Credit where credit is due. BBC Radio 4’s Analysis programme last night examined what would happen if the UK left the EU, and they made a near-decent fist of the territory, giving prominence to both UKIP’s Lord Pearson of Rannoch and the Conservative withdrawalist, Daniel Hannan. There were, inevitably, some problems, with balance and some silly, unchallenged contributions from EU fanatics.
But this is normally a taboo subject for the boys and girls at the BBC – during the European elections back in June, for example, there was virtually no discussion at all of the topic, even though at least 55% of the British people do want to leave. So is this a sign of things to come? I wouldn’t hold your breath. Just as with climate realist Ian Plimer’s appearance on Today last week, one swallow does not make a summer. The programme smacked of fig-leaf tokenism. And most of the BBC’s coverage of Europe regards anyone who is less than a full-blooded federalist as a right-wing, xenophobic buffoon.
I listened to this one last night and to be honest was expecting the usual BBC EU propaganda but what I heard instead was an intelligent balanced show. I hope the production team realise they have no future in the BBC if this is their product š
Even better than hearing Hannan and Lord Pearson being allowed to make their points uninterrupted was the shear jaw dropping arrogance of our EU overlords especially on the subject of how they really rule Norway anyway and bugger the populace . Also are all Lib Dems so servile ? The spokesman on the show appeared to have no self confidence in Britain or in his own Political parties ability to rule (hence the desire to hand over all power to the EU).
Interesting that there was an article a long time back about leftie bias on Radio 5, in particular evening shows like Richard Bacon, Nolan etc.
I’ve noticed over the last few weeks more and more “soft Tories” getting time on Radio 5, not many but more than before (which was zero)
Personally I think the BBC are just bricking it and are frightened the Tories will come after them after the next election, so the BBC are trying to be seen as more ‘balanced’.
It won’t last, a Leopard can’t change its spots.
Martin this was Hannan in full flow and not one of “Call me Dave’s” blue labour lot.
I’m not sure how this kind of show gets to be made though it could be a planned attempt to avoid accusations of bias or it could be that 30 minute docs on a Monday night on Radio 4 just slip through the net and are never noticed. I fully agree with you though in that it won’t last.
I was amazed to hear this stuff, spread across 30 minutes, on Radio 4. So rare to hear people like Hannan and Pearson able to develop their arguments. And their opponents were absolutely pathetic – it was almost like a put-up job !
One of the empty claims given prominence in the programme was that Britain would somehow become ‘isolated’, like Norway, if not a fully-fledged member of the EU. Of course, what is ‘isolated’ to some Europhiles is independence to those who value national sovereignty.
“Isolated? Bring it on”
(Mary Ellen Synon)
http://synonblog.dailymail.co.uk/2009/11/isolated-bring-it-on.html
Or isolated like Switzerland, how awful.
And the BBC panders to the EU’s non-democratic expansionism (as on ‘Newsnight’ last night, and ‘Today’ this morning) by not raising fundamental questions about whether this strengthens the case for the UK getting out.
“EU ‘democracy’ and why we always lose as its relentless expansion continues”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1228769/MAIL-COMMENT-EU-democracy-lose-relentless-expansion-continues.html
For BBC:
“Herman Van Rompuy, the ‘perfect’ EU President – say hello to
Turkey and Taxes”
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/4175
Something which the BBC is reluctant to report, re-EU and Turkey:
“Heroin wars, load sharks and executions: the Turkish gangs terrorising north London”
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23770522-heroin-wars-loan-sharks-and-executions-the-turkish-gangs-terrorising-north-london.do