The press watchdog has thrown out a claim that an MP’s weekly newspaper column discriminated against French people.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation has rejected a complaint against the Bridport & Lyme Regis News after reader Deborah Warde took exception to claims made in the newspaper by Chris Loder.

Mr Loder, Tory MP for West Dorset, had claimed in his regular column for the News that “France are actively forwarding migrants across the Channel” and “intentionally disrupting our fish supply chain”.

Ms Warde claimed the piece discriminated against French people and was intended to create hatred against them, but IPSO found the terms of Clause 12 (Discrimination) of the Editors’ Code of Practice were not engaged because they only relate to specific individuals.

Complaining under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and Clause 12 of the Code, Ms Warde also said Mr Loder’s claims were unsubstantiated.

In response, the News said the column was clearly a comment piece and Mr Loder, pictured, was simply expressing his opinion that the French state was not doing enough to tackle the problems he was discussing.

It set out the factual basis for the Conservative politician’s views, noting it had been reported in news coverage at the time both that the number of migrant crossings had doubled and that “the French Police have been ‘enforcing misery’ on migrants living in and around Calais”.

The paper also cited coverage of French fishermen intentionally blocking fish deliveries to Britain and was satisfied that the factual basis on which the columnist’s view was based in regard to both alleged inaccuracies was accurate.

Where the column did not include a reference to a protected characteristic held by an individual, the News did not consider that the complainant’s concerns engaged the terms of Clause 12.

IPSO noted the News was required to demonstrate there was a reasonable factual basis to support Mr Loder’s position and was satisfied it had done so because it provided sources to support his interpretation of events.

Where Ms Warde did not say that the story discriminated against a specific individual, and her concerns related to French people in general, IPSO found the terms of Clause 12 were not engaged.

The complaint was not upheld, and the full adjudication can be read here.