I see that the politicians, and Labour in particular, are swarming over the BBC this morning claiming “the system” of expenses is wrong and that everything they have done is within the rules. Oh really? I don’t think so. The Labour Government has presided over this criminal abuse of OUR taxes and all that time the politicians kept mute about what they were up to. Blears says that that the public hates “this” system. No we don’t. We hate her and the rest of the free-loaders who rip us off. I’d like to see the BBC itself express rather more outrage at the sheer scale of the fraud perpetrated by ALL the politicians (Hello John Selwyn Gummer!) but it does seem genuinely taken aback by this issue. What say you?
CHANGE THE POLITICIANS
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Well said. I think they’re all getting an appallingly easy ride. If I hear one of them say “within the rules” or “I am sorry that parliament has been brought into disrepute” one more time, I swear I will self-combust. YOU have brought yourselves into disrepute, you bloody THIEVES.
And another thing – the BBC asking if they should say sorry. We’re way beyond sorry. These are the people who make our laws and they’ve been exposed as a pack of dirty little embezzlers. I don’t want an apology. I want to see resignations. I want to see the ones who have plainly committed fraud being prosecuted and jailed. I want to see parliament dissolved and an election called. They have lost the authority to govern us.
Mmmm, I wonder if the BBC will be giving any airtime to the fact that those money grabbing MP’s have quietly managed to vote themselves a 17.5% increase in their expenses allowance this year. That will mean an additional £16million syphoned off the tax payer to spend on whatever takes an MP’s fancy.
So, all those MP’s bleating about their pathetic excuses on the BBC obviously aren’t that sorry then, are they.
If the BBC really had any commitment to so-called ‘public service broadcasting’ it might occur to them to get hold of a list of all those MPs who did NOT shamelessly milk the system, and then throw this back in the face of the snouts-in-the-trough brigade and ask them why THEY felt the need to act so outrageously. After all, if “the system” is at fault, then there surely would be no one who had failed to take advantage of it. Wouldn’t there…?
Friday’s performance by Harm men on Today sealed it. One name mentioned, Conway, twice with no challenge. Then her, I’m not going into individual cases patently reversing her previous ‘individual case’ ban. Again with no challenge by the simpering Evan Davis. After this debacle is rooted out and ended next up the Augean Stables which passes as our ‘independent’ national broadcaster.
MP’s are obviously using the line that what they did was ‘withing the rules’. I am sure most people will agree that if they can get away with what they have then the rules need changing.
This post seems to have little to do with the BBC however and nothing to do with bias. The BBC will, of course report what the MPs are saying, rightly so.
It really wouldn’t be appropriate for the BBC to express outrage. The little matter of impartiality.
It seems to me that the BBC’s entire coverage of this affair has been peculiarly subdued. Even their fellow travellers over at the Guardian have seen fit to rage and fume at the way we have been taken for a ride by these Westminster swindlers – but the BBC, alone, seems willing to give the MP’s excuses greater prominence than the crimes they have committed.
Why? I can think of two reasons. The first is that they are mostly from the same political class (hence the revolving door, between politics and the BBC) and so they have a natural empathy with these bullies, liars and crooks, who think they are fit to instruct us how to live our lives.
The second, because the BBC only exists at the grace of Parliament. No license fee – no BBC.
Not much of a safeguard of editorial independence, really, is it?
We might as well burn it down. It is broken beyond repair.
What gets me is how everyone now says the allowance system is wrong. Amazing that MPs have had to be found out first!
perhaps they are worried that they will be next.im sure there is plenty of expense fiddling ammongst beeboids
Well, for the first time in ages, I decided to check out what the good bbc licence fee payers ( not you lot of degenerate refusenicks), thought of the beeboid reporting.
Not a lot I’m afraid ! I read about 300 of the 450 odd posts on toenails robinsons’ blog and every single one of them disagreed with his ‘nothing to see here, move along now’ meme.
David / anyone, can you put up a post to flesh out a strategy for a campaign to make the bbc trustees force the bbc to link to this site, to provide balance.
Well, for the first time in ages, I decided to check out what the good bbc licence fee payers ( not you lot of degenerate refusenicks), thought of the beeboid reporting.
Not a lot I’m afraid ! I read about 300 of the 450 odd posts on toenails robinsons’ blog and every single one of them disagreed with his ‘nothing to see here, move along now’ meme.
David / anyone, can you put up a post to flesh out a strategy for a campaign to make the bbc trustees force the bbc to link to this site, to provide balance.
Anyone else notice how the BBC keep trying to turn this on the Tories?
Every Tory politician interviewed has been asked about “will you withdraw the whip for any MP found to have abused the expenses system?”
Nothing wrong with that, but why not ask Liebour scum the same thing?
The BBC seem to be getting more and more angry that they haven’t got any Tories yet to really have a go at.
You nailed it, David! This whole affair shows these are dishonest people (politicians) protected by dishonest people (broadcasters). A plague on both their houses.
Strange how the MPs’ allowance scandal was not uncovered by the BBC. We have to thank people like Heather Brooke and bloggers for that. And strange how over the years the BBC never once pointed out the potential (never mind actual) abuses of the allowance system. Silly me thought they were a “public service” broadcaster.
Anon: The shame is that just like Damien McBride and his bully boy tactics and McSnots habit of throwing things around the BBC were well aware of it but refused to report it.
The BBC have form here. Prick Robinson even admitted on his own blog that the BBC didn’t want to report on Mandelsons meeting on the Russian billionaire’s yacht in the same way they went after George Osbourne.
Note that Osbourne’s defence was “I’ve done nothing wrong and not broken any rules” was not accepted by the BBC in the same way the BBC happily accepts the massive corruption by Liebour ministers.
As well as David V’s post, Kevin T’s tells it as it is and sums up my feelings exactly.
There’s also a good piece by Carole Malone in today’s News of the World, “We should make these leeches pay” which calls them what they are and captures the rage that many of us no doubt feel.
You won’t get anything like it from the BBC’s coverage.
Yes, notice how all upset NOW they are that “the system is broken.”
*Now* they are, to repeat. After it has been all over the front pages. With more to come. In all their “get rich quick in the property market, dry rot repairs, two lavs replacement rip off the taxpayer for all we can get” ugliness.
Yet, funnily enough, if all this hadn’t been revealed by the Telegraph, would any of them had EVER worked to change that “broken” system they now so loudly decry?
Methinks we all know the answer to that question.
I noticed one of the “Anons” at the top of the thread said that this was nothing about bias at the BBC and that the BBC are not allowed to rage about politicians, just to report what they say .
Well if they are doing it in this case then it is a first. Have you not seen Paxman or listened to Humphreys and that other idiot Naughtie? They were on a constant rage when “interviewing” Israeli spokesmen or representatives of the Bush administration. And what about every “Tory” that has appeared on the BBC? I don’t know what you have been watching or listening to, but it certainly isn’t the BBC.
I noticed one of the “Anons” at the top of the thread said that this was nothing about bias at the BBC and that the BBC are not allowed to rage about politicians, just to report what they say .
Well if they are doing it in this case then it is a first. Have you not seen Paxman or listened to Humphreys and that other idiot Naughtie? They were on a constant rage when “interviewing” Israeli spokesmen or representatives of the Bush administration. And what about every “Tory” that has appeared on the BBC? I don’t know what you have been watching or listening to, but it certainly isn’t the BBC.
When it comes to abusing expenses and public money, the BBC probably don’t want to embarass all their Labour ministerial chums, but also because they know that people in glass houses…
SRN: Yes wouldn’t it be VERY interesting to see how many flights beeboids take in a year and how much CO” is created, in particular by twats like Harrabin.
Despite all the “communications advice” Labour will be receiving, there is a fundemental flaw in the Labour position. To Labour eyes, all Tories are self-evident thieving crooks. So robbing the public purse is no more than you would expect of “evil Tories”. Which puts Labour on the upper moral high-ground …err.. until you find..errr….claims for bathplugs, tampons, dry-rot repairs, private security, home-flipping so on and so on – from Labour ministers. The “its within the rules” cuts no ice with ordinary hard-working families who do not have the benefit of those same rules, and have to pay for their own porn. That is why Labour is fcuk’d. Having screwed the country over mis-spent trillions – figure no ordinary person can fathom – they are hoisted on tiny sums of money, which everyone can understand.Its like Al Capone and his tax evasion – never convicted of the big things, but felled by the small things.
DV
I noticed the heading is
“Change the Politicians”
The newlabour dream surely is
“Change the People”
Once changed into obedient little PC “Harmons and harmonettes” we will of course never question our wise politicians again.
The BBC must stick to it’s task
Change! .Tomorrow’s leaders today! leading beyond authority!
It must not shirk it’s destiny.
Change the people or else abolish them.
Marr, Robinson et al know their duty and what they must do.
Robert, 4.00pm:
any chance you cd choose a new moniker? I’ve been posting for years here as ‘Robert’ (after changing from ‘bob’ when a new guy turned up using that name too!)
There’s a very good reason why the BBC is reticent about highlighting lavish expenses and the abuse of public monies: people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
I’ve left a comment on Don’t have your say. Do you think they’ll publish it?
“The only expense I’m willing to pay for is piano wire. String these duplicitous scum bags up from lampposts in Whitehall.
I’ve had enough.
I suspect that you’ve also had enough.
So, why are these thieving animals still alive?
Lets take back our country. First step is to give the ruling elite the Ceausescu treatment – i.e. up against a wall and shot in the head. Make their families pay for the bullet.
The BBC (Pravda) won’t publish this… (You’re next beeboid drone!)”
Well, did you guess correctly?
“MY COMMENTS: 1
DEBATE:
What should MPs be allowed to claim?
SENT:
10-May-2009 22:52
COMMENT:
The only expense I’m willing to pay for is piano wire. String these duplicitous scum bags up from lampposts in Whitehall.
I’ve had enough.
I suspect that you’ve also had enough.
So, why are these thieving animals still alive?
Lets take back our country. First step is to give the ruling elite the Ceausescu treatment – i.e. up against a wall and shot in the head. Make their families pay for the bullet.
The BBC (Pravda) won’t publish this… (You’re next beeboid drone!)
COMMENT STATUS:
Rejected “
Fatty Stephen Nolan ranting away on Radio 5 about Tory sleaze tonight.
The BBC seem to be a ‘bit’ happier that they’ve got some evil Tories to get their teeth into at last.
Expect the sweaty greasy haired Michael Prick on Newsnight to ONLY talk about Tory sleaze tomorrow.
Martin: I have decided that the black girl that does the papers on Sky News is very very sexy.
Check her out!
The politicians are blaming the system. Most professions have an expenses claim system, and it is fine. However, it does rely on honesty, morality, common decency and ethics of ordinary people.
In this, we find that the “right honourables”, our representatives, do not have the virtues that are common among ordinary people.
The two Tory apologist commenting here, sorry it won’t wash.
Just like Labour already exposed, and the other parties especially the Lib Dems who believe me will be exposed, the Conservatives have been shown just as another bunch of lowlives greedily with their snouts in the trough.
No amount of special pleading will get out of this they are all guilty.
If you are in a hole I suggest you put down the shovel and stop digging.
Actually as the Conservatives have a higher proportion of millionaires amongst their MPs if anything they are even more despicable.
And as we go through the credit crunch these MPs of all parties are making us all truly sick.
Of course the BBC aren’t firing off as heavily as they should, if someone looked into their pay and expenses in as much detail there would be mass sackings, now there’s a thought…
I was listening to Radi Nofolk this morning and the DJ actually said,
“Who’d want to be a Tory MP at the moment?”
7am news bulletin on Radio 4: Tory troughing.
Only mentioned the small beer: £4 dog food, £35 baby’s mattress, etc. No mention of the big stuff: second home flipping, gardening, etc.
Reason for bias: same reason the BBC sat back and watched it all happen in the first place.
The BBC, the Labour Party and the rest of the Parasite Sector *want* MPs to be corrupt. Corrupt MPs are silent, malleable and removable.
MPs’ expenses are the merest tip of a titanic shitburg of corruption that runs throughout the Parasite Sector. Also unreported by the Beeb, of course.
Grimer: Seconded.
I have been listening to the story unravel on BBC World Service Radio over the last week. This is what I have learnt:
1. Evil Conservative opposition politicians are mired up to their necks in sleaze
2. Labour ministers praised for their “fugal” lifestyles. (yes really!)
3. Fearless Prime Minister Gordon Brown labouring tirelessly to fix the broken system.
it has been an astonishing barrage of blatant warped propaganda with not even the slightes effort to present a true and balanced picture.
BBC Radio 5 sticking the knife into UKIP this morning. They’re doing a phone in and had to repeat the ‘claim’ that the BNP wanted to align themselves with UKIP.
So the BBC message is ‘A vote for UKIP is a vote for the BNP’
So vote Liebour then you Proles.
Actually as the Conservatives have a higher proportion of millionaires amongst their MPs…
Good for them. Though it’s not true, of course.
Thieving Champagne socialist are filthy rich. They just try to hide it more from the public.
It seems fairly well established that our in theory independently-minded political representatives pretty much do and/or say what they are told these days.
And those actions or words seem governed by systems of research and response based on surveys and polls and focus groups.
So we have a Parliament of clones controlled by robots.
I just saw Liam Fox on the BBC waffling on the various ‘system is wrong’, ‘rules were not broken’ mantras, instead of having a personal opinion and making clear he knows right from wrong, and that collective mea culpas do not erase individual accountability, so it’s pretty cross-party. No idea where the Lib Dems are in all this. I guess they get their day in the sun tomorrow.
And I could also care less about apologies. Still, after trotting out a few for all the value they have, it’s nice to see a green Mr. Cameron advocating reuse. Before leaping in his Prius this morning, he must have used President Obama’s genius rallying cry ‘Change’ about twenty times. Of course, saying it doesn’t mean it happens, or it ends up with anything better. But then, that is not the point these days , is it?
These are clear factual abuses, that for anyone else would lead to immediate legal process. Yet those geniuses at Labour see merit in telling their colleagues that they have done nothing wrong. Read the public mood doods!
And the solution I am now hearing about? Using vast amounts more of taxpayers money to bring in a commission or something to oversee the thing. Which, on past evidence, seems to be shorthand for public-funded cover-up. And already there seems to be mention that ‘trivia’ such as the damning details won’t be in there in the new system.
My only concern is that if and when there are some resignations/sackings this will in fact be seen to clear the slate, which in essence it will.
That means the guilty will be allowed to quietly get away with their abuses. And those who step into their shoes will be unjustly punished for the predecessors actions.
It is a rotten system full of rotten people, currently overseen by a rotten government with an inept leader. I expect my rotten public broadcaster to get to grips with that.
One for DV.
My (English)regional newspaper this morning listing M.P.’s expenses indiscretions starts with those of the Sinn Fein “M.Ps.” indicating a flat sharing scam where estate agents reckon the fair rent would be what one of them claims not what each of them is claiming.
Can anybody recall Sinn Fein being mentioned in despatches on the BBC?
Perhaps if this is “monitored” by the BBC they might like to correct this apparent bias by omission!
Jack Bauer
Many of the Labour MPs are money robbing greed driven scum but to deny that the Conservatives have more millionaires is just plain WRONG.
In the shadow cabinet alone there are 19 millionaires.
There are far more Conservative MP millionaires – that is not necessarily a bad thing, it often shows how good they were at business before becoming an MP. However it is a fact.
But should these millionaires really be claiming for the sorts of things they do as expenses, it seems indefensible.
Argue on the facts, by all means, that’s fine, but please don’t come back with lies and try to make out they are facts to fit your argument, that is BBC tactics, twisted and doomed to failure.
Melanie Phillips (‘Mail’ today)-
‘Our democracy’s going down the plughole with the Home Secretary’s dirty bathwater.’
[Extract]:
…”now that Blairism and the claim to moral virtue have been blown to shreds, the demise of Labour that has been so long predicted may finally come to pass.
“The result of that could even be a realignment of British politics more generally, with a split across the political spectrum between social conservatives, who want to defend Judeo-Christian values against the onslaught being mounted upon them, and libertarians, who support that attack.” (Melanie Phillips.)
-And I think we know whose side the BBC will be on.
‘Cranmer’:- ‘The Mother of Parliaments has become a whorehouse of ill-repute’
[Extract]:
“Since to err is human, national governments subject to the will of fallible electorates can, and do, make mistakes, but are also able to rectify those mistakes.
“Where they refuse, the spirit of autocracy supplants that of liberty, and totalitarianism ensues. Everything is then brought under the control of one authority and no opposition is permitted. To question is treason; to disclose corruption is heretical.” (‘Cranmer’.)
Of which other national organisation can it be said that ‘the spirit of autocracy supplants that of liberty’?
It’s too bad the BBC has so drastically misled the public about the “Tea Party” protests in the US. Otherwise, people might get the idea that it really is much more about getting rid of all the entrenched, corrupt politicians who are wasting money and still raising taxes.
These are still going on, and have even started to affect real change at the local level. It’s starting to happen in other places, too. This is mainly about stopping the waste, and stopping the plundering by all politicians, not about hating the BBC’s beloved Obamessiah, which is what they want you to believe. The Beeboids won’t tell you this, but it was Pelosi and Franks and the other Dems who wrote the Spendulus Bill, not the President. He just gave them free reign. So complaints about the taxing and spending are complaints about the Congress that wrote the plan and enacted it, and not only about people who didn’t like The Obamessiah anyway.
In fact, judging from what I’ve heard at the two protests I attended, and what I’ve been hearing from around the country, it’s starting to become a movement to basically get rid of all the incumbents if they keep this up.
A movement like this could happen in the UK, if everyone didn’t think the US version was a bunch extreme right-wing haters and gun nuts and the like. But the BBC doesn’t want you to know that, in case you get ideas.
Gerald, Sinn Fein MP expenses have been covered more in Northern Ireland, not so much Network where the focus has been on the high profile MPs and Cabinet ministers.
Martin said…
BBC Radio 5 sticking the knife into UKIP this morning. They’re doing a phone in and had to repeat the ‘claim’ that the BNP wanted to align themselves with UKIP.
So the BBC message is ‘A vote for UKIP is a vote for the BNP’
So vote Liebour then you Proles.
____________
So, basically the BBC are saying that I might as well scrap my intention of voting UKIP and actually vote BNP instead? Fair enough… Oh, is that not the response they were hoping for?