London's Migrant Claim Sparks Controversy
A recent story published by the Daily Mail, claiming that "one in 12 living in London is an illegal migrant," has come under fire and been admonished by the press regulator IPSO. The Daily Mail defended its story by stating that it relied on a front-page article published by the Telegraph hours earlier.
The Telegraph's original article, published on January 23rd, reported on a study commissioned by Thames Water, asserting that London is home to as many as 585,000 illegal migrants. The article stated that this figure represented up to one in 12 of London's population.
However, the Telegraph has since published a correction, clarifying that the population figure used (7,044,667) referred to the Thames Water London Water Resource Zone, excluding irregular migrants, not geographical London, which has a population of about 9 million.
The IPSO summary stated that, given the timing of publication, it was 'too late' for the Daily Mail to independently request comment, but they were careful to attribute the story to the original publication and accurately reported that the original publication had based their claim on a study, which it named, and reported the specific figures included in the study.
This incident highlights the importance of accurate reporting and fact-checking, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like immigration. The reliance of one publication on another, without independent verification, can lead to the spread of misinformation and potentially harmful consequences.
Key Takeaways:
- The Daily Mail faced criticism for a story about illegal migrants in London.
- The Mail based its article on a Telegraph report.
- The Telegraph later issued a correction regarding population figures.
- The incident underscores the need for journalistic accuracy.