Nigel Farage Attacks BBC Over Response To Jo Brand Joke

29 August 2019, 19:28 | Updated: 29 August 2019, 19:39

Nigel Farage was furious at the BBC's reaction to Jo Brand's controversial joke about battery acid.

The Brexit Party leader and LBC presenter has lashed out at the BBC for their ruling about Jo Brand's joke about throwing battery acid at right-wing politicians.

Reacting to the ruling, he said: "They [the BBC] have their own Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) who said that they thought the joke went beyond what was appropriate, but they have concluded that the ECU does not uphold the aspects of complaints on incitement of violence.

"So it's fine, just carry on. Why not Jo Brand go a bit further? Urge stabbings or shootings? Why not? The BBC won't sanction you, indeed they'll go on paying you lots and lots of money.

"This really does get to an issue I think many of us are concerned about, the BBC: overfunded, not politically straight forward, self-regulating and never take action against anybody whatsoever."

In a summary of the BBC's Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) decision, findings said: "Whilst the ECU recognised that the wider message from this episode is an argument for more civility in political discourse, not less, and Ms Brand's contribution is not intended to be taken as face value, the ECU felt that it went beyond what was appropriate for the show."

"So it was partially upheld against generally accepted standards of BBC output. The ECU also noted that in the right context and with the right treatment, there is no subject matter which should be beyond the scope of comedy."