of GB News is being summoned to see a government regulator and will be “monitored” following claims that it breached company laws by engaging in “political activity”.

The directors of Stop Funding Hate, which is registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC), are being called to a meeting with the CIC regulator over concerns raised by MPs.

The move comes after 10 Conservative MPs called for an investigation into the group, which they said advocates a “cancel culture” by putting pressure firms to pull advertisements from the new broadcaster and several tabloid newspapers.

A CIC is a type of firm intended to “benefit the community”. The structure is designed to make it easier for groups to attract charitable donations, but CICs must not be formed “for political purposes” and any political activities “should be closely related to the nonpolitical community benefit activities which they are set up to carry out”.

In a response to the MPs’ complaint, Louise Smyth, the CIC regulator, said that while the company’s activities had not breached the relevant regulations, “considering the concerns you have raised... I will be contacting the directors of Stop Funding Hate and requesting a meeting to discuss this matter.

“I will be seeking reassurances that the company will continue to operate in the spirit of the original vision of CICs.”

Ms Smyth added: “I have directed my team to monitor the situation and should there be any breach of CIC legislation I will not hesitate to act accordingly.”

Brendan Clarke-Smith, one of the MP signatories of the letter to Ms Smyth, said: “It’s a relief that the regulator has acknowledged our concerns. The actions of this group and its attacks on free speech have undermined the trust that many people might have had in Community Interest Companies.

Last month, following this newspaper’s report on the MPs’ letter, Stop Funding Hate asked supporters on its Facebook group to refrain from posting comments which “promote any political organisation or campaign”.

Richard Wilson, the director of Stop Funding Hate, said: “This is not the first time that vexatious complaints have been made about Stop Funding Hate’s work. However, we have received no correspondence from the CIC Regulator in relation to these latest claims.

“Our activities have been fully consistent with the law, and any suggestion to the contrary is wholly unfounded.”