Daily Mail Faces IPSO Admonishment Over Misleading Migrant Claim

Overview of the Controversy

The Daily Mail has come under scrutiny from the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) for publishing a misleading article that claimed “one in 12 living in London is an illegal migrant.” This assertion has sparked significant debate and criticism, leading to an official reprimand from the press regulator.

Background of the Article

In its defense, the Daily Mail stated that its article was based on a front-page story published by The Telegraph just hours earlier. At the time of publication, The Telegraph’s article had not been amended or corrected, which the Mail argued justified its reliance on the original claim.

The Telegraph’s Original Claim

The Telegraph’s article, published on January 23, reported on a study commissioned by Thames Water, which suggested that London could be home to as many as 585,000 illegal migrants. The article stated that, based on the study’s findings, the estimated population of London was around 7,044,667, leading to the conclusion that up to one in 12 residents could be illegal migrants.

IPSO’s Findings

IPSO’s summary indicated that while the Daily Mail attributed its story to The Telegraph, it failed to verify the accuracy of the claims before publication. The regulator noted that it was “too late” for the Mail to seek independent comment at the time of its article’s release. However, it acknowledged that the Mail had accurately reported the original publication’s attribution and the study’s specific figures.

The Correction from The Telegraph

Although there was no formal IPSO ruling regarding The Telegraph’s article, the publication later issued a correction. It clarified that the figure of 7,044,667 referred to the estimated population of the Thames Water London Water Resource Zone, excluding irregular migrants, rather than the entire geographical area of London, which is closer to 9 million. The correction stated that the accurate figure should have been “up to 1 in 13,” based on the study’s upper estimate for irregular migrants.

The Response from the Daily Mail

Following a complaint to IPSO regarding its article, the Daily Mail removed the online version and published corrections both in print and online on January 31. While the Mail acknowledged the inaccuracies in its reporting, it did not accept a breach of the Editors’ Code of Practice, arguing that it had acted reasonably based on the information available at the time.

IPSO’s Conclusion

In its decision, IPSO emphasized that while the Daily Mail was entitled to report on another newspaper’s coverage, it still bore the responsibility to ensure the accuracy of its own reporting. The complaints committee found that the Mail had failed to recognize that the figures it reported did not support the claim of one in 12 illegal migrants in London. This oversight constituted a failure to take due care, leading IPSO to rule that the inaccuracy was significant due to its implications for social and political discourse.

Final Thoughts

The IPSO ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of journalistic integrity and the responsibility that comes with reporting on sensitive issues such as immigration. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the need for accuracy and accountability remains paramount.

For more details, you can read the full IPSO ruling here.