The Guardian is reporting today that the Lib Dem leader says Sun columnist is guilty of ‘self-promotion’ after he threatened to complain to Ofcom about Faitma Manji

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has accused Kelvin MacKenzie of “shameless self-promotion” after the Sun columnist threatened to complain to regulators about Faitma Manji wearing a hijab on Channel 4 News.

MacKenzie used Monday’s Sun column to continue his attack on Channel 4 News and Manji, saying he would complain to Ofcom that a newsreader wearing the hijab during a report on attacks such as the one in Nice earlier this month breached impartiality guidelines.

Tim Farron said the columnist and former Sun editor’s continued pursuit of the issue was “beyond belief” and a complaint would be a “waste of Ofcom’s time”.

“Kelvin MacKenzie’s threat to submit an Ofcom complaint following his own bigoted remarks is beyond belief,” he said. “If he had an ounce of decency, he would have apologised profusely for the offence he caused Fatima Manji and would seek to be more tolerant in future.

“For him to continue to drag this out is nothing more than shameless self-promotion at any cost, as well as complete waste of Ofcom’s time.”