A Conservative MP has refused to appear on Channel 4 News, saying he “couldn’t be sure” of its impartiality because of the apparent political leanings of veteran presenter Jon Snow.
Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps said he declined an offer to go on the programme after Snow was alleged to have shouted “f*** the Tories” while dancing with a group of students at Glastonbury Festival.
Mr Shapps tweeted yesterday: “Text from @Channel4News asking if I'd go on tonight. Text back from me declining, explaining I couldn't be sure about interview impartiality.”
Snow, 69, claimed after the festival that he had "no recollection" of shouting the chant, noting he took over 1,000 selfies in the space of just a day.
An image of Snow posing with a group of festival-goers from universities in Liverpool was shared by Danny Millea on Twitter on Monday evening, who wrote: "Having a dance with Jon Snow and hearing him shout f*** the tories is what dreams are made of.”
He noted Snow had “bounced over and had a little dance” with the students, adding: “He was proper sound, had a good little boogie with him and a good laugh, walked off and he sarcastically said he’s a neutral hahahah.”
Snow, who declined an OBE because he believes working journalists should not take honours from the people they report on, declined to respond during a live broadcast on Wednesday night when a right-wing think-tank's spokesman quipped "not everyone hates the Tories as much as you do."
Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator and media watchdog, has not responded on Snow’s comments and noted they could only consider complaints about content which is aired over licenced services.
Ofcom guidelines about neutrality only relate to what is broadcast or published and are wholly unrelated to do with what journalists decide to do in their own time.
Channel 4 News has not yet responded to a request for comment.
