GB News is facing criticism for a new poll asking if the “left elite are to blame for the violence in Southport”.

It comes following a stabbing attack in the town on Monday with a 17-year-old boy now having been charged with the murders of three young girls.

Following this, a violent riot erupted outside a mosque in the town on Tuesday night, which was then followed by a series of further protests across England on Wednesday.

(Image: Twitter/X)

Now, a poll has appeared on the GB News website with the title: “Are the left elite to blame for the violence in Southport as they continue to smear and ignore angry communities?”

A number of people took to Twitter/X to criticise the poll with Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, writing: “PoLl oF ThE dAY: WTF is this? Almost like GB News might be trying to distract attention from their own consistent record of driving anti-Muslim & anti-migrant propaganda whipping up hate and inflaming tensions…”

“The absolute state of this,” said a second user, while a third described the poll as the “worst tweet of the day”.

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Following the attack in Southport, Downing Street was forced to issue a statement as misinformation spread on social media.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (below) meanwhile has faced criticism from a former counter-terror chief after he questioned if “the truth is being withheld from us”.

(Image: PA)

The criticism of GB News on Twitter was widespread with one user saying the broadcaster was “part of the problem”.

Another added that it was “disgraceful that a ‘news’ channel continuously tries to fan the flame of division”.

Councillor Rashmi Kalu, based in the London borough of Harrow, responded to the post: “I think that would be drunken thugs whipped up by the far right… but don’t let your viewing audience vote on that.”

The National has approached GB News for further comment.