The front-page article had reported that a Rochdale shopping centre had installed "Muslim-only squat-hole loos" and that the local council had wasted "YOUR money" on them. The complainant argued that as the facilities would be available to everyone, it was inaccurate to state they were "Muslim-only". Nor was taxpayers' money involved, as the decision to pay for them had been taken by the shopping centre, not by the local council. The newspaper, while claiming that the toilets had been designed with Muslims in mind, nonetheless accepted that both its headline was inaccurate, and that the toilets were paid for by a private developer as opposed to the council. It removed the original article from its website and offered to publish a page 2 correction.
In its ruling, the Commission made clear that it was particularly concerned at the lack of care the newspaper had taken in its presentation of the story. It ruled that the two clear errors of fact would, in the circumstances, have misled readers "in a significant manner". The complaint was upheld as a result under Clause 1 of the Code.
To read the adjudication, which was published by the newspaper on Saturday 25 September, please click here.
