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'Katie Hopkins’ migrants column was in bad taste – but Ipso doesn’t cover that’ 'Katie Hopkins’ migrants column was in bad taste – but Ipso doesn’t cover that’
(30 days later)
The chief executive of press regulator Ipso has defended its handling of Katie Hopkins’ controversial “cockroaches” Sun column about migrants, saying bad taste was not in its remit.The chief executive of press regulator Ipso has defended its handling of Katie Hopkins’ controversial “cockroaches” Sun column about migrants, saying bad taste was not in its remit.
Matt Tee of the Independent Press Standards Organisation said migrants could not be viewed as victims of discrimination even when they were compared to cockroaches.Matt Tee of the Independent Press Standards Organisation said migrants could not be viewed as victims of discrimination even when they were compared to cockroaches.
The regulator rejected complaints about the column, which was published in April last year.The regulator rejected complaints about the column, which was published in April last year.
Related: The Sun's Kelvin MacKenzie is trying to smear Muslims, says C4 News presenter
Ipso is currently considering more than 2,000 complaints about another Sun column, by former editor Kelvin MacKenzie, about Channel 4 News presenter Fatima Manji.Ipso is currently considering more than 2,000 complaints about another Sun column, by former editor Kelvin MacKenzie, about Channel 4 News presenter Fatima Manji.
“Migrants as such are not a group that can be discriminated against,” Tee told the Media Masters podcast.“Migrants as such are not a group that can be discriminated against,” Tee told the Media Masters podcast.
“And actually in our terms for it to be discrimination, the complainant would have had to show that an individual or a group of individuals were discriminated against by that phrase.“And actually in our terms for it to be discrimination, the complainant would have had to show that an individual or a group of individuals were discriminated against by that phrase.
“I felt that the phrase was in very bad taste but bad taste is not something that is covered by the editors’ code.”“I felt that the phrase was in very bad taste but bad taste is not something that is covered by the editors’ code.”
Ipso’s chair, Sir Alan Moses, has previously said that he was “frustrated” by the regulator’s failure to act over the column. Ipso rejected the complaints last May.Ipso’s chair, Sir Alan Moses, has previously said that he was “frustrated” by the regulator’s failure to act over the column. Ipso rejected the complaints last May.
Tee told the Media Masters podcast: “My chairman is a lovely man who uses wonderful impactful language at times.Tee told the Media Masters podcast: “My chairman is a lovely man who uses wonderful impactful language at times.
“I think it is important that columnists, particularly where it is very clear that this is a personal opinion, a column, in Katie Hopkins terms or [Richard] Littlejohn or whoever, people who cause mass offence, it is very clear there is a picture at the top of the column, it is very clearly a column, which is their view, their opinion.”“I think it is important that columnists, particularly where it is very clear that this is a personal opinion, a column, in Katie Hopkins terms or [Richard] Littlejohn or whoever, people who cause mass offence, it is very clear there is a picture at the top of the column, it is very clearly a column, which is their view, their opinion.”
More than 200,000 people signed a petition calling on the Sun to sack Hopkins following the column. A former The Apprentice contestant, Hopkins has since left the paper to join the Daily Mail.More than 200,000 people signed a petition calling on the Sun to sack Hopkins following the column. A former The Apprentice contestant, Hopkins has since left the paper to join the Daily Mail.
Tee added: “There were suggestions with the Katie Hopkins piece that it was an incitement to racial hatred. That’s a legal matter. I don’t think the commissioner of the Metropolitan police has taken any action over that.Tee added: “There were suggestions with the Katie Hopkins piece that it was an incitement to racial hatred. That’s a legal matter. I don’t think the commissioner of the Metropolitan police has taken any action over that.
“In terms of the editors’ code, there wasn’t anything that could lead to a successful complaint against that column.”“In terms of the editors’ code, there wasn’t anything that could lead to a successful complaint against that column.”