The elections watchdog has been urged to issue new guidance amid concerns over MPs hosting political television programmes.
Labour MP Barry Sheerman said there would be “something wrong” with Conservative ministers being interviewed by their backbench colleagues on television at the same time that they are running “very political campaigns”.
Ofcom said its 2005 rules make clear that news and current affairs programmes “must be presented with due impartiality”, adding candidates in UK elections must not act as news presenters, interviewers or presenters of any type of programme during the election period. Tory former culture secretary Nadine Dorries hosts a weekly chat show on Talk TV, although she is planning to stand down as MP for Mid Bedfordshire at some point.
Mr Sheerman added: “Could the commission look closely at the fact that members of this House have television programmes? I was invited on a television programme by two members of this House – I didn’t accept the invitation.
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