I wasn’t going to comment about this until it turned out there was a genuine public-interest side to it.

You may be aware that has-been actor and failed politician Laurence Fox has been suspended by right-wing channel GB News over comments he made about Politics Joe journalist Ava Santina (also known as Ava Evans).

What’s strange to me, as a reporter myself, is the media coyness about what she said to trigger his rant.

It was prompted by a discussion about comments she made about men’s mental health during an appearance on BBC Politics Live, discussing whether there should be a minister for men.

Here’s the relevant segment:

For clarity, Ms Santina said: “I think it feeds into the culture war a little bit, this minister for men argument. [Mental illness] is a crisis that’s endemic throughout the country, not specific to men. And I think a lot of ministers bandy this about to – I’m sorry – make an enemy out of women.”

Afterwards, she admitted: “I was a little rash on my anti-minister for men comments which I do regret and am actually very interested in a brief for a minister on young men’s mental health.”

I’m not convinced by this retraction. If she said it, she meant it. This afterthought suggests that she has realised she misjudged the national mood and wants to ingratiate herself with the public again.

Still, knowing the above, take a look at Fox’s outburst. I’ll use the link from Ms Santina’s ‘X’ account:

I feel physically sick

— Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) September 26, 2023

What does a journalist’s physical attractiveness have to do with whether men’s mental ill-health might justify them having their own dedicated Cabinet minister?

It is entirely inappropriate to denigrate another’s personal characteristics during a discussion of such a topic, just because their politics and yours don’t correspond.

To make a similar – and appropriate – comparison, we might refer to the original chairman of GB News itself, who left the BBC to set up the channel that provided a platform for this rant, and who therefore seems more likely to be up Mr Fox’s political alley.

Would Laurence Fox shag Andrew Neil?

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