Did you read this report from the BBC on the latest record unemployment figures? Note how it spins as positive as is possible – a bit like suggesting that although the Titanic is remorselessly sinking into the cold Atlantic water, the rate is slowing! Rejoice – things can only get better, right? Note how “Fragile recovery” is used as the header for two of the three sections, just in case you didn’t get the message. Mandelson must just love the BBC – the UK economy is a train-wreck, the National currency is dying on its feet and yet the BBC is trying to suggest that there is underlying improvement. Keynesian delusionalism rules OK.
MORE GREEN SHOOTS..
Bookmark the permalink.
Oddly during the Tory Recessions I don’t remember the BBC looking for signd of Green Shoots. Rather it was ceaseless misery and depression, a solemn intoning of the latest increase in unemployment figures and emotive pieces about the real misery behind the figures. But that’s the difference, to the BBC the Tories were responsible for their recessions and positively enjoyed them whilst this recession is entirely caused by exteranl factors and the labour party are bravely doing what they can for the British public – who should be damn well grateful.
<!–[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]–><!–[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState=”false” LatentStyleCount=”156″> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]–> <!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:””; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} span.EmailStyle15 {mso-style-type:personal; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-ascii-font-family:Arial; mso-hansi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:navy;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> <!–[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]–>
Either way it’s perfectly legitimate journalism. They are reporting the ‘facts’ and ‘opinion’ accurately. Journalists are not in a court of law. They can ‘see’ what ever facts and opinion they want to ‘see’. In other words by definition it’s a wonderful profession for political activists who don’t want to go to the trouble of getting elected i.e. the masquerade is easy to do. Journalism can always be viewed as a vehicle for ‘political propaganda’ – as Brown might say. As we know the BBC is full of lefty activists doing just this.
What recovery? The last data I saw said WE were still sinking into recession, but Countries like France and German were probably on the way out.
The figures I saw stated that we can expect unemployment to reach over 3 million, not allowing for the fiddling of figures that ALL Governments do.
Don’t worry. Mr. Brown’s yard sale plus that “windfall” of money that won’t be spent on unemployment compensation will help speed that recovery. Never mind that there will most likely be even more money spent on disability and the dole (but they don’t count as unemployment claims, so it’s cool), or what costs might come up in a couple years when, for example, somebody else owns the Chunnel.
And, of course, the BBC are pushing the view that the weak pound is good because it helps exports. As if any country in the history of the world has actually wanted a weak currency !
The BBC makes me sick !
Oh dear! & coming from their friends (NOT reported by the BBC)
“A damning report by the European Commission on the long-term prospects for Britain’s public finances warns that Britain is at “high risk” of running unsustainable debts – implying that the nation will be unable to service its debts and that only default or high inflation can relieve the burden.”