THE resignation of Neil Oliver from a prestigious academic organisation shows “how extreme GB News has become”, according to campaigners.
Oliver left the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), with whom he was elected a fellow in 2020, “with immediate effect” on September 6.
A spokesperson for the RSE told The Herald that during discussions with Oliver, it became apparent “that his current views on various matters, widely aired on television, put him at odds with scientific and broader academic learning within the Society”.
The archaeologist turned TV presenter, who became a well-known face after presenting historical programmes such as Coast and A History Of Scotland, is now a host on GB News.
He is regularly criticised for promoting conspiratorial views on topics such as the Covid-19 vaccine and climate change.
He claims that lockdown was “the biggest mistake in world history” and that “there is no climate crisis”.
Indeed, the presenter has gone as far as to claim that weather maps depicting high temperatures are “woke” and “among the most blatant and inexcusable fearmongering”.
Last month, Oliver appeared to endorse his stance as a peddler of conspiracy theories by creating a line of merch depicting himself as “conspiracy Gandalf”.
Stop Funding Hate – a pressure group which asks companies to stop advertising with GB News and other media organisations which use “fear and division” to gain viewers – told the Sunday National that Oliver’s departure from the RSE shows just how anti-science and extremist the views promoted on GB News have become.
The group even compared it to Fox News in the United States.
Richard Wilson, the director of Stop Funding Hate, said: “The advent of GB News has rightly raised concerns about the ‘Foxification’ of UK media – and the wider harms that hate and misinformation can cause to our society.
“A healthy democracy depends on a media that reports accurately and fairly. Yet GB News has been accused of airing misleading claims about a range of issues – from climate change to Covid vaccines.
“By its own admission, GB News has already faced significant challenges in attracting advertising. Many mainstream brands have recognised that aligning with this channel is simply not compatible with their core values.
"Anti-science misinformation can have dangerous real-world consequences. It’s no surprise that the RSE would also want to distance itself from such toxic content.
“This move is another indicator of how extreme GB News has become, and doubtless many advertisers will be taking note.”
Since the RSE’s announcement, Oliver has endorsed calls for a “globally coordinated pushback” against a “one world government” – a conspiracy theory that Jewish groups have said may contribute to the spread of antisemitic tropes.
His upcoming book Hauntings – which sees Oliver ruminate on the historical significance of ghosts in the UK and within his own family – is set for publication by Penguin imprint Bantam next month.
However, the biography of Oliver on Penguin’s website fails to mention his role as a GB News presenter.
Penguin was contacted for comment.
