Ofcom declare a draw in Boulton, Campbell tiff
Sky’s Adam Boulton has been cleared of impropriety after an on-air spat with former labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell.
The source of the accusations was an angry tiff before the cameras described as “horrendous” and “offensive” by those who saw it and which elicited 1,116 complaints to media watchdog Ofcom.
It followed a heated discussion in which the pair jousted outside parliament, over the best makeup of Government in the aftermath of a hung election result.
Boulton accused Campbell of being: “obviously upset that David Cameron was not Prime Minister.” Leading Boulton to retort back angrily in a series of verbal fisticuffs both on screen and off camers as the debate moved elsewhere.
In their adjudication the regulator stated that whilst Boulton had become visibly “angry”, it was not unreasonable and “within the requirements of due impartiality” for the anchor to defend his position.
Several complainants also accused Sky’s set designers of indirectly swaying voters toward the Tory fold by displaying a “jagged” Union flag design, thought by some to be a metaphor for the Conservatives “Broken Britain” message.