Sarah Palin attacks Martin Bashir’s ‘unethical’ reporting after Diana interview revelations

Former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin has attacked Martin Bashir’s “unethical” reporting practices after an inquiry found that the broadcaster used “deceit” to secure his bombshell BBC Panorama interview with Princess Diana in the 1990s.

The one-time Republican vice-Presidential candidate reportedly told Fox News that Mr Bashir has been “caught so many times engaging in typically unethical press behaviour” and should face “justice”.

In 2013, Mr Bashir resigned from his presenting job with US broadcaster MSNBC after describing Ms Palin as a “world class idiot” for comparing America’s debt to China to slavery while on air.

He went on to suggest that Ms Palin would “qualify” for the punishments plantation owner Thomas Thistlewood sometimes meted out to his slaves, which included having people urinate and defecate in their mouths.

In his statement of resignation, Mr Bashir said that he “deeply regretted” his “ill-judged comments”, while Ms Palin called on MSNBC to enact harsher disciplinary measures.

After an official inquiry found that Mr Bashir broke BBC guidelines and used “deceitful behaviour” to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana, Ms Palin said that she hopes people will “rise up and demand truth and justice”.

“I just think it’s sad that it’s taken so long for Princess Di’s memory to be touched by some justice,” she reportedly told Fox News.

“The press doesn’t understand that their unethical ways and means of covering and characterising their victims can destroy a person or a family, and less importantly a career. Martin has been caught so many times engaging in typically unethical press behaviour, yet is always embraced back in their fold. 

“These are strange ‘professionals’ that we deal with in the press, and I’m anxious for the day that consumers of media will rise up and demand truth and justice.”

In the wake of the Lord Dyson-led inquiry into his interview with Princess Diana, Mr Bashir said that he “deeply regrets” faking banking documents to gain Earl Spencer’s trust while attempting to secure a meeting with his sister.

But he added that he remains “immensely proud” of the interview, in which the princess made explosive claims about her marriage to Prince Charles, and claimed that the bank statements ultimately had “no bearing” on her decision to grant it.

Princess Diana told Mr Bashir that her marriage was “a bit crowded” because “there were three of us” in it, before divorcing Prince Charles a short while later.