The BBC is obstructing the inquiry (sound familiar?) into the exorbitant cost of the new Scottish Parliament building, which has increased from an estimated 40 million to 400million (est) since its inception. Alan Cochrane gets angry and Iain Murray reflects that the BBC is becoming a law to itself (scroll down) in a post entitled ‘Contempt for Democracy’.
The Beeb meanwhile, or at least in collusion with Kirsty Wark whose ‘private’ company is involved, says that it must protect its contacts because that’s what wins it public respect. Sounds a funny defence to me, because the public knows little (by the Beeb’s own definition) about the BBC’s ‘contacts’, and would probably be disillusioned if it did. Besides, we all know how Gilligan, who still works for the Beeb, cared for Mr Kelly, or we ought to if Mr Hutton gets to tell us. Iain Murray considers the legal position.
Don’t you guys have a Freedom of Information Act?
Having read about Kirsty Wark and the BBC’s refusal to co-operate with the investigation into this expensive white elephant, I watched last night’s BBC News (6pm and 10pm) and Newsnight (often presented by Wark) to see their coverage of this. All had reasonably lengthy items on the investigation – but none of them mentioned this footage or the BBC and Wark’s refusal to share it with the investigation. What a surprise!
With regard to Freedom of Information, we do, sort of – the Labour Party pledged to introduce a wide-ranging act when they were elected in 1997. After several years of becoming accustomed to the trappings of power they produced a law that was much neutered and watered down. What a surprise – and they wonder why people are cynical about politicians! Not that it would matter in this case anyway – the BBC is not (it proudly proclaims) a government organisation (even though it is tax funded and unnaccountable to anyone but it’s own self-interested governors).
which has increased from an estimated 40 million to 400million (est) since its inception
All that dough for one of the ugliest governmental buildings in the free world I’ve ever seen. If they could only keep their classy, dignified, albiet cramped, setup on the otherside of the Royal Mile.