84 Responses to OPEN THREAD…

  1. Martin says:

    Nikki Campbell (a man you wouldn’t like to find hanging out around the local urinals) just laughed at a caller who pointed out we were going bankrupt BEFORE the recession. Campbell not impressed with this attack on Brown.

    Then a foreigner came on and told ‘US’ we should be giving our money away, (presumably to people like him) as it does no good.

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  2. Martin says:

    Nikki Campbell now peddling lies about the US healthcare system (if you’re knocked down in the street by a car you have to show your credit card before you get treatment) oh and so bloke claiming he’s a Tory councillor (I’m doubtful) went on a rant about scrapping the NHS, Campbell of course loved this and was an excuse for yet another anti Tory rant.

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  3. Martin says:

    Now we have fatty Nolan interviewing bum boy Burnham to talk about care for the elderly, except of course it’s just going ot be one long attack on the Tories (attacking the Tories was the first thing  Nolan mentioned in the handover)

    Clearly the BBC has co-ordinated all this with the jock mong’s unveiling of his plan for  Labour and the election.

    To be honest, the Tories deserve all this from the BBC, if the Tories can’t see howe the BBC is the 3.5 billion pound attack dog for Labour and they don’t sort this bunch of toilet hanging drug using tossers out when they win the election they deserve all they get.

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  4. fred bloggs says:

    Deliberate distrotion.  I am referring to the news report about the Tory grandee Winterton.  The news dept knows his history, old, controvertional and standing down.  If you listened to what he said, you would understand the direction he was coming from.  However, 5DEAD deliberately, in its news headlines gave the impression of Tory MP looks down nose on plebs.

    This is deliberate political engineering.  although this incident will sound trivial, it is the final straw for me.  Any doubts that the only solution for the Beeb is it to be torn apart are now gone.

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  5. Embersfire says:

    Where to start? Yesterday Gerry Adams had his past activities described as being an ‘activist’ when I am sure he used to be a terrorist. Radio 4 this morning informed me that we are definitely headed for a hung parliment – I can only wish! Doubtless if the ‘unlikely’ event of a conservative government actually comes to pass, they will all be as stunned as when the public actually turn out for a royal event, when they spend ages telling us how pointless the royal family are. Just as well I have the BBC, I’d never have an opinion otherwise!

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  6. Lloyd says:

    BBC online talking up a hung parliamnet again. This time it’s a Welsh minority party hoping for a hung parliment, but of course they would. Whatever next? Bears Shit In Woods?

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8522440.stm

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  7. ryan says:

    Yesterday, the day Nolan gave Winterton (out of touch for sure) a grilling over his travel I got a reply from the BBC to my FoI request about Nolan’s own travel.

    Winterton’s views and expenditure are out in the open for all to see and Nolan to slay him by. Nolans? The man who licensee fee pays fly to Manchester and put him in a hotel each weekend to host his radio programme (are there no radio studios in Belfast?) – his expenses on the public purse are hidden.

    The BBC declined my FoI request on the grounds that this information is held from  ‘journalism, art or literature’ reasons. What a joke!

    Original FOI request and BBC reply: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/5live_transportaccommodation_cos#incoming-71524

    Can you believe this? I’ve since learnt more about the history of this defence here: http://www.out-law.com/page-10420

    My FoI request, has no journalism, art or literature value. I intentially asked for an annual figure, no itemised list (so as not to potentially compromise commercial agreements, or specific destinations to reveal sources etc.) although the later is highly unlikely to be relevant in this case.

    If, as appears to be the case the BBC can use this spurious “journalism, art or literature” defence for annualised travel expenditure, what is to stop them using it for any other tangential FoI request.

    Under this ridiculous interpretation the BBC — who are in the business of “journalism, art or literature” output could put a case that every single FoI request related to the business is related to “journalism, art or literature”.

    I note that the Information Commission overturned the BBC ruling that this information could not be released and insisted it was BUT so desperate was the BBC to hide how they spend our money they appealed to the high court and won.

    I have written to the Information Commissioner and the Shadow Minister responsible for the BBC regardless, I can’t see how the disclosure of a raw annual spend in each of the three categories I have outlined in anyway compromises the BBC, its commercial agreements or has anything to do with “journalism, art or literature”.

    Why are they so anxious to hide this information? This is exactly why we have an FOIA.

    For all the scrutiny the BBC puts on other public servants, MPs especially, this is particularly hyprocritical and I think needs to be much more widely aired.

    I can see a possible case for not identify salaries with people, however I beleive there is no case in which associated costs like transportation should not be disclosed.

    What do you think?

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    • Martin says:

      You will get no where, unless the Tories get balls. I hear they do plan to make sure that the top earners at the BBC release their salaries, but we need pressure on them to really open the festering stinking lot to the detergent of sunlight.

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      • Grant says:

        Ryan,
        I admire your tenacity and good luck to you. 
        I think the whole FOI  nonsense is window-dressing.
        Any application to journalism should surely be for journalists to protect their “sources”  or , more accurately, to prevent us finding out when they don’t have any sources and just fabricate stories.
        How could it possibly be to prevent us finding out what they are spending our money on ?

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      • George R says:

        “Are you threatening to divulge my salary? Are you threatening to divulge my salary? Are you threatening..”

        http://www.spectator.co.uk/wit-and-wisdom/cartoons/

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  8. Pounce says:

    The bBC, dead Hamas arms dealers and half the story.

    The bBC is still pushing the ‘Israelis’ are guilty angle with its reporting on the death of an arms dealer story. Yup the news org which can have written testimony’s on air minutes after any IDF strike in Gazs, is still dragging its feet after nearly everybody else has revealed that the only 2 suspects under lock and key are members of Fatah, not only that but others are looking at the Hamas angle. Seeing as Israel has at the behest of Fatah poured £48 Million into Hamas Bank accounts as a humanitarian gesture.

    It appears that as it is friday Abu Bowen has his hands (And his gob) full at the local mosque and thus is unable to report the news.

    The bBC, dead Hamas arms dealers and half the story.

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  9. Will says:

    Naughtie completely OTT in “interviewing” Teresa Villiers on this mornings “Today” (8:10). The subject was the Conservative’s decision not to join an all party stitch up (shades of the Social Care dispute) ahead of a White Paper on London-Birmingham high speed rail route. Naughtie spoke for 90% of the time, expounding the Labour line, but then felt it necessary to interupt Villiers before she got a sentence out.

    In fairness the BBC R4 8:30 News Headlines did manage to get Villiers’ message across.

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    • Chris Kaley says:

      Yes, I heard this, too and was quite frankly disgusted with Naughtie’s behaviour. I thought he was rude, tetchy, and spoke to Ms Villiers in a rather nasty, condescending way.  Is this really anyway for a representative of a news disseminating service to behave?  The BBC really are beyond the pale, and so obviously biased.  What can be done to arrest this sinister, insidious process?  God help the uber-gullible.

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    • Umbongo says:

      True – but why did she just sit there and take it?  There’s no law – even on Today – which prohibits an interviewee having a go at the interviewer.  The sheer wetness of Conservative official spokesmen in their response to interruption and partisan aggression from BBC interviewers is astounding.

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      • Martin says:

        Umbongo. Agreed George Osborne gets hammered all the time like this, although the other day he got Toenails with a beauty and had the lobby hacks laughing at the slaphead beeboid, but guess what? yep the BBC cut that bit out of Toenails report.

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      • NotaSheep says:

        Conservative interviewees have got to start fight back against BBC bile and bias or Labour will win the general election.

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    • Craig says:

      Counting up the exact time each got to speak shows the extent to which this was an argument not an interview:

      Theresa Villiers – 2 minutes 38 seconds
      James Naughtie – 2 minutes 31 seconds

      Naughtie is in full election mode now. He’s relentless.

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  10. George R says:

    Not BBC’s ‘Muslim Driving School’, but another aspect of Blackburn:

    “Three accused of jihad training in Blackburn park and gathering stockpile of weapons”

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/02/19/three-accused-of-jihad-training-in-blackburn-park-and-gathering-stockpile-of-weapons-115875-22053891/

    The BBC headline is misleading (below), as ‘Jihadwatch’ points out:

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/02/uk-judge-calls-jihad-defendants-intoxicated-by-the-evil-of-terrorism.html

    “Terrorism is a method, not an ideology; hence, it’s the ideology that ought to be of interest, but, you know, we’re not supposed to talk about that.”

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  11. Beeboidal says:

    Two comments by Jonathan Maitland, who was substituting for Gabby Logan, grabbed my attention. In converstion with Nolan about the Winterton interview:

    “An interview like that makes your heart sing.”

    Yes, I’m sure it made many a beeboids heart sing.

    And in conversation with Bacon today:

    “That’s the first time ‘true’ and ‘conservative’ have been used in the same sentance”.

    Beeb, you need to get this guy a permanant spot – he’s clearly your kind of guy.

    Finally, on the subjest of first-class rail travel, did the Beeb cover this? No. I don’t think they did.

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  12. Phil says:

    Stephen Nolan’s page on the Radio 5 web page asks ‘Easternders is 25 years old – but do you care?’

    I care. I don’t like having to pay the government good money so it can pay the BBC to mass manufacture brain rotting trash like Eastenders.

    I also care about having a squeaky clean CRB form as I need it for my job so I’ll keep paying for the BBC’s rubbish so I don’t get a criminal record for using my TV for football on Sky sports. Unless I pay for the government’s trash TV I risk being unable to get a job in any government job, and as a teacher that’d be a bit of a restriction on my trade. What a stitch up!

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  13. Daniel Smith says:

    BBC parliament are re-running the 1974 election, obviously part of their wish that Labour will squeak back in with a hung parliament http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8509535.stm

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    • Martin says:

      They’ve been banging on about hung parliaments for weeks now. Truth is even if the Tories didn’t get a working majority there is no way the limp dems would dare to form an alliance with McMong.

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  14. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Here’s a classic BBC example of the scaremongering they engaged in with Bush versus the nuclear-mad mullahs of Iran.  Notice the moment of sober reporting on Bush’s words at first:


    Part of Mr Bush’s aim in making these threats, of course, is to persuade Iran to back down.

    But the Iranian leadership under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has constantly said it intends to carry on with the enrichment of uranium, which Iran has now elevated to the status of a national symbol of its independence.

    Which means that the BBC realizes Iran isn’t going to back down.  Then comes the stoking of fear, but not of Iran:

    Discussions resume seriously in September – but if nothing is done, the Bush rhetoric might at some stage turn into reality.

    No wonder French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in his first foreign policy speech, called the crisis over Iran “without doubt the gravest which weighs on the international order”.

    So Iran isn’t the real danger here – it’s that damned cowboy.

    Two and a half years later, we have the latest on this issue from the BBC.  The mullahs are still nuclear-mad, but the US President is a BBC dreamboat.  So the story is a bit different.

    Sanctions haven’t worked, appeasement hasn’t worked, video apologies haven’t worked, but no mention of that from the BBC.  More importantly, there’s a blatant contradiction between Khamenei stating that their religion prevents Iran from using nuclear weapons and Ahmadimjihadi’s regular threats to destroy Israel, but the BBC isn’t interested in pointing it out.  They’re happy to leave the mad Supreme Mullah’s words unremarked.

    Similarly, the White House is ramping up the rhetoric again:

    Senior administration officials in Washington said Iran’s pattern of behaviour was “disturbing”.

    One official said Iran’s statements that its nuclear programme was peaceful were becoming less credible, adding that it was becoming clear this was a country seeking nuclear weapons.

    The US is keen for the UN Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran.

    “We always said that if Iran failed to live up to those international obligations, that there would be consequences,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

    Yet the BBC doesn’t seem to mind at all.  In fact, they emphasise the strong words of the IAEA.  A couple of years ago, the US was the bad guy for putting pressure on Iran.  Now it’s different.  I wonder why?

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  15. It's all too much says:

    Even by the standards of BBC Bias the ‘headlines’ on the politics section of the BBC web page today were amongst the most blatantly anti-tory yet.  Does Lord Mandleson dictate these reports direct to a Beeboid Stakhanovite who types them up word for word?  Before any Troll complains this list is verbatim from the BBC at 10:30 Friday 19th Feb,  It appears to be a catalogue of Labour inspired ‘attack’ stories with little actual substance

    Backing for spending cuts delay
    Hung Parliament ‘best for Wales’
    Tories deny ‘politics’ over rail
    PM to query ‘moderate’ tories
    Tories boycott care talks

    As the day progressed we got

    Tories scaring voters says Brown
    Social care talks back death tax

    I wonder whose side the BBC will be on come the general election?

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    • John Horne Tooke says:

      Not once is the word “Labour” mentioned – yet the dreaded word “Tories” are identified with “boycotters”, “deniers” and “scary” and some may be described as “moderate”.

      This is first class propaganda.

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    • Heads on poles says:

      I think we are in full election mode people…..
      It is going to get *very* nasty.

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    • dave s says:

      This projected high speed rail line is becoming a nulabour virility symbol hence the incessant propaganda. It will cost billions and be of marginal benefit to anyone except big business and the banksters’ cartels.
      There are already 3 north south rail links and if you add in the line via Banbury to Birmingham there are 4
      The money would be better spent on updating existing lines and on better road links beween north and south- there  are only the M1/M6.M40/M6 and A1 to cope with the traffic.
      Once again this projected link is mainly for the benefit of Scotland and the Labour north and of marginal benefit to them- how fast do you really need to  go?. And like all such lines will be passenger only.
      When the Tories show scepticism it is presented as something altogether nastier. The BBC should examine this pie in the sky project in more detail.

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      • Grant says:

        I am not aware of much demand amongst ordinary people here north of the border. Most of us couldn’t afford the tickets anyway !

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  16. Pounce says:

    The bBC reporting the news from Afghanistan and half the story.

    So the bBC reports on how the Afghan police have moved into the areas won by ISAF in Southern Helmand  and then come up with this;

    Meanwhile, the Taliban denied Nato claims that militants were using human shields, and were low on ammunition.

    Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi told BBC Pashto that insurgents in Marjah had been able to get ammunition from captured Nato weapons.

     

    Well the last I looked the favorite weapon for the Taliban is the AK47 which uses a 7.62 X 39mm round.

    NATO weapons use a 5.56 x45mm round. Two very different calibres.

    In case anybody questions yes NATO use the 7.62 round but that is the 7.62X 51mm larger and bigger than the one used by the AK47. So I wonder why the so called bBC defense experts didn’t pick up on that?

    The bBC reporting the news from Afghanistan and half the story.

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  17. Grant says:

    Pounce
    What BBC defence experts ?

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  18. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Now that the BBC’s two most favorite leaders in the world have met, the bias is out in the open.  First, a bit of Dalai Lama worship.  He’s so special he not only wears humble flip-flops to the White House, but inhabits another dimension:

    More important, he said, was that it was a cause worth fighting for, even if success was achieved “after my lifetime”.

    And it is clear that the Dalai Lama regards time a little differently from most people.

    Contrast this to the usual giggling and snide remarks Beeboids make about Christian spiritual beliefs – “denies science”, “imaginary friend”, and so on.  When it’s their favorite feudal lord, the religious belief is suddenly worthy of respect.

    Now for the bias in favor of the other man who inspires religious belief at the BBC.

    China condemned the meeting anyway, but that is part of the ritualised diplomatic dance that these meetings have now become

    No-one expects this deliberately low-key meeting to have any real impact on US-Sino relations.

    See if you can find any BBC report about any of Bush’s meetings with the DL which are so pragmatic.

    Of course, by keeping it so low-key, the president risks tarnishing his credentials as a champion of human rights.

    What credentials?  He hasn’t done anything.  In case everyone’s forgotten, The Obamessiah ramped up the war in Afghanistan, authorized US military action in Pakistan (but it’s not an illegal invasion when He does it, yeah), showed weakness in the face of massive abuse of citizens in Iran, had done zero regarding Sudan, and is still keeping the war going in Iraq, although I grant that He’s redefining the terminology so we can pretend it’s different now.  Bush gave the Dalai Lama the Congressional Medal of Honor, yet there has never been anything other than a begrudging acknowledgment from the BBC.

    For the “Don’t Tell the BBC” files:  their beloved Obamessiah has such respect for their beloved Dalai Lama that after the meeting was over, the man in flip-flops was shown out the back door, where they leave the garbage.

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    • John Horne Tooke says:

      “The Dalai Lama, a lifelong champion of non-violence candidly stated that terrorism cannot be tackled by applying the principle of ahimsa because the minds of terrorists are closed.

      “It is difficult to deal with terrorism through non-violence,” the Tibetan spiritual leader said delivering the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture here.

      He termed terrorism as the worst kind of violence which is not carried by a few mad people but by those who are very brilliant and educated.

      “They (terrorists) are very brilliant and educated…but a strong ill feeling is bred in them. Their minds are closed,” the Dalai Lama said.

      He said the only way to tackle terrorism is through prevention.

      The head of the Tibetan government-in-exile left the audience stunned when he said “I love President George W Bush.” He went on to add how he and the US President instantly struck a chord in their first meeting unlike politicians who take a while to develop close ties.”
      http://wizbangblog.com/content/2009/01/18/dalai-lama-i-love-president-george-bush.php

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    • Millie Tant says:

      There’s no worship there and he isn’t even one of the BBC’s two favourite leaders. He does wear flip flops and that is unusual for visitors to the White House. Hardly surprising that a journalist would mention it or refer to his unusual sense of time. He certainly takes a long view and has had plenty of practice at having to as well.

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      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        The BBC never admits that the Dalai Lama is an ex-feudal lord. He’s always treated as some sort of special being, even though he’s little more than an exiled prince seeking a return to the throne. And they obviously have respect for some religious beliefs, but not others.

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        • Millie Tant says:

          He is a holy man spiritual philosopher, religious special being, reincarnation of a special being, though, to Tibetans at least. Not just a prince. And his circumstances make him a victim of persecution.  

          It helps the BBC that he is from a far-away foreign country with a religion that is not Christian and not likely to come after them and make any demands of them, unlike, say the Pope, who although foreign, is entirely the wrong sort of foreign, the wrong sort of Christian (not wishy washy like His Beardiness) and definitely Not Wanted Here.

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          • David Preiser (USA) says:

            The BBC smiles at the Dalai Lama’s religious belief in reincarnation.  This denies science, yet the BBC doesn’t denigrate, like they do for certain other people’s religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are grossly misrepresented.  The BBC acknowledges and respects some religious beliefs, but not others.  He wants his throne back, his worshipers want him back on the throne, and the BBC is always helpful with his propaganda.

            Funny how the Beeboids respect Tibetan Buddhism’s belief in reincarnation, but always fail to mention another of its tenets which they condemn at every turn in other religions (or EU political parties):

            Buddhism and homosexuality

            The Dalai Lama is the leader of the Tibetan people and is revered by millions of Buddhists worldwide. At a press conference in 1997-JUN, he commented: “From a Buddhist point of view [lesbian and gay sex]…is generally considered sexual misconduct”.

            This belief is not based on the partners being of the same gender. In his book “Beyond Dogma,” he has written that “homosexuality, whether it is between men or between women, is not improper in itself. What is improper is the use of organs already defined as inappropriate for sexual contact.” Tibetan Buddhism prohibits oral, manual and anal sex for everyone – both homosexuals and heterosexuals. However, these restrictions refer only to members of the Buddhist faith. 4 From “society’s viewpoint,” same-sex relations can be “of mutual benefit, enjoyable and harmless.” He supports human rights “regardless of sexual orientation.”

            At a subsequent meeting with gay and lesbian representatives, he expressed the “willingness to consider the possibility that some of the teachings may be specific to a particular cultural and historic context.” Dawa Tsering, spokesperson for the Office of Tibet commented: “His Holiness opposes violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation. He urges respect, tolerance, compassion and the full recognition of human rights for all.” 5

            An article in Newsweek stated that “Although he has affirmed the dignity and rights of gays and lesbians, he has condemned homosexual acts as contrary to Buddhist ethics.” 8

            The Dalai Lama was interviewed by CBC News at the time of his visit to Canada during 2007-NOV. Near the end of his interview he was asked whether Buddhism condones love between two men or two women. He replied that Buddhists reject this. Genuine Buddhist practitioners, like Christians, condemn same-sex behavior as sexual misconduct. “So, [it is] not permissible, not allowed.

            The Dalai Lama is against homosexuality?  Oh, dear.  What’s a Beeboid to do?

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            • Millie Tant says:

              As mentioned previously, the right sort of foreign (and therefore exaggerated respect (“It’s their Culture”), coupled with persecution, enables a benign BBC stance. (The right sort of skin colour will also do. I have seen an African woman from a strict Christian sect on the BBC condemning homosexuality. Shock!) And they don’t always fail to mention the Dalai Lama’s views on homosexuality. I have seen an article where they referred to it. More shock!

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  19. Simon Temple says:

    The tories must be up in the polls. The BBC has removed the Poll Watcher from its site.

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    • Llew says:

      The gap’s narrowed again and Andrew Marr is already reporting it, so I expect it will be back very soon.

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  20. Martin says:

    Tories hammered on Newsnight again. That skinny camp looking turd lord Adonis (he isn’t) whining on about planning for the future regarding transport and how the Tories musn’t play party politics.

    Why is it so close to the election Liebour are suddenly bringing out all this cross party nonsense?

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  21. Martin says:

    I notice that the BBC now seem VERY happy to link the economists who called for a cut in spending last weekend to the Tory party (even though at the time on Sunday the BBC went out of their way to point out these people were NOT backing the Tories) yet now another 60 have “come out in support of the Government” the BBC seem very happy to try to link them to the Government.

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  22. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Richard Black is still a fully committed Warmist.  He blogged  about Yvo de Boer being the latest rat to abandon the sinking ship.

    Black is a bit skeptical about de Boer’s publicly stated reason for quitting.  Of course, he can sympathize that the job is too stressful, nothing’s worth the price paid in sweat and blood.  But Black suspects there’s something else to blame:

    But if in private he has concluded that the job is no longer worth doing, given that Copenhagen’s central message is that powerful governments in what we are accustomed to call the developed and developing worlds do not want to tackle climate change through the UN process, who would blame him?

    Typical.  Warmism is still true, and the real fault lies with nasty, selfish bastards who refuse to let the UN dictate how they run their lives.

    Black goes on saluting de Boer, who has gone through so many life-changing moments recently.  Including this amusing bit of fantasy:

    the past-midnight revelations in Copenhagen of how Barack Obama and Wen Jiabao – arguably two of the three most powerful people on the planet – had personally sat down to write a climate non-treaty together.

    Isn’t that sweet?  Two world leaders sitting down to work together on this planet-savingly important cause.

    Meanwhile, in the real world:

    Earlier in the day Mr Obama had insisted that any deal that did not commit China to a transparent monitoring regime would be “a hollow victory”.

    But his tough approach angered the Chinese and the talks were bought to a standstill as the two superpowers met in hotel rooms away from the main conference hall to patch up their differences.

    Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, made clear he was unwilling to have international monitors infringe the national sovereignty of the People’s Republic.

    The world was kept waiting while the two superpowers cobbled together an agreement that was acceptable to both.

    Hmm.  Not so heartwarming now.

    The final accord is widely seen to have acquiesced to Chinese demands by agreeing that emissions can be measured domestically, as long as the results are reported to the rest of the world.

    However, speaking later, Mr Obama gave a veiled warning that satellite technology could be used for what is likely to be termed “eco-spying” to ensure countries honoured their commitments.

    So Richard Black just made it all up.  Total Warmist fantasy, rewriting history before your eyes.  Your license fee hard at work.

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    • Grant says:

      Barack and Wen, two of the three most powerful people on the planet. The third presumebly being Gordon the Moron !

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    • John Horne Tooke says:

      Mr Obama gave a veiled warning that satellite technology could be used for what is likely to be termed “eco-spying” to ensure countries honoured their commitments.  “

      Imagine if Bush had said that.

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  23. George R says:

    ‘ A future fairly bad, or worse, for all ‘


    -BBC plugs their Labour chums’ Election slogan, this morning on ‘Today’.

    Or should Labour-BBC slogan be?:-

    ‘Labour’s Immigrants Vote Labour.’

    “Using immigration to turn Britain into a nation of Labour voters is so shameful I can hardly believe it.” (Stephen Glover)

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/columnists/article-1250096/Using-immigration-turn-Britain-nation-Labour-voters-shameful-I-hardly-believe-it.html

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  24. Llew says:

    The BBC is now in permanent Labour mode. BBC Breakfast is telling us all about Labour’s slogan. Harriet Harman appears. I didn’t see the programme from the start, but I see NO opposition face. We just hear Labours stance.

    Bet you when the Tories unveil their campaign they will interview a Tory and then get a raft of Labour mouthpieces on to bash them.

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  25. George R says:

    BBC avoids:

    “Labour borrows ANOTHER slogan from BNP”

    http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2010/02/labour-borrows-another-slogan-from-the-bnp.html

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  26. Alan Wallace says:

    Proof from Jury Team that the BBC helped the BNP & UKIP to electoral success last year http://www.juryteam.org/blog/?p=859

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    • John Horne Tooke says:

      But you could not say that the BBC had put a postive slant on their reporting of UKIP or the BNP.

      At the moment the BBC are on the campaign trail inside the Labour camp, their wish is for a hung paliament to enable their other friends in the Lib Dems to hold the “balance of power”. Yet even though there is constant “Tory” bashing by the BBC they have never quite been able to convince their fee payers (ie us) that the “tories” are baby eating toffs who will turn the country into a Dickenensian  London slum. How can that be? Is it because their propoganda does not work and people can see right through their agenda?

      If the BBC had helped UKIP and the BNP it is because of their full on bile aimed at them not from any real analysis of where these parties stand.

      I would submit that theJury Team  who I belive has not one single elected representative is vying for publicity by attacking the two parties that seem to get the disaffected votes from the mainstream political parties.

      UKIP  is for small government and democracy why don’t you put your weight behind them instead of trying to split this vote. These tactics will only give us what you say you don’t want a perpetual Labour/EU totalitarian system for ever.

         0 likes

  27. George R says:

    Labour’s Election slogan:

    ‘A Future Fail For All’


    http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/5787038/welcome-to-the-future-fair.thtml

       0 likes

  28. Guest says:

    Prompted by Andrew Neill’s seemingly having been dropped from listing (if not posting), from my usual base point of the Newsnight blog page, I was having a little browse down the list of what seems to constitute ‘BBC news blogs’.

    Quite interesting, especially those that get near zero reader or have last been updated a year ago (inc. the Newsnight Editors).

    Came across this choice one:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio4/2010/02/bbc_radio4_evan_davis_bottom_line.html

    (the URL title seems less than accurate, if perhaps apt)

    Seems that they are having trouble coping with having to go through all the stuff they are sent and it’s a trial.

    So… as they don’t like going out, and are grumpy that folk they want to badger don’t want to give them the satisfaction of a edit suite stitch up… please only send ’em stuff they’ll like to run.

    Bless.

       0 likes

  29. George R says:

    For BBC, a reminder: tomorrow’s ‘Observer’ features extracts from Andrew Rawnsley’s new book on Labour and PM  Brown.

    “Angry Gordon Brown ‘hit out at aide and yanked secretary from her chair'”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247357/Angry-Gordon-Brown-hit-aide-yanked-secretary-chair.html#ixzz0g4OhXt6C

       0 likes

  30. Guest says:

    Another triumph from our PR (from those we support) as news (propaganda) national broadcaster…

    http://www.redragonline.com/2010/02/manchester-has-been-declared-police.html

    I wonder if they have  ‘State macht safety’ on these ‘arches’?

       0 likes

  31. Martin says:

    On Radio 5 this morning the BBC KEPT refering to the likes of Bin bag Mohammaden and others that claim their testicles were electrocuted as “British Citizens”

    JESUS, HOW THICK IS THE BBC?

       0 likes

  32. Guest says:

    Well, there’s always BBC ‘complaints’…

    http://indyeagleeye.livejournal.com/137394.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

    Or, as the headline suggest, maybe not.

       0 likes

  33. Martin says:

    So the liar mong and Lord Fondlebum have been bigged up as the main story all day on the BBC. Let’s see if the BBC makes the Tories the main story when they do their big pre election show piece and lets’ see if like Liebour they get the airwaves to themselves or if the BBC decide to give Liebour lots of sound bites.

    I notice on the BBC one report they couldn’t find a Tory voter in a swing constituency (one floating voter and the usual I’ve always voted Labour halfwits), funny that.

       0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      I notice on the BBC one report they couldn’t find a Tory voter in a swing constituency”

      The BBC don’t mix with ordinary people, it is unlikely that they would actually bump into a “tory” voter in the circles they inhabit.

         0 likes

  34. Guest says:

    Interesting coverage of the Scottish Defence League (SDL) demonstration and counter demonstration.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8525939.stm

    I would say by looking at this article that the BBC is biased very strongly against the SDL and in favour of the “Anti-Fascists”.

    If you look at the number of column inches devoted to those against the SDL, in which they are allowed to expound their position unquestioned, and compare it to the SDL themselves, or their supporters, the difference is quite stark.

    Three seperate anti-SDL voices are heard and quoted, whereas the SDL is relegated to a clip of a press cutting at the bottom.

    I wonder if the BBC is in fact capable of impartial reporting on such matters?

       0 likes

  35. Guest says:

    Interesting that the BBC is coming out so supportively of abuse in the workplace; especially considering their usual support of anything that allows employees to take their employers to the cleaners.

    So, in future, if you are losing your rag like a junkie who missed a score, just claim it’s actually a positive thing as it ‘shows you are human’ and revealing a ‘passionate side’ that may in fact make people like and respect you more. Not bullying at all. 

    Mind you, it may help if you are a media-obsessed PM with a spin machine that when telling the BBC to jump the only willing answer is ‘how high?’.

       0 likes

  36. George R says:

    She’s from the BBC: she expects special treatment, even in France:

    “Gabby Logan admits she went into meltdown after she was turned away from the Eurostar”

    That’s how she behaves on our money.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1252553/Gabby-Logan-admits-went-meltdown-French-turned-away-Eurostar.html

       0 likes

    • Guest says:

      No 10 & the BBC: a perfect combo of ‘passionate & emotional’ folk?

      Or… simply over-inflated bullies in positions way beyond their competencies?

      GOATS and ‘market rate’ talents indeed.

      No wonder they all are keen to ‘look to the future’, if one with a new definition of ‘fairness’ needed, as the past is not looking too great. 

         0 likes

  37. George R says:

    ‘Generation Jihad’

    Final, Episode 3 of Peter Taylor’s ‘Generation Jihad’ is on BBC 2 TV tomorrow:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r4qsb

    Labour-BBC’s Britain is going the same way as their much-admired SWEDEN:

    Swedish “minister for integration”: Jihadists “a ticking bomb in our society”

    AND:

    “Jews leave Swedish city [Malmo] after sharp rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/7278532/Jews-leave-Swedish-city-after-sharp-rise-in-anti-Semitic-hate-crimes.html

       0 likes

  38. Millie Tant says:

    NO SHRINKING VIOLET HE, BUT WILL THE BBC SHOW IT?

    I had to laugh at this video clip of Harriet Harman defending Brown from the allegations in that book about his frightening behaviour towards staff.  An unenviable task and she is clearly uncomfortable denying it, fluffing her line at 5 secs where she meant to deny it.
    So far so bad…though understandable.

    BUT THEN…WAIT FOR IT! …

    At 15 secs in, she talks about him not being a shrinking violet but at 17 she falls into a wonderful Freudian slip (assuming it’s not a wonderful deliberate pun) when she says he’s not going to be a shrinking violent. How apt.  Delicious!  😀

    I wonder if it is on the BBC website.

    http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/Gordon-Browns-Violent-Outbursts-Prompted-Civil-Servant-To-Tell-PM-To-Change-Behaviour-Book-Claims/Article/201002315555184?lpos=Politics_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15555184_Gordon_Browns_Violent_Outbursts_Prompted_Civil_Servant_To_Tell_PM_To_Change_Behaviour%2C_Book_Claims

       0 likes

    • Millie Tant says:

      Don’t know how the above comment by me got posted twice. Sorry. 

      If anyone knows how to remove it, please advise. Thanks.

         0 likes

  39. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Yet another BBC report giving a warm hug and kiss to a non-Christian religion.

    Voodoo religion’s role in helping Haiti’s quake victims

    Nasty white Christians are bigoted and vile (I do think Pat Roberston is vile, but it’s not fair to hold him up as the poster boy for US Christian opinion), and the black Voodoo believers are lovely.  Never mind the numerous Christian relief organizations helping people around the world.  When disaster strikes, the BBC focuses on the ugliness instead.

    No giggling at Haitians clinging to their religion, which denies science by blaming events on spirits and a supreme being.  Yet, when a white Christian from the US says that religion is very important to them, it’s okay to call them out as backwards.

       0 likes

  40. Will S says:

    Not sure if this story has been covered here about how the BBC has been apparently complicit in covering up allegations of a child abuse ring in Aberdeen (the Hollie Greigh case) that included Police and senior legal figures there.

    A BBC documentary investigation was pulled (by whom no one knows) – Old Holburn reports more and has the relevant links.

    http://bastardoldholborn.blogspot.com/2010/02/hollie-greig.html

       0 likes

  41. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Compare and contrast this straightforward AP article on the massive salary for the CEO of General Motors with the gentle touch of the BBC.

    The BBC is reporting on a domestic US issue because, obviously, excessive executive pay is a big story these days.  Robert Peston is always talking about it on his blog, and there are plenty of BBC reports and segments on various shows condemning bankers salaries and bonuses.

    Yet, even though GM is just as much in debt to the taxpayer as any banker, the BBC isn’t interested.  No, the entire brief is just the statement for the defense paraphrased from the AP report.

    Here’s what the BBC doesn’t want you to know:

    In a surprise announcement, GM also said former CEO Fritz Henderson has been rehired as a consultant. Henderson, who was forced out of the job in December, will work 20 hours a month and will be paid $59,090 a month, the company said.

    Whitacre’s total compensation is larger than Henderson’s when he was CEO. Henderson received a total pay package worth nearly $5.5 million.

    Why would he be brought back at all, basically at the taxpayers’ expense?

    Henderson was tapped by the Obama administration to run GM last March after forcing out former CEO Rick Wagoner.

    Oh.  That’s why the BBC left it out.  They also left out an issue which is always brought up when it comes to bankers:

    Whitacre, a former CEO of AT&T Inc., made $350,000 as chairman, but his salary as CEO had to be set by the board and approved by the U.S. government. GM said Whitacre will not receive any additional compensation as chairman.

    Whitacre’s pay package exceeds the limits imposed on companies that have received U.S. government aid, but the an exemption was worked out with government pay czar Kenneth Feinberg, GM said.

    See, it’s all been approved by The Obamessiah, so it’s cool, no problem, no need even to bring it up.  Also, the auto industry is associated with unions and the working class, while banking is nasty white collar stuff.  One deserves contiuous condemnation, the other gets a free pass.

       0 likes

  42. George R says:

    BBC’s BINYAM MOHAMED fan club, continued.

    Will BBC be setting up a GEERT WILDERS fan club as well?

    BBC’s Mr. Casciani ignores negative evidence about Ethiopian Muslim, Mr. Mohamed:

    “Is Binyam Mohamed a Martyr?”
    http://frontpagemag.com/2010/02/11/is-binyam-mohamed-a-martyr

    -and BBC’s Mr. Casciani ignore evidence discrediting Amnesty International on Gitmo:

    http://www.hurryupharry.org/2010/02/07/statement-by-gita-sahgal-on-amnesty-international-and-cageprisoners/

    and today by Salman Rushdie:

    http://www.hurryupharry.org/2010/02/20/salman-rushdies-statement-on-amnesty-international/

     So Mr. Casciani presents a one-sided, uncritical account from the ‘politically correct’ Equality and Human Rights Commission:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8525663.stm

       0 likes

  43. George R says:

    BBC’s ‘MUSLIM DRIVING SCHOOL’.

    Here’s a review of the BBC’s PR exercise for Muslims which ran for 6 episodes and three long hours on BBC 2 TV.

    “‘We’ve reached the end,’ said a visibly relieved Kay, ‘just in time for Muslim Driving School on BBC2.’ It was a very Kay-like observation, simultaneously mundane and absurd, much like the title Muslim Driving School. It suggests a limitless line of similar projects: Hindu Refuse Collection, Sikh Dry Cleaning, Buddhist Pest Control.
    Doubtless the object of this fly-on-the-windscreen look at female Muslim drivers was to present a wholesome alternative to the extremist image of Islam that dominates the news agenda. But if so that noble intention was undermined by a multicultural paradox. To the extent that Muslim drivers are just like any other drivers, it’s dull. And in the cases where they’re different, it’s patronising.
    The most distinctive figure was Korsa, the driving instructor who wears a niqab (the headdress that only displays the eyes). The stated function of the niqab is to preserve modesty, a task made more demanding by its wearer submitting herself to the intrusions of a TV crew.
    “In one sense the film-makers were scrupulously sensitive. When Korsa slipped food under her veil, momentarily exposing an inch of neck, they blurred the image. But we also learned that Korsa’s husband was an unemployed heroin addict who had repeatedly been in trouble with the police. As she said in an earlier programme, she wasn’t wearing the veil for her husband, but perhaps she was wearing it because of him. Whether her concealment was a demonstration of pride or shame, however, was a gear-shift that this series was not designed to make.”

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/feb/21/gordon-brown-piers-morgan-brits

    And then there was all that Islamic propaganda stuff about the hajj and Allah in the mis-named ‘Muslim Driving School’ 3 hour series.

       0 likes

  44. Biodegradable says:

    BBC blasted for ‘bigoted fear-mongering’

    The New York-based American Jewish Committee blasted the BBC on Sunday for airing an accusation that Jews around the world assist in supposed Mossad assassinations.

    The AJC said in a statement that it was “dismayed that a guest on BBC Radio 4 was allowed to state unchallenged” that the Mossad relies on Jews for assassination plots.

    “This baseless accusation crosses every red line between legitimate public discussion and bigoted fear-mongering,” said AJC executive director David Harris. “In less than a minute, the BBC has cast a shadow on the lives of Jews worldwide.”

    […]

    In explaining the Mossad’s operating methods outside Israel, Thomas told PM host Eddie Mair, “They have a whole backup system called ‘asylum.’ These are people, local residents, Jewish people, who help the Mossad. It is estimated to be in the world about half a million; some people say a million; I tend to say it’s about half a million, all of them Mossad people.”

    “Of course, Mr. Thomas is irresponsible in making such unfounded assertions on a radio program heard around the world,” said Harris, “but even more shocking is BBC, a premier public broadcaster with a far-reaching global network. How can the interviewer allow such aspersions to be cast on a community without the reporter calling the so-called expert to order?”

    The comments also drew condemnation from observers of the BBC.

    “Unfortunately, such ugly and nonsensical statements on the BBC come as no surprise. The BBC often handpicks interviewees who are likely to say such things as part of a wider pattern to demonize the State of Israel,” said Tom Gross, a former Middle East correspondent for The Sunday Telegraph and a Middle East analyst who has long been critical of BBC coverage of the region.

    The AJC called on the BBC “to examine this disgraceful transmission, apologize to Jews around the world and remove from its archive the slanderous words.”

    Reached for comment, the BBC press office in London said, “This interview was part of a wider piece about the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh which involved contributions from a number of people including Gordon Thomas, an author of a book about [the] Mossad.

    “The sentiments expressed by Gordon Thomas were clearly his own opinions. They came at the end of the interview when it was being wrapped up and there was no time to come back on them.”

       0 likes

  45. George R says:

    BBC’s EAST WING: facing MECCA. It costs us, in every sense.


    “Watchdog to criticise delays and overspending on £1 billion new home for BBC News”

    [Extract]:

    “The concept is to create a space where all of the creative elements of journalism sit together to collaborate. It’s the building that never sleeps.
    “’Some of the original specifications changed, for example we didn’t know we were going to launch the Arabic television business so we had to accommodate that. In phase one we made lots of mistakes. In 2004 we made a lot of effort to sort out things.'”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7288526/Watchdog-to-criticise-delays-and-overspending-on-1-billion-new-home-for-BBC-News.html

    ‘Daily Mail (2008):

    “BBC blunder as bosses forget to build prayer room for new Arabic TV channel”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-511159/BBC-blunder-bosses-forget-build-prayer-room-new-Arabic-TV-channel.html#ixzz0gFeOixY0

       0 likes

    • George R says:

      Plus, this week BBC News broadcasts live from CUBA, courtesy a BBC agreement with Castro.

      These developments at the BBC seems to suggest a political endorsement of the Ahmadinejad-Chavez alliance too.

         0 likes

  46. Mark says:

    How about this solution to the Binyam Mohammed problem?

    Binyam lives in Dorset, paid for by the taxpayer.

    May I suggest that he move in with Billy Bragg, who also happens to live in that county, and everyone’s a winner. 

    The taxpayers would be compensated, and a multiculturalist musician’s dream would be fulfilled.    

       0 likes

  47. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Typical biased nonsense on the World Service about the latest accidental NATO bombing of civilians in Afghanistan.  As usual, the Beeboids find the journalistic equivalent of an Irish wailer, to tell us that the Afghani people “can’t understand” why innocents must die.  We are reminded that this sort of thing makes the West into the enemy in the eyes of the natives.

    This was followed by a quick mention that there was a Taliban or Al Qaeda suicide bombing elsewhere which killed only about half as many people, but including an important tribal leader in the area.  There wasn’t time to find anyone to say that this sort of thing made the natives view the Taliban or Al Qaeda as the enemy because they killed innocent civilians (there rarely is in BBC reports), because the BBC had to repeat the clip regarding the NATO bombing, with the woman saying that they “can’t understand” why civilians have to die, this makes the West into the enemy.  No bias there, then.

       0 likes

  48. PacificRising says:

    If anyone was wondering why Nigel Farage was suddenly pulled from the QT panel last week, then this will explain all:

    ‘Global warming’: time to get angry
    Sir
    Corus’ steelworks at Redcar, near Middlesbrough, “Teesside Cast Products”, is to be closed (”mothballed” is the euphemism). It is Britain’s last great steelworks and an essential national resource. Without it, we are at the world’s mercy.
    Corus is owned by Tata Steel of India.   Recently, Tata received “EU-carbon-credits” worth up to £1bn, ostensibly so that steel-production at Redcar would not be crippled by the EU’s “carbon-emissions-trading-scheme”. By closing the plant at Redcar – and not making any “carbon-emissions” – Tata walks off with £1bn of taxpayers’ money, which it will invest in its steel-factories in India, where there is no “carbon-emissions-trading-scheme”.
    Link to full article on James Delingpole’s Telegraph blog


       0 likes