The BBC attack on the Conservatives is ongoing.
Just consider; The Andy Coulson attack story is being kept alive here. This is despite the fact that it has no no legs whatsoever. Meanwhile on the PM programme, I listened to Eddie Mair running a shock horror story about how poor old David Cameron’s Conservatives are linked to a Polish politician who allegedly made “homophobic” comments – NINE year ago! Is Mandelson on speed dial to Auntie?
I left a comment on the Open Thread a moment ago-but I think it might be better placed here.
I would like to throw my hat into the ring and pose a hypothesis:
I believe that significant elements of the Labour Party (and by some extension the Liberals) are now the political wing of the BBC.
Since 1997, the increasing interplay between Government/BBC/Guardian has now become so powerful; that the “Communication Office” is no longer under the control of “the centre” and is now pursuing its own agenda, especially now the Tory’s look odds on to win the next GE. It is not inconceivable that with the event of modern political propaganda and media that eventually the “machine” eventually takes over aspects of Governance and policy.
Re-reading Robin Aitken’s seminal “Can We Trust The BBC?” (An essential “field manual” for any media watcher) it is becoming clear how much influence al Beeb has. Since that book we have seen increasing collusion between the BBC/Guardian and a number of “progressive” politico’s-along with an increasing number of dirty trick operations (McBride and The News of the World tapping being two examples) involving the same faces. In particular Kevin Mcguire from the Mirror, who is a well known for his “hands on” approach to the dark arts of politics- hangs around Al Beeb studio’s like a bad smell.
Its interesting that Ben Bradshaw (Minister of Culture Media & Sports and former Al Beeb reporter) recent suggestion of “sharing” the telly tax, and the placement of Michael Lyons on the BBC Trust as Brown’s watchdog, suggests that there may well be a power-struggle of far more significance than the Brown/Blair spat, bubbling underneath the surface. That Parnell (also former Al Beeb) got left out in the cold by the Guardanista/Al Beeb may well indicate that these forces are “clearing house”-and strengthening their own position.
The BBC in the last 13 years has done everything from the non-reporting of the murder of Garda Officer Jerry McCabe by PIRA (and those know PIRA’s “Green Book” know how heretical killing an officer of the Republic is) right through to its involvement in the Blair “coup” and the Gilligan/Kelly affair. It is not beyond the imagination that Al Beeb is now subverting the whole political process-and will stop at nothing (including discrediting a socialist PM) to maintain its lead position in the market-too much money/influence has been invested.
The Tory’s must approach the destruction of Al Beeb with caution and be willing to play the “long war” as Maggie did with the miners.
Vance is a paranoid old man.
The Tories love the BBC – Ed Vaizey has said he would never harm the institution.
Funny how this site was completely silent when the BBC and the Labour Party were at loggerheads earlier this week over the splitting of the licence fee! Not much love between Mark Thompson and Mandelson.
Could it be that Vance chooses to ignore the widespread evidence that contradicts his flawed theory?
"Funny how this site was completely silent when the BBC and the Labour Party were at loggerheads earlier this week over the splitting of the licence fee!"
Obviousley you don't read the papaers.
"Asked for Gordon Brown's response the Prime Minister's spokesman said: "Ben Bradshaw is clear that he views the BBC as a unique and high-quality broadcaster. Ben Bradshaw is a champion of the BBC and is fully committed to its future. The specific issue in relation to the BBC that came out of the Digital Britain report was 'How do we ensure the future of local and regional news?' "
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/5826035/Downing-Street-slaps-down-Ben-Bradshaw-over-BBC-criticism.html
BBc and Labour at "loggerheads"? I think not.
Anonymous:
If there are arguments between a Labour government and the BBC they are not substantial. From personal experience I can tell you that the vast majority of production staff are liberal in outlook. If you are a conservative you do not admit it. If you do, you are quietly sidelined. I once even had a bizarre conversation with a fellow producer in which I tired to convince her that "all conservatives were not bad people".
Don't forget the BBC also accused this Polish guy (the queen of breakfast radio Niki Campbell when interviewing Cameron) of being 'A CLIMATE CHANGE DENIER' Oh my god, that's as bad as being a child molester in the eyes of your average camp beeboid.
Bradshaw used to be a beeboid. Says it all.
Anon
"Vance is a paranoid old man."
Hmmmm……On the contrary, I think Mr Vance et al (including me) have every reason to be worried.
It is not the Labour Party that is at loggerheads with the BBC-but the start of a more “interesting” battle for the future of the left in this country after the next GE.
Al Beeb and co would like us to return to the “good old days” of Michael Foot- which is why Harriet Harperson, Peter Hain, and Red Ken the newt and the PC clique get such an easy ride.
On the other hand you have the “right wing” and “old-guard” like Clarke, Reid, Martin etc being the subject to ridicule FROM THEIR OWN SIDE.
As for Kiddyfiddler Mandy, he is just angling to get back onto the EU gravy train to help his old chums, the Kinnocks to get Tony to become president of Europe. The rest of the Labour goon squad are waiting to join who ever is winning.
Normally this would only be of interest to anoraks (like me), but its taxpayers money that is being used to fight this dirty war.
"NINE year ago!"
What are the BBC going to come up with next?
I did hear that some Eastern European Party (can't remember which country) Have the audacity to think that homosexuallity should not be encouraged among school children.
They must surely be ultra-ultra right wing.
The 'PM' attack on Michal Kaminski featured an extract from that 9-year old interview where Kaminski used the Polish word "pedal", which means "queer, poor, fag".
The interview was translated into English and whenever Kaminski said "pedal" rendered it as "fag". As "fag" is a far more obviously offensive word than "queer" or "poof", that would make Kaminski's sin of homophobia seem all the worse to unsuspecting listeners – and an open-and-shut case.
Is "fag" the best way of tranlating "pedal"? Are there any Polish-speaking readers of this blog who can clarify the situation?
Moreover, the reporter Ray Furlong admitted that the context for the interview was not at all clear. Though that didn't stop him casting it in the worst possible light.
John,
Ray Furlong brought up that very subject too. It was Lithuania, and the party was 'Election Action of Poles in Lithuania'.
Furlong said: "But Mr Kaminski is not the only embarrassment for the new Conservative group. A Lithuanian MEP, Waldemar Tomaszewski, who has also joined Mr Cameron's group, belongs to the party which voted 2 days ago in the Lithuanian parliament to pass a law banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools – rather reminiscent of Clause 28 in this country which, of course, Mr Cameron has just apologised for."
Wikipedia describes the party as "centrist".
Anon
Speaking as a fully paid up (and active) member of the Tory's, I can say that most of the younger members distrust al Beeb 100%.(BTW I'm under 40)
Cameroon,Vaizey,Hunt et al know that they are being monitored by Al Beeb-so it is natural that they are not going to give the game away (even in their PR letters to the public).
But I'm going to have a punt and put my money on being a "review of PSB" within the first year of a Tory Government…..;)
Thanks for the clarification Craig. So even a "centerist" party is now seen as "far right".
How the goal posts have shifted over the past 10 years. Maybe this is why some have labelled Tony Blair "heir to Thatcher". In another 10 years maybe Gordon Brown will be seen as "heir to Nick Griffin" by the BBC type.
"The interview was translated into English and whenever Kaminski said "pedal" rendered it as "fag"."
I'm shocked!
I see that the swine flu saga is top billing on the Tin-pot news…..
Hmmm….I wonder if that is because 'King Snotgobbler got a kicking in Westminster today, or is it because Al Beeb doesn't give two hoots about the Armed Forces?
Harry Phibbs: 'Equality for Some'
('Guardian' 5 July.)
[Extract, from his article on Labour's/Harman's
'Equality Bill']:
.."now Labour is effectively imposing an obligation to promote homosexuality. It reminds me of Bob Hope's joke: "In California homosexuality is legal – I'm getting out before they make it compulsory."
"With a statutory requirement on councils to promote 'Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender culture', what will this mean in practice? An excuse for councils to employ LGBT Officers spending their time attending LGBT Conferences discussing LGBT Issues with LGBT Officers from other councils? Then writing long impenetrable reports nobody reads?
"There was a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman recently from Canterbury Pride that Canterbury City Council was not 'gay friendly' enough. It demanded funding for a 'community drop-in centre for the LGBT community'. Canterbury Pride also complains that there are no gay bars in Canterbury. A municipal gay bar sounds a thoroughly dreary proposition. Wouldn't the gay (as well as straight) residents in Canterbury rather have lower council tax bills and a council that is focused on getting the dustbins emptied? The complaint was turned down but then the new law has not yet come in."
I can see people being prosecuted by Labour for not promoting homosexuality. This must be a General Election issue.
Needless to say, the BBC is pro homosexuality-promoting camp.
This site is not the enemy of The BBC, it is one of its most useful allies,IMO.
WE can not defeat the BBC, or even half understand said entity, while still stupidly, and against all evidence, believing that The BBC is actually controlled by ANY democratically elected politicians or their parties.
The BBC, like all top civil-servants are systematically controlled by THE ESTABLISHMENT. Have none of you people even watched, never mind properly understood YES PRIME MINISTER?
The CIVIL-SERVICE control the BBC. The CIVIL-SERVICE, is in turn controlled by The British and now WORLD establishment. AS are ALL established political Parties, and most likely all of the less established ones.
NOW is that simple enough for you all. Or do I have to spell it out even more simply, using even shorter words?
If you persists in insisting that the BBC is just a horrendously expensive organ for leftist six-formers to play. You are indeed playing right into the establishments hands.
There is no way whatsoever that either Lib/Dem, Labour Party, or especially Green voters will accept the end of The licence fee, if you persist in this purely partisan, and simplistically childish nonsense.
Libertarians of ALL colours, must insist on objective TRUTH. Which is something that The BBC, has never provided, or indeed even tried to attempt to provide.
This is not a conspiracy theory. It is our true reality. My god, even many at The BBC themselves, will tell you the same thing, if you actually asked any of them.
Yes indeed the BBC does appear to hate all things Conservative and conservative. But that has very little to do with anything. This because while we still have a democracy, The Conservative Party will always eventually end up in office.
The power of The BBC, is within the AGENDAS it so cleverly promotes. ALL of which are establishment AGENDAS, for reasons I have already explained.
One of the biggest establishment agendas of our time is a coming, AGW inspired, highly murderous, horrendously poverty creating, and viciously authoritarian, CARBON TAX. Enforced by FORCE, on the entire unsuspecting planet.
David Cameron is already committed to same. Therefore one very important part of The BBC's REAL job, has already been achieved.
Atlas shrugged
My "Wielky Slownik Polsko-Angielski" translates "pedal" as "sm vulg. pansy(boy);nancy; sod". Make of that what you will.
Not everyone in the world has reached the point of being supposedly faggot-friendly like here or San Francisco. However I don't see any straight-guys here opening their arse-cheeks as a welcome sign to their priapic gayboy friends. Sodomy is still not the normal way to greet friends.
The stench of leftist hipocrisy is noted above any other bodily odours. Its one thing to tolerate gays, its another thing to embrace them. Own up!
Its one thing to tolerate gays, its another thing to embrace them.
Quite so.
It is also quite another to force, by methods fair or foul, people to like anyone or anything. To attempt to do so, is indeed deliberately COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE indoctrination, or social engineering designed wholly to divide and rule society.
I am old enough to remember a time when racism, sexism and all of the rest of the ism, were either non existent or clearly going to be so, within no more then a generation or so.
Now it seems clear that all of these isms will be with us for countless generations to come. Precisely because they are now INSTITUTIONALIZED by the exact same people who have been claiming to want to eradicate them.
After all we all know that Quality Controllers will always have to either find, or if not, create faults. Otherwise they will all find themselves out of a job.
Can we ever imagine a time when the Race relations industry for example, will suddenly announce that their job is finally done. Therefore hand in their notice, and sign on the dole, like the rest of humanity will shortly have to?
Can we imagine a time when the police force will announce that crime is now a thing of the past? Thus removing the states domestic army from our streets forever?
NO WE CAN'T.
Although when I was young, this did at least seem like a distant possibility.
We could almost, especially with modern technologies, eradicate ALL violent crime from our streets, if our rulers wanted such a ting to happen at any time EVER.
They don't, it really is THAT SIMPLE.
We live in fear, because that is precisely how our ruling class wish us to live. Why do you think that hardly a BBC or SKY news program takes place, without some nasty murder or two being pointlessly mentioned?
Seriously, what is the point, if not to make us carry on paying for our own police inspired repression, though general and council taxation?
But then I am MAD. I must be so because G Cooper keeps insisting I am. So therefore please don't pay any attention to myself.
As my old grandmother of 101, STILL to this day tells me. "Don't bother wasting your time and energy giving advice, because the wise do not need it, and the utter fools ( like G. Cooper )will not heed it.
But there again, what does she know?
Atlas shrugged
"Pedal" is used here in France to describe homosexuals or Belgians!
Ray Furlong (in Poland) on 'PM' said he had been ringing Michal Kaminski's office repeatedly for a comment. I see on the BBC website that another BBC correspondent Adam Easton (in Poland) is on the story too.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8154670.stm)
Easton has talked to lots of people about him, including Poland's Campaign Against Homophobia.
2 reporters, both working flat out on the same story. Last week we had "Get Coulson!". This week it's "Get Kaminski!"
And the BBC have their foot on the accelerator pedal for this one.
Personally, I think it's great that David Vance has enough knowledge about the NOTW case to assert with such authority that Andy Coulson's involvement "has no legs".
Of course, he would never dare make such a pronouncement without examining all the facts. He would never, ever, let his own personal prejudices take the place of facts, would he?
One can only wonder why a select committee of MPs don't take the same route of making their minds up without examining evidence. It would speed everything up, after all.
Maybe they're afraid of coming across like foolish idiots? Thank goodness, again, that Vance does not fear such things.
@Scott M
I really do wonder whether everyone who comments on this board is quite the loyal supporter they profess to be.
You, Scott, are one of these people. I can't help but notice.
David has taught us powerfully in the last week that sticking to the known facts is an outmoded concept when tackling the BBC's reputation for telling the truth.
On the Coulson story, we have a clear win-win:
1. If the story goes nowhere, we get to complain that al-Beeb has pushed all the stops out to get Coulson sacked, and been proved wrong.
2. If the Guardian is right, and the News of the Screws was running a wholesale, illegal and immoral operation to pry on people's personal details, we then complain that Coulson was stitched up by the Guardianista axis of evil: Lead player, the BBC.
The time is coming, Scott, when we will all have to choose sides. As dear Ratass might put it:
Are you an allie? Or are you not?
Scott
It's not so much reporting the NOWS case, it's the fact that BBC + Labour have bounced it onto Coulson and Cameron in every news bulletin.
They seem a little too desperate to grasp any straw against the Tories whether it be their allies in Europe (not mentioning some of Labours dodgy allies)or this NOWS debate (which seems to have little police interest)
The fact remains that us foolish idiots seem to think that the BBC might have an agenda, possibly influenced by politically biased producers at the BBC.
God forbid.
For BBC:
"The 'Guardian is a greater threat to our society than the 'News of the World'"
(by Brendan O'Neill, 'the first post.co.uk'.)
[Opening extract]:
"Over the past week, one of Britain's best-known newspapers has behaved in a shocking fashion. In the name of netting some cheap front-page scoops, it has shown scant regard for people's liberty and for press freedom, and has implicitly encouraged the kind of intrusion into our daily lives that would make David Blunkett – the first New Labour home secretary and arch-destroyer of privacy – beam with pride.
"No, I'm not talking about the 'News of the World', whose alleged hacking antics are par for the course in the frequently illicit world of journalism. I'm talking about the 'Guardian'.
"We all need protecting from the 'Guardian'. That oh-so-worthy broadsheet's campaign against the 'News of the World' poses a potentially far greater threat to liberty and press freedom than anything the tacky Sunday tabloid might have done.
"If journalists did not sometimes break the law then the truth would remain hidden.
"The 'Guardian' is presenting its revelations about the 'News of the World's alleged hacking of hundreds of celebrities' mobile phones as a moral crusade against criminal gutter journalism. In truth, its campaign has damaged some of the central tenets of journalism – one of which is that it is sometimes worth breaking the law to get a story – and has invited further external policing of what journalists may do and say."
I think "Spotty M" and " Mouthy but thick" are Big Bum Chums
after all
mouthy appeared to be "on his knees" whenever Spotty was around,as he seemed to enjoy telling everyone
don't mess up the carpet now girls……
it cost the taxpayers a lot of money
I don't remember the BBC taking much interest in Polish politics before this. Why suddenly now ?
Not anti-Conservative bias, surely ?
It might be illuminating for the BBC to do a check on the politicians of all the Euro alliances –why you might found ex secret police, communists, fascists and extremists of all kinds!
Just an educated guess
Re: The BBC attack on the Tories over Europe…
Let’s remind ourselves (and any BBC journalist reading this blog) of Labour’s allies in the EU Socialist Group…
a. Self-Defence of the Republic (Poland): Its leader Andrzej Lepper, has recieved two honorary degrees from the anti-Semitic Interregional Academy of Personnel Management which counts, amongst others, American white supremacist David Duke as an honorary professor. His party anthem once featured the line "this land is your land, this land is my land [and] we won't let anyone punch us in the face" – somewhat unsurprising, given Lepper’s multiple convictions for assault. This party has been aligned with Labour since December 2004.
b. Proinsias De Rossa MEP (Ireland)… Born Francis Ross, Proinsias De Rossa is PES MEP for the Dublin constituency and former member of the IRA. De Rossa was interned by the Irish government in the late 1950s for his involvement in the IRA’s border campaign – a campaign which caused the deaths of 6 British policemen. Referring to a scuffle De Rossa had with opponents of the European Constitution last year, his own party leader Eamon Gilmore had the following to say: “During his time in prison, Proinsias learned to stick up for himself… old ‘Punches’ De Rossa is not a man to be trifled with”.
c. Giulietto Chiesa MEP (Italy): A former communist party official and television journalist, Giulietto Chiesa has sat with the British Labour delegation in the Party of European Socialists since 2006. Over the past five years, his parliamentary activities have largely focussed around organising screenings in Parliamentary buildings of his 9/11 conspiracy theory film “Zero” which alleges that the Pentagon was actually hit by a missile and that the Twin Towers were really detonated by explosives placed inside the building. Turning to other international events, Chiesa stated his opinion that “Russia did precisely what had to be done” during last year’s Georgia crisis.
The Lib-Dems also sit with a Latvian Party that have in the past, banned Gay Pride marches! But for some reason the BBC omits to mention any of the above – Why?
thanks Anon for that –I thought it might be a mixed bag.
Good thing BBC made all this clear to us!
From what I can see the Law and Justice party has stated it does not support discrimination against gays but opposes gay marriage on grounds that appear to be primarily religious. That aligns them nicely with Barack Obama, who has publicly stated that he opposes gay marriage for religious reasons. Funny old world, eh ?
On the front page, the BBC bigs up a link to the previous night's Question Time.
Yes, it is the solemn pronouncement we were all waiting to see again: 'Trisha' (whoever the f*ck she is) believes the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/8155356.stm
Call me an old cynic, but if old Trish had vigorously supported the Army and the operation there, we wouldn't be seeing it again. The deaths in the past few days have given a shot in the arm to the anti-war brigade.
Next week: another article on the BBC criticising celebrity politics.
Anonymous @ 10:33am: "From what I can see the Law and Justice party has stated it does not support discrimination against gays but opposes gay marriage on grounds that appear to be primarily religious. That aligns them nicely with Barack Obama, who has publicly stated that he opposes gay marriage for religious reasons."
Well done for spotting the similarities. If you can point out where Obama has stated that gay people should not be allowed to be teachers, or that homosexuality will bring the downfall of civilisation – as Jarosław Kaczynski has done – that'll help seal the deal on the "Law and Justice Party are just the same as the US Democrats" analogy.
Similarly, if you can point out where Obama has announced investigation of any and all gay groups for illegal financing, criminal activity and paedophilia on the say-so of a front bench member of parliament, that'll put us in no doubt whatsoever. Cheers.
Anon 9:15
And don't forget that the loathesome Barosso is a former member of a Maoist party ( almost beggars belief) and then the Portuguese Communist Party.
He is now still a darling of the left, including the BBC.
Yes, it is the solemn pronouncement we were all waiting to see again: 'Trisha' (whoever the f*ck she is) believes the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable:
Trisha is a world reknowned expert on Afghanistan and modern military combat, dont ya know.
At least ignorant idiots like me don't dare suggest whether this war is winnable or not, as we are several thousand miles away and haven't got all the facts.
Perhaps these "experts" should stick to their specialist subjects –do gooding or whatever, and leave the army (which seems to be the only publicly financed organisation currently offering value for money) to do their excellent work…
Just seen this, if only this would happen to BBC…
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-%26-entertainment/bbc-shut-down-after-programme-about-big%2c-fat-cocks-20080410862/
RE: Scott M
Why the one-sided commentary? I notice you have refuted the analysis of Anon @ 10.33 but have not chosen to defend the BBC’s one-sided coverage of this issue, why is that? Do you accept that the BBC has erred in this case? Or do you believe that it is OK for our State Broadcaster to highlight the failings of Tory allies in Europe, but not those of Labour or the Lib-Dems?
Why are Kaminski's past homophobic statements more important than Andrzej Lepper’s anti-Semitic connections? Why is it wrong for the Tories to ally themselves to the Czech Civic Democratic Party and the Polish Law and Justice Party, but OK for Labour to sit with former East European Communists? Or for that matter with a former IRA terrorist. Equally, why is it that the Lib-Dems can align themselves with a Latvian party that has banned Gay marches in Riga – without comment – whilst the law & Justice, are branded as untouchables, because some of their members have spoken out against homosexuality. Remember Poland is a fiercely Catholic country and no doubt homophobia is quite regrettably widespread. You either criticize all these European politicians or none at all; and it is this in-balance that is wrong.
We all know why the BBC and their ilk don’t like the idea of the Tories leaving the federalist EPP (a group which also has its fair share of non-PC politicians) – but that attempt to kill the ECR by innuendo and smear is both undemocratic and a clear violation of the BBC’s charter. So let’s stick to the facts Scott – should the BBC really be engaging in this kind of one-sided political campaign?
The smear campaign being waged by the BBC continued on today's 'The World at One'.
Another anti-Kaminski report by Ray Furlong concentrated on cases of homophobia in Poland, & interviewed Marta Abramowicz, president of Poland's 'Campaign Against Homophobia' (KPH), who Furlong said was "incredulous" that the British Conservatives were now in alliance with the Law & Justice Party.
Here's a flavour of Furlong's piece:
"This is one of the many sources of homophobia in Poland – Radio Maria, where prayers are broadcast before the news & Thought for the Day is usually anti-abortion, anti-Europe and anti-gay. It is closely linked to Law & Justice, the party which David Cameron has forged an alliance with in Europe".
(Isn't this anti-Catholic?)
"Law & Justice themselves insist they're not homophobes but social conservatives opposed to civil partnerships or gay adoptions, but how can it sit with the more socially liberal message of Mr Cameron's Party?"
(Aren't some British Labour MPs, like Morecambe's own Geraldine Smith, closer to Law & Justice on these issues than David Cameron? Why doesn't the BBC question that? Why only investigate the Tories?)
According to Wikipedia, the 'Campaign Against Homophobia' is not a non-partisan organisation:
"Other critics point to several links between KPH and post-communist or socialist political parties". Furlong never mentions this, which would give Marta's criticisms an extra (and very different) slant.
As has been pointed out by Anonymous @2.09pm, there are seriously dodgy elements in most of the other European parliamentary groups, including the Labour and Lib Dem groups – not to mention the EPP. Why not ask about the homophobes, the terrorist supporters, the anti-abortionists, the ex-fascists and ex-communists in those groupings? How many of them also oppose civil partnerships or gay adoption? This is in-your-face BBC bias at its most shameless.
The Tories are either masochists or cowards (or stupid). They will allow themselves (and anyone else to the Right of Centre) to be kicked around by the lefties at the BBC & then tell the BBC that they love it & want to have its babies. They are truly, truly pathetic.
Rant over!