Newspapers: Foreign Ownership

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Wednesday 16th July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The Secretary of State does not have to have all the evidence: it is for the CMA to investigate. The regime has a duty to intervene where she suspects that there may be influence. I am happy to provide further information to the noble and learned Baroness, or to meet her and others who have questions about this. The Secretary of State does not have to have material evidence; she just has to have reasonable grounds to suspect that this might be the case. If it were to be the case—for example, if a newspaper took a radically different position or there was a nuance change—it is likely she could intervene in that regard.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, in terms of media ownership, has the Minister seen that Nigel Farage has increased his shareholding in GB News and apparently has not declared it in his House of Commons declaration of interests? He also presents a programme regularly on GB News which is becoming a Reform UK propaganda organisation. Yet Ofcom is doing nothing about it. Can the Minister’s department ask Ofcom to take an interest in it?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I was not aware of the point that my noble friend raises. I will take that back to the department and write to him in due course.