Labour MP Rosie Cooper has criticised ITV for dramatising the events which saw her targeted by a far-right group.
Cooper has lambasted ITV for its “stupid, stupid, stupid” drama, The Walk-In. The TV series centres around a planned attack on the MP for West Lancashire in 2017.
The politician accused the broadcaster of using her as a “marketing tool” during a speech in the House of Commons today (November 3).
The drama focuses on how anti-fascism campaign group Hope Not Hate uncovered the plot to kill the MP. Reacting to the show, Cooper said (per Sky): “I have been used as a marketing tool by both Hope Not Hate and ITV.”
“What excuse is there for a press release that says, ‘Who is Rosie Cooper, and who wanted to murder her?’ There is no defence to that,” she said.
The MP then said she was calling on Hope Not Hate and ITV to donate “all money and profits” from the show to the Jo Cox Foundation.
A spokesperson for ITV responded to Cooper’s comments, stating that the broadcaster was “very sympathetic to the horrific ordeal” the MP has been through.
They also pointed out that “this has never been the emphasis of our press and marketing” around The Walk-In.
The spokesperson added: “The series has never been described in this way in any ITV press release. From Hillsborough, Bloody Sunday, Appropriate Adult, Little Boy Blue, A Confession to The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries, ITV has a long record of broadcasting factual dramas based on or representing real events.
“Like these, The Walk-In is an important story which we believe it is overwhelmingly in the public interest to broadcast. We always conduct the making of these series carefully and responsibly.”
The drama stars Line of Duty’s Stephen Graham and This Is England actor Andrew Ellis. The duo play an informant and his handler at Hope Not Hate.
The series tells the story of how the pair helped the anti-fascist group to infiltrate banned far-right terror group National Action, and prevent the group attacking Cooper.
The Walk-In is currently airing on ITV and available to stream on ITV Player.
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