61 Responses to QUESTION TIME LIVE

  1. Rob says:

    Guess the party – Republican or Democrat:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7859588.stm

    The only allusion is the following paragraph:

    “Mr Blagojevich is now replaced as governor by Patrick Quinn, a fellow Democrat and the state’s lieutenant governor.”

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  2. archduke says:

    thanks for the cover it live david- made it all more bearable.

    nice one!

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  3. Beness says:

    Not a good show at all but all the better when we can have a group grope and make some fun of it.

    Well done David, Well done all involved in the comments.

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  4. subrosa says:

    Ian Gray (leader of labour in the Parliament) was billed for this show. Instead Charlie boy was wheeled out. Not the first time either. Once again David Dimbleby sidelined Nicola Sturgeon. She’s one very efficient politician and would stand her ground well against most politicians in Westminster.

    Reading the comments I’m upset at the fact so many people know nothing of Scotland, it’s culture and politics but consider they can express a opinion.

    These comments just show how different Scotland is from England. Oh, for anyone interested, there are more English SNP members than any other Scottish party.

    Roll on independence. Then perhaps we can be friendly. Pity so many English people think they’re subsidising Scotland. I pay 28% more here in Scotland for electricity generated here than my friends do in the SE of England. The same applies to my gas supply. I could give more true facts but that’s enough.

    A Guid New Year tae ye a’

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  5. mikewineliberal says:

    Rob | 30.01.09 – 12:13 am

    It is a hoary old standard of This site that the bbc buries the party when covering bad behaviour of labour and democrat politicians. On the flip side, the party of conservatives emphasised where the behaviour is embarrasing.

    What’s going on here then?

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_7857000/7857287.stm?

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  6. AndrewSouthLondon says:

    Conway rightly crucified, the slimy toad. But do I recall reading over a third of MPs were also “employing” relatives, mistresses, ex’s, their dog spot, any old wheeze, and quickly ditched them when Conway was fingered. Perhaps the story would have been more accurate in reporting the “widespread practice of MPs of both sides of the House” to poke proverbial snout in trough, not like it was one errant Tory.

    Context dear boy, context.

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  7. archduke says:

    “included a ban on most purchases of foreign steel and iron used in infrastructure projects. ”

    Dubya did the same – remember the “steel war” with the U.S.?

    think it was early on in his presidency, pre 9/11

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  8. archduke says:

    “Refinery strike enters third day”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/7859800.stm

    there’s a rather large invisible elephant in that story.

    no prizes for guessing why the BBC refuses to mention it.

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  9. frankos says:

    subrosa
    Labour has been one of the main wedges between Scotland and England

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3644010/The-Union-of-England-and-Scotland-is-over.html

    Scottish independence would be welcomed by many, as England would have more right wing governments if elected by the English alone.

    Scotland would have to consider it’s vuinerability as a small nation

    Good luck

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  10. Roland Deschain says:

    Archduke

    Today was covering the refinery strike in quite a big way, and to be fair were throwing Gordon Brown’s ill-conceived “British jobs for British workers” quote around quite a bit.

    I wasn’t able to listen to the whole article but not once did I hear it pointed out that EU law is why he couldn’t deliver that promise, even if he wanted to.

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  11. Bob says:

    Thought you might like this. I foolishly questioned the authenticity of one of his comments on Order Order.

    He is in accord with most here on the TV licence:

    stanislav, a young polish plumber said…

    Dear Mr Bob.

    What is this stanislav is not stanislav or if is must be out from face, three sheets up the wall, as fucking rat pissed shit?

    stanislav is not artist of pissing-up, is fucking bad enough English speaking, innit, without scramble synaps up like fucking omelette. Anyway, simply say, or try to say, Michael Gove is cunt, also Fatman Falconer, also Hardip fucking Singh, famous Jock Sikh, also LibDem bint and also Nicola Moustache, First Mate on HMS Jock Tribesman and also Dimbleby, is cunt too, whole of fucking BBC is cunt. World Service, Radio Three, every fucking bastard is cunt. And act cunt on stanislav and mrs’s license fee. If he paid it, which he would rather fucking not and doesn’t. Even so, is all bastard, never mind not pay license tax is all cunt, even if free with petrol coupon, like down Tesco.

    What so complicate is about that ?

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  12. Paul C says:

    MWL,

    Perhaps because the association is fresh in the reader’s mind after reading this –

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/politics/7214573.stm

    Having just withdrawn the whip, it means that calling him “former Conservative” would not have the same political clout as the many earlier reports where he was called “Conservative MP” rather than just “MP”

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  13. archduke says:

    ” Roland Deschain | 30.01.09 – 8:55 am ”

    yes, i heard Today too – and not once was the EU ever mentioned.

    it is entirely legal for the company in question to import Italian workers.

    the European Court ruled on this back in 2007, regarding a case involving a Finnish ferry company employing cheaper Estonian workers.

    http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2007/12/social-dumping-ok.html

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  14. archduke says:

    walkouts happening across the country now (sky news)… wildcat strikes , organised by mobile phone.

    its started folks.

    god knows where this is heading…

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  15. archduke says:

    good analysis on sky news in the past few minutes. seems like the workers are taking gordon brown at his word – “british jobs for british workers”…

    (which of course, the lying bastard never really believed in …)

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  16. mikewineliberal says:

    BBc lead too

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7859968.stm

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  17. Grant says:

    Has Hain had any punishment for his corruption ?

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  18. Grimer says:

    Didn’t the head of some trade body say that businesses didn’t want to employ Brits? When he said it, the economy was booming and jobs were available. Now that things are going massively tits up, I think we can expect a whole load of strife.

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  19. Grant says:

    I wonder if the BBC are thinking of switching allegiance away from Brown, either to another Labourite , or indeed Cameron.
    If the BBC judges that Cameron will win the next election, the Beeboids might feel that, by supporting him, they can protect the licence fee.
    On the other hand, maybe I am dreaming. After all , Beeboids would never put money before a political principle, would they ?

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  20. Original Robin says:

    When that LibDim woman Jo Simpson was commenting on the BBC not broadcasting that Gaza apeal she went on to say that some had no running water ,half a million were made homeless ,lack of medical care. She was just exagerating. Scotland aint that bad.

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  21. Arthur Dent says:

    Not only is the company within its right to employ non UK citizens, it would be unlawful for it to discriminate in favour of British workers. All EU workers from all 27 Member States have a right to work in the UK.

    Did the BBC mention that this is the direct consequence of EU Membership? Nope, that would be counter to the BBC Meme that the EU is good

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  22. DB says:

    If anybody ever tells you that the stereotype of North London BBC liberal luvvies is unfounded, the opening words to this article in ‘The Hamstead and Highgate Express’ (perfect!) should be produced as exhibit ‘A’:

    THE BBC’s best-loved stars from across north London have criticised the corporation’s decision not to show an aid appeal from Gaza, but have urged against a planned boycott of the public service network.
    http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/content/camden/hamhigh/news/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondon24&category=Newshamhigh&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newshamhigh&itemid=WeED30%20Jan%202009%2011%3A53%3A05%3A160

    Delicious, ain’t it?

    Almost as delicious as this:
    A large group of Palestinians has signed a petition calling to ban the BBC from operating in the Gaza Strip because of the broadcaster’s refusal to air a charity appeal for the victims of Operation Cast Lead.
    This was the first time that Palestinians called for boycotting the BBC – a station which they had regularly considered to be biased in favor of the Palestinians and Arabs.

    http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233050211884&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

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  23. archduke says:

    website set up by the strikers…
    http://www.bearfacts.co.uk/

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  24. Roland Deschain says:

    BBc lead too
    mikewineliberal | 30.01.09 – 10:51 am | #

    But not a mention of the elephant in the room.

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  25. archduke says:

    dont forget that the tenders for the next generation of nuke stations was given to a FRENCH company – EDF

    these contractors aren’t dim – they know full well that if Total gets away with its Italian job, the EDF will do the same on the much bigger nuke projects…

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  26. frankos says:

    If Brown pumps loads of public money into capital projects and the end recipients are foreign workers and foreign companies he will be hung from the nearest lampost.
    If these projects are offered to British companies and British workers only he will be contravening European law, and may well be subject to foreign lashbacks. They will hang him instead.
    He should have reduced the basic rate of income tax instead then all the benefits would be to British taxpayers

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  27. subrosa says:

    frankos | 30.01.09 – 8:42 am |

    You’re perfectly correct franco. 50 years of a labour dominated Scotland and we have nothing to show for it.

    I have no fears because we’re a small country. There are many very successful small countries and Scotland would intend to be one of them. It’s not size that matters franco, it’s the ability of the people and the expertise of the government we choose.

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  28. frankos says:

    I agree
    but having such a large dependence on one industry (oil or banking )or another can be fatal (Iceland)
    Scotland will need to keep it’s best people and diversify into new technologies –a lot of micro industries and businesses (eg genetic cropwork) if you like.
    This will mean a low tax, attractive environment without the control freakery that essms to permeate the Scottish (and British) governments.

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  29. Grant says:

    Original Robin 11:36
    Ha ! The problem in Scotland is that we have too much running water !

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  30. frankos says:

    essms?? –meant seems

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  31. DB says:

    dont forget that the tenders for the next generation of nuke stations was given to a FRENCH company – EDF

    these contractors aren’t dim – they know full well that if Total gets away with its Italian job, the EDF will do the same on the much bigger nuke projects…
    archduke | 30.01.09 – 1:13 pm

    And head of PR at EDF? Andrew Brown, the PM’s brother.

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  32. Alex says:

    Present and former BBC employees with positions involving political influence – and links to the Labour party.

    Here’s an abbreviated list of known Labour supporters and the postions they’ve occupied at the BBC since the the early 90’s:-

    Chairman Gavin Davies (later Labour adviser)

    Chairman Sir Michael Lyons (previously Labour council chief)

    Director General John Birt (later Labour adviser)

    Director General Greg Dyke (previously Labour donor and candidate)

    C.O.O Caroline Thomson (previously Roy Jenkin’s aide)

    Head of Political Research Bill Bush (later Labour spin doctor)

    Deputy Head of ditto Catherine Rimmer (later Labour spin doctor)

    Director of Strategy Ed Richards (later Labour spin doctor)

    Head of Corporate Planning James Purnell (now Labour Minister)

    Head of Northern Ireland News Tom Kelly (later Labour spin doctor)

    Scottish News Editor Tim Luckhurst (previously lLabour spin doctor)

    Political News Editor Joy Johnson (later Labour spin doctor)

    Political Editor Andrew Marr (student Labour organiser)

    Home News Editor Celia Barlow (now Labour MP)

    Head of European Affairs Chris Bryant (now Labour MP)

    Newsnight Producer Phil Woolas (now Labour Minister)

    Foreign Correspondent Martin Sixsmith (later Labour spin doctor)

    Current Affairs Reporter Ben Bradshaw (now Labour Minister)

    Current Affairs Reporter Lance Price (later Labour spin doctor)

    “Question Time” Editor Gill Penlington (previously Labour researcher)

    Many of them actually worked for the Labour party before, after and even during their BBC employment.

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  33. Nearly Oxfordian says:

    Not only is the company within its right to employ non UK citizens, it would be unlawful for it to discriminate in favour of British workers. All EU workers from all 27 Member States have a right to work in the UK

    Indeed, and that’s an excellent reason to leave the EU at once (and why appointing a rabid Euro-loon like Clark is a disaster in waiting). But awarding a contract to a British company is not illegal (unless it can be shown to have been a biased tender, which is extremely difficult to do), and for the company to employ British workers is not illegal (unless, again, it can be shown to have been biased, which is equally difficult to do).

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  34. Original Robin says:

    Then again why aren`t the jobs going to British workers ? Could it be because of the taxes in Britain ?And why do we pay so much taxes ? Part of the reason is because we put money into the EU pot, which is then used to subsidise the countries where the other workers come from.

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  35. Field.Size says:

    Interesting Government letter posted on the bearfacts website mentioned earlier, a “robust” defence of “Migration” (whatever happened to that more accurate word immigration I wonder?)
    Note how it took from the 10th November to the 14 Jan 09 to answer the writer of the letter to the Home Office.

    http://www.bearfacts.co.uk/Forum/index.php?topic=100.0

    The Government has its eye on how much tax it can get so all are welcome here it seems, unless your British anyway.

    FS

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  36. frankos says:

    Nearly Oxfordian

    It may well be illegal to award contracts on the basis of ethnicity alone, as it could contravene EU law.
    To advertise the jobs as such might be seen as discrimination.

    I am guessing that someone would bring landmark anti discrimination proceedings against the company to the EU.

    The fact that Hilary Benn has just said that it was possible to discriminate against foreign workers (re recent strikes) might bring our goverment into conflict with other EU countries.

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  37. Field.Size says:

    This is worth reading…

    Posted again because HaloScan went tits up and trashed my ealier posting… I hate trying to repeat a post.

    http://www.bearfacts.co.uk/Forum/index.php?topic=100.0

    Good insight into Government thinking on “Migration” (immigration to you & me)

    FS

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  38. Field.Size says:

    This is worth reading…

    Posted again because HaloScan went tits up and trashed my ealier posting… I hate trying to repeat a post.

    http://www.bearfacts.co.uk/Forum…php? topic=100.0

    Good insight into Government thinking on “Migration” (immigration to you & me)

    FS

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  39. Martin says:

    I have to laugh at all the brothers’ protesting about ‘foreign workers’.

    The Labour party and the Unions have long been big supporters of the EU but of course the French, Germans etc make sure that their jobs are protected (they just ignore EU law) but our patsy Government just goes along with it.

    The poor old BBC though. 5 Live have been in a right tizzy today. They don’t know who to blame (well I think Thatchers’ name came up once of course) but McFatty’s “British jobs for British workers” got Vicki Derbyshire in a right old mess. “It was misleading” she vomited this morning. You bet, misleading enough to get McFatty catapulted into leader of the Country backed by the Unions.

    If these THICK morons protesting really want to save their jobs then vote to get OUT of the EU.

    But they won’t as they are thick sheep. Dole fodder.

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  40. Libertarian says:

    But they won’t as they are thick sheep. Dole fodder.
    Martin | 30.01.09 – 3:15 pm | #

    Socialism is crumbling before your eyes.

    LOL, and with it crumbles the BBC. Double LOL.

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  41. martin says:

    I bet you can’t get a contract in France for a job unless everyone speaks French. The French have ways around everything.

    Fact is McFatty one eye lied about British jobs for British workers and the BBC have’nt got the balls to pull him apart on it. If George Osborne had said it we wouldn’t hear the end of it.

    We must leave the EU, take back our fishing waters and do trade deals with individual Countries.

    France and Germany need the UK. We’re one of the biggest markets for French cars, wine and cheese and we are one of the biggest markets for German cars.

    What do we flog them? Not a lot.

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  42. Nearly Oxfordian says:

    It may well be illegal to award contracts on the basis of ethnicity alone, as it could contravene EU law.
    To advertise the jobs as such might be seen as discrimination

    Oh, I agree, and imo there is no may or might about it.
    What I was saying was that having interviewed staff / screened bids etc, and having awarded the work to Brits, it’s going to be extremely difficult to prove that this was done on an ethnic basis rather than commercial considerations. You would have to prove 2 things: (a) intent, (b) that the foreign bid was exactly as good as (or better than) the British one. Both of these things are intangible, the first one completely so and the second to a very large extent.

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  43. Nearly Oxfordian says:

    whatever happened to that more accurate word immigration I wonder

    Zanulab’s Ministry of Truth don’t use it, because it conveys too much truth.

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  44. Grimer says:

    “whatever happened to that more accurate word immigration I wonder”

    Zanulab’s Ministry of Truth don’t use it, because it conveys too much truth.
    Nearly Oxfordian | 30.01.09 – 4:04 pm | #

    Au contraire, I think their use of ‘migration’ says everything about their attitudes to Britain, British people and our place in the ‘world’ – i.e. we don’t have any borders, all are welcome, the world is one big ‘community’ and people are free to migrate from any old shit hole to the UK (and not change, because a Geordie wouldn’t be expected to change if they migrated to London, so why should a Somalian?)

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  45. Nearly Oxfordian says:

    I don’t think the two things are contradictory, Grimer: the correct word is ‘immigration’, because everyone is welcome to come here and keep any shitty culture, e.g. Islam. But the word is too truthful, so you need to use a different one to hide the truth from the plebs.

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  46. archduke says:

    “watch this space on monday”

    http://www.bearfacts.co.uk/Forum/index.php?topic=136.0

    interesting to say the least…

    i have to say – these guys are timing it very well – before dirt cheap Turkey joins the EU.

    already Turkish workers have been used – on an road building project in the Republic of Ireland about a year ago. huge scandal about it over there…

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  47. Libertarian says:

    BBC Question Time: why do so many voters want politicians to agree?

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/iain_martin/blog/2009/01/30/bbc_question_time_why_do_so_many_voters_want_politicians_to_agree

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  48. Nearly Oxfordian says:

    Libertarian:

    if Brown keeps sinking I’ll wager there will be talk of a National Government before long

    No! What an original idea!
    This has been aired over at the Spectator for the past 6 months.

    if Brown can send for Mandy, he can send for Cable, although not Ken Clarke any longer

    Not sure about that. KC would sell his grandmother for a bob.

    By then its usually too late.

    No more grasp of English punctuation at the Telegraph than anywhere else, then.

    I loved this comment:

    The programme after with Andrew Neil, Michael Portillo and Diane Abbott…is outstanding and more than fits the BBC charter critera

    Yeah, one halfwitted ignorant lefty and one screeching racist lefty. Perfect.

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  49. Llew says:

    Alex | 30.01.09 – 2:05 pm |

    Wouldn’t it be quicker to highlight just those within the BBC who had or have links to the Conservative party? Wouldn’t take more than a couple of lines, surely?!

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