Resolution Statement: Complaint 00542-16 Portes v Express.co.uk

Resolution Statement: Complaint 00542-16 Portes v Express.co.uk

Summary of complaint

1. Jonathan Portes complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation that Express.co.uk breached Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article headlined “Regain border control to improve workers’ lives”, published on 14 May 2015.

2. The complainant expressed concern that the article had reported that “people from overseas [are] getting new jobs at 10 times the rate of British-born workers.” He said that the reference to “new jobs” was inaccurate, as the figures relied upon showed net changes in employment, and not new jobs. The figures did not provide any information about the proportion of job hunters who found work in a given period.

Relevant Code Provisions

3. Clause 1 (Accuracy)

(i) The press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.

(ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and – where appropriate – an apology published.

Mediated outcome

4. The complaint was not resolved through direct correspondence between the parties. IPSO therefore began an investigation into the matter.

5. The newspaper offered to remove the words complained of from the article and append the following footnote:

“Correction

In a previous version of this article we stated that the latest employment figures showed that people from overseas got new jobs at 10 times the rate of British born workers. This is incorrect. The latest figures actually showed changes in net employment, which is the number of people in employment rather than the number of jobs that are available. Net changes in employment does not show any information about the proportion of people getting new jobs in the UK. Following an IPSO ruling on a similar inaccuracy, we are happy to set out the correct position.”

6. The complainant said that the amendment to the article and the appending of the correction would resolve the matter to his satisfaction.

7. As the complaint was successfully mediated, the Complaints Committee did not make a determination as to whether there had been any breach of the Code.

Date complaint received: 02/02/2016
Date complaint concluded by IPSO: 14/03/2016