Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has launched four more impartiality investigations into GB News, with three of those complaints focused on shows fronted by Tory MPs. The four new complaints relate to:

• Two episodes of Friday Morning with Esther and Phil (Esther McVey and Philip Davies)
• An episode State of the Nation (Jacob Rees-Mogg)
• An episode of the Laurence Fox show (guest presented by Martin Daubney)

McVey, Davies and Rees-Mogg are being investigated for potential breaches of Broadcasting Code Rule 5.3, which “prevents politicians from acting as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified.” McVey and Davies are under the microscope for a programme which aired in May, during which they discussed the story of a teen sentenced for terrorism offences, along with their cosy interview with Jeremy Hunt. Rees-Mogg’s show is being probed for discussing a stabbing attack in Nottingham. The programme is already under investigation after its star presenter read out a breaking news line about Donald Trump on 9^th May. Ofcom rules demand a ‘clear distinction’ between newsreaders and opinion presenters…

Martin Daubney has upset the regulators by potentially failing to uphold due impartiality while discussing immigration with Reform Party leader Richard Tice. Daubney was deputising for Laurence Fox. The channel is also facing an ongoing investigation into its Don’t Kill Cash campaign which, as Guido has already reported, is also receiving lots of complaints from politically motivated people with an axe to grind…
Hat-tip: Press Gazette

A year on from food writer Jack Monroe’s venomous Twitter tirade that promised to enlist libel lawyers against Lee Anderson, Martin Daubney and anyone else caught in the firing line, and it’s all gone quiet on the lawsuit front. It seems the 12 month statute of limitations window in which Monroe could sue has swung shut. Perhaps Monroe saw it as a recipe for disaster…

Lee Anderson awoke in high spirits, telling Guido:

“After a long year of sleepless nights worrying about the threat of legal action it appears I can finally move on and get my life back. Freedom of speech is a bedrock of our society and people from all walks of life should be allowed to express their own opinions without fear of being dragged through the courts.”

Monroe’s cries of libel came in response to a Reclaim Party interview in which Martin Daubney mused that Monroe “probably earns more than the Prime Minister”, while Lee Anderson riposted Monroe’s jab of “rich, white privileged male” by comparing his own work to help the people of Ashfield with Monroe’s strategy of “taking money off some of the most vulnerable in society.” Who will be left eating their words?

Since then, Monroe has blown a gasket, referring to Lee as a “weaselly bullying turncoat, fundamentally dishonest, libellous, and seemingly f****** obsessed with me,” while excitedly touting front row seats to the largest libel lawsuit since her last libel lawsuit against Katie Hopkins:

“Lee Anderson making outrageous, libellous statements is he? And Martin Daubney encouraging and promoting them. Excellent. @mlewislawyer – got a job for you pal.”

Egged on by her followers, Monroe lauded the “very clear case of outright libel” before promising the accused “your papers will be in the post”, telling a follower that the accused were “being served legal letters” and announcing “gloves off. Lawyer instructed… Daubney, Anderson, Fox and co are playing a very expensive game of chicken.” Don’t count your chickens, eh?

Now that the window to serve papers has passed, Daubney observed that “Jack’s been unusually quiet” as he confirmed “zero contact” from the libel trigger finger Monroe and turned attention to the activist’s whip-round for legal fees, imploring the food writer to “answer questions about the missing funds for her non-existent legal case.” Monroe cryptically replied that the funds are “not missing: they’re exactly where they’ve always been, and I’m doing exactly what I said I’d do with it.” Perhaps there is a sting in the tall tail? 

Former Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney has been appointed the new Deputy Leader of Laurence Fox’s Reclaim Party. As the video above shows, it was quite the search for the right candidate…

The Labour Party has launched a petition asking “sulky” Lee Anderson – who has been boycotting the Euros over the team’s decision to take the knee – not to watch the Euro 2020 final. Yesterday Guido exclusively revealed that Anderson won’t watch the game because he claims he has “recently moved house and [has] lots of boxes to unpack”. He will, however, be checking his phone “for updates”…

The petition asks whether Anderson, who was born in 1967, “was the problem all along” and suggests he does “the housework, watch Midsomer Murders, anything” so long as he doesn’t jinx the game. Anderson is not the only passionate politico to have misjudged the take-the-knee saga…

Yesterday, Laurence Fox tweeted that he’s “sorry for being such a d***” after saying he wanted England to lose for taking the knee. An impressive own goal…

Former Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney made a similarly embarrassing gaffe when he praised two footballers for refusing to kneel, when in fact both players were actually Romanian. He has now abandoned his support for (now-eliminated) France to back Engeeeerland. He was completely offside…

Whilst Lee Anderson endures his self-imposed penalty, the rest of us will be cheering England on… 

In tonight’s LIVE with LITTLEWOOD:

• IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID Is the government prioritising social interaction over reopening business?
• DRAGGING ITS HEELS Are we unlocking too slowly?
• LESSONS LEARNED Does our education system need a fundamental rethink?

Join host MARK LITTLEWOOD for 60 minutes of jam-packed discussion and debate with The Mail on Sunday’s DAN HODGES; SIAN GRIFFITHS of The Sunday Times; former MEP MARTIN DAUBNEY; LEN SHACKLETON, Professor of Economics at the University of Buckingham and CHRISTOPHER SNOWDON, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the IEA.

Be sure to join in the debate, LIVE – TONIGHT at 6PM – here or on YouTube.