I am far from being a fan of the Coalition government (being way too blue in tooth and claw, so to speak) but you have to give credit where it is due and so the fact that it has hung together for a 100 days and tackled some big issues is commendable. But, obviously, the BBC is not going to happy about any of this. It wanted a coalition but one built on the political left, as we covered in these pages back then, What it got was not what it wanted and so it, like Labour, has gone into opposition mode. That means it will give extra spotlight on those who seek to see the Coalition unravel, be they Conservative, Labour or Lib-Dem. This explains the weight it has given to the warbling of Simon Hughes this morning. It explains the attention given to Ming the Mindless yesterday. The idea is to cause a split within Lib-Dem ranks that can then detonate into the actual Coalition. Labour is the broadcasting arm of Labour. And we fund it.
NOT ALL LIB DEMS ARE EQUAL!
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Laura Kuenssberg on BBC1 10:00 News last night (saying incorrectly that Laws was “chopped” ie sacked: he actually resigned; a subtle difference but a “journalist” should know – as well as relay – the true facts) was in full panic mode, implying that the coalition couldn’t last. She wheeled out Ming who is clearly unhappy that with power comes responsibility (who knew?). Then Hugh Pym, again in panic mode, warns us of the danger to British growth if the “cuts” (as if) were imposed.
Then, this morning on Today Evan launched himself at Cleggie. In my estimation Cleggie is the lightweight’s lightweight and deserves close questioning. However, I have never heard on Today any Labour politician in or out of power subjected to the verbal assaults now aimed at any Conservative or LibDem who gets in front of the microphone. In the end, this morning I just listened, not to the words exchanged on Today, but to the tones of voice: Evan was constantly interrupting and constantly mock-indignant. Contrast this with Naughtie’s interview (yesterday? Monday?) with Darling – you’d have thought Darling was an academic political historian asked for his disinterested view of the Labour administration of a generation ago in a different country. The atmosphere was respectful and civilised: Brown was referred to constantly throughout as “the prime minister”. Is this the beginning of a mystical “Prime Minister across the Water” Jacobite-lite movement at the BBC where the rightful occupier of that office – in the BBC mindset – must always be a member of the Labour Party?
As I always say, one of the purposes of BBC bias is to demean its victims by them being seen to take it without demur. How can people so feeble be fit to run the country, one might ask?
I’m sure many Tories use the excuse its beneath their dignity to complain about the bias, but boy do they realise how undignified they look taking it lying down all the time?
Hippie,
Well said. If I was subjected to the treatment meted out by the Beeboids , I certainly wouldn’t take it lying down. If these wimpos won’t fight for themselves how can we expect them to fight for our country ?
What do you expect from James “When we win the election” Naughtie? http://notasheepmaybeagoat.blogspot.com/2007/06/bbc-bias-oldie-but-worth-repeating.html
Poor Auntie Beeb had a full on teenage crush on Cleggie before the election. But then he declared his love for Dave so now they hate him with the same passion they used to love him.
Assuming the Beeb still exist (we can hope) the next election will be an interesting one. Will the Beeb give the Lib Dems the same easy ride they have given them for the last 25 years or will that treatment be reserved for their selected pet Lib Dems ?
One has abiding memories of the BBC constantly wheeling out Hezza and Clarke to talk up Tory splits on Europe during the Thatcher and Major years, and these gentlemen playing the game regardless of the damage to their party.
Thankfully, one is not in Britain to have to listen to this squalid, tawdry shilling for Labour by the BBC, but its a well practised bias of theirs.
The dissenters of both parties in the Coalition do of course have the right to speak (and pay whatever consequences their parties may deem fit if they are undermining the Coalition – that’s the name of the party political game) but when the BBC patently talk-up and egg on division, HMG should come down like a ton of bricks on the BBC. Fat chance of it happening. The BBC may well reap the fruits of their propaganda game for Labour with an early election. Will be fascinating how the BBC gets when Labour actually have a Leader!
Any new Labour leader will be treated as the messiah incarnate. He/she will be honest, trustworthy and have a mandate unlike the current Conservative lead government. A new Labour leader will mark a break with the past and so no questions about the mistakes (not that in the BBC’s eyes there were any) made by the last Labour government will be deemed relevant. This will be the case no matter how senior a figure in Blair & Brown’s governments the new Labour leader is. Even if he wrote the 2010 Labour election manifesto, that will be considered irrelevant.
Two nights ago, I dipped in and out of Newsnight. It was appalling. Ist dip in to hear: cuts, benefits, tax credits; next dip: a single father with children…cuts. benefits, tax credits; Next dip: still father and cute children; cuts, benefits, tax credits. Will it never end? Next dip: Simon Hughes (BBC favourite lefty) and dear God, of all people, Dinosaur Thug Prescott….cuts, benefits, cuts and more cuts; final dip and last word on the programme given to (you’d never guess): Andy Burnham and his Labour leadership campaign.
It’s utterly shameless, Newsnight. It really is shocking how blatant it is with the Labour / left agenda and bias. Obviously any quality control or oversight of the BBC is totally toothless.
Millie,
I stopped watching Newsnight years ago, partly because Kirsty Squawk put me off my sleep. With advancing years I am to be found snug in bed with a comforting glass of Irn Bru, sure to guarantee a good night’s sleep, providing my wife isn’t snoring , that is.
Today is the 100th day of the coalition government of the UK. The BBC has been talking about it, yes. But why are they wasting your time with this live feed of The Obamessiah granting an audience to the faithful on a fundraising trip? Why is this Q&A session with US voters about US issues worthy of air time on BBC News? What kind of priorities do the Beeboids have? Ridiculous.
It is also the 70th anniversary of the worst day, the nadir of the Battle of Britain.
Is our national broadcaster presenting a full programme on BBC 1 to describe the Battle, to point out how important it was ?
The Today prog has been having a few short snippets on it all. In each case – it is stated as fact that today’s children mostly know nothing about it all.
And a lot of that is directly down to the BBC failing in its duty of informing.
And they are not taught about it in the schools, just about the evil Nazis because most of the leftie thickos think the Nazis were right-wing.
The universal Simon is the BBC’s favourite Lib Dem. I don’t remember him ever being given a hard time and since the election he has been elevated almost to Obama status. The fact that he is a pompous prat totally escapes the BBC and Simon Hughes.