The self-styled “home of free speech” in the UK, GB News has fired both Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox and Free Church of England Deacon Calvin Robinson, after suspending the two following comments made by Fox during an appearance on the Dan Wootton show last week in which he said that he would not “shag” a leftist journalist.
“Laurence Fox and Calvin Robinson were both suspended last week pending internal investigations that have now concluded. As of today, GB News has ended its employment relationship with Laurence Fox and Calvin Robinson. The internal investigation into Dan Wootton continues,” the broadcaster said in a statement on Wednesday.
Fox was suspended last week after saying on the Dan Wootton show that he would not “shag” woke political commentator and PoliticsJoe journalist Ava Evans in response to her, in Fox’s view, downplaying of the issue of male suicide. GB News went on to suspend Wootton as well as Robinson, who came to the defence of Fox and said that he would not appear on the programme while Wootton was suspended.
Responding to the sacking, Robinson described GB News as “controlled opposition”, saying: “I supported my friends/colleagues and will continue to do so. That should not be a fireable offence.”
How long can a station keep calling itself "the home of free speech" when it continues to engage in cancel culture?
— Dcn Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) October 4, 2023
I supported my friends/colleagues and will continue to do so. That should not be a fireable offence.
GB News is controlled opposition.https://t.co/kJXNpNE2bd pic.twitter.com/zk0VkdsKo8
The Anglican Deacon said that the real cracks in the notion that the broadcaster represented free speech began with the ousting of Canadian conservative commentator Mark Steyn earlier this year, with Robinson arguing that once they “got rid of him, they realised they could get rid of any of us”.
Robinson also noted claims of GB News co-owner Sir Paul Marshall, reportedly joining a group of investors including American hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin in a potential effort to purchase the esteemed Daily Telegraph newspaper.
“When you are looking to purchase a big, reputable newspaper company like that, your reputation is taken into consideration, so there can not be anything, no question marks next to your name, no edgy situations. Which is one of the reasons why people like myself and Laurence Fox and Dan Wootton have been edged out. We were not the first and we will not be the last,” Robinson said.
Robinson went on to allege that many who work for GB News “hate” the “freedom fighter” presenters, claiming that he has faced backlash from producers for stating that same-sex marriage is a sin.
“A lot of people work there because they want to get their foot in the industry and either they have come from BBC or Sky or they are going to end up back at BBC or Sky, it’s a great shame,” he said, adding that “perhaps this, all along, has been some controlled opposition.”
"If you are expecting a grovelling apology, I suggest you don’t hold your breath. I won’t ever apologise to the mob,” Fox declared.https://t.co/kkoHij8UIo
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) September 27, 2023
The dismissal of the two presenters came just hours after Laurence Fox was arrested and detained by London’s Metropolitan Police “on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage” to far-left Mayor Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ surveillance cameras that have been installed to enforce a green agenda car tax expanded to the entire city of London.
Fox, therefore, has been unable to respond to the news of his firing, however, he previously stated that he would not apologise for the comments he made on air.
“I stand by every word of what I said. If a woman wants to go on television and belittle male suicide, she is totally within her rights to do so and not apologise, just as I am totally within my rights to say that I wouldn’t want to shag a hyper-offended 4th wave feminist and not apologise, just as people are totally within their rights to be offended by my stating I would run a mile in the opposite direction from women like her, should our paths cross in a bar,” Fox said last week.
Unreal: @LozzaFox had his home raided and was arrested after expressing approval of "Blade Runner" vigilantes destroying Sadiq Khan's car tax cameras.
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 4, 2023
"Look how many coppers there are in my house." https://t.co/eHaMmJySxQ