A COMPLAINT has been submitted to the broadcasting watchdog amid a row over an Alba advert depicting Rishi Sunak as a vampire glutting on Scottish oil.
Ofcom have been asked to rule on whether media giant Global, which runs radio stations such as LBC, Heart and Classic FM, have breached the broadcast code amid allegations that they failed to report on their own refusal to carry the advert.
Alba had looked to post the image, a reinvention of the famous SNP campaign aimed at Margaret Thatcher, on outdoor billboards run by Global’s advertising arm.
But in an email seen by the BBC, the media giant said: "The only political messages we allow to run are basic messages such as vote for us, but not when a party is slandering someone."
Alba reacted with anger, with former first minister and party leader Alex Salmond pledging to “beat the ban” on the advert with a mass campaigning drive.
“If they are allowed to get away with this blatant censorship they could interfere in a General Election by vetoing content they did not like,” Salmond said.
Now, in a complaint submitted to Ofcom and seen by the National, a member of the public has raised their concerns with the broadcasting watchdog.
They wrote: “Global media rejected advertising billboards that Alba Party wished to put up which highlighted Scottish oil wealth being seized by the UK Government. The advert portrayed Rishi Sunak as a vampire.
“The censure of this advert was covered by all UK print media and broadcast. It was covered by STV, BBC, GB News, Talk TV, all Scottish newspapers, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Express, the Times and various other outlets.
“Global media is the parent company of LBC, LBC news, Smooth radio, Capital FM and other commercial radio stations which also broadcast as TV.
“None of the stations owned by global covered this story which was a matter of public interest and clear political debate.
“Global Media’s failure to cover this story has been a breach of section five of the Ofcom Code: due impartiality and due accuracy.
“By failing to cover this story of public interest Global have acted in a partial manner in order to conceal their decision to censure political messaging – a matter which in the lead up to a General Election is of much public interest.”
LBC news does not appear to have covered the story online. Global have been approached for comment.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: "Every complaint we receive is assessed against our broadcasting rules before we decide whether or not to investigate."
